3 Things To Tell Yourself When You Have "One of THOSE Days"

"Really?" I think to myself at midnight, while lying on a tennis ball on my living room floor, hoping to unkink my back knot.  "The alarm will go off in five hours.  Great." 

Two bowls of cereal, two Benadryl, one episode of House Hunters International and 15 minutes of lying in the dark on a tennis ball later, I take my microwavable heating pads (and the tennis ball) up to bed.  At 12:30am.

And stare toward the ceiling through the dark. 

Then read some of the Brene Brown book I have been meaning to read on the Kindle. 

And adjust the heating pads. 

And elbow my sweetly sleeping husband at least three times for no reason except he is breathing near me at 12:45am and I am irritable and unpleasant. (And probably jealous of him being asleep. Not getting "wife of the year" this year, folks.) 

I don't think he notices.  Which is good. (Have I told you he's a saint?)

So at 5am, when the harp-sounding alarm on my iPhone started strumming, I roll out of bed, bleary-eyed and not-so-rested after the measly 4 hour stretch of sleep. 

By 7am, my daughters are making high-pitched squealing noises at the dogs, who respond by barking relentlessly in excitement and running full tilt through the house.  

I try to read my Bible on the couch, because getting that discipline back in my routine is important although I am falling asleep at what probably are important - ok, I realize that it's the Bible, so actually it's all important - parts of the story of when King David died.  I really don't remember.   

My cognitive function is hovering near a negative-18. Whatever that is.  Fortunately the most taxing thing I had to do was decide which yard sale to go to with my friend.  You don't want to know how long that took.

So on my way to her house, I may or may not have somewhat passed a school bus when I wasn't supposed to.  The stop sign wasn't out and it wasn't moving.... Oh my word.  Fortunately my friend drove to the yard sale.  (I love her.)

Speaking of women I love, another friend sent me an email coupon for Starbucks.  Um, yes, thank you.

Now, obviously this is a great day for me to try to figure out how to use WordPress. Sarcasm. I'm shocked I still have hair.  Really, I know I am intelligent enough to figure out this thing, and everyone says it's easy and wonderful.  I need a class.  (You'll note you are not reading this post on WordPress....)

After dinner, I notice the goldendoodle is chewing something very happily. That would be my shoe.  Or was my shoe.  

(The up side is that the sandals were $7 at Marden's.  There are shoes whose demise would bring me to tears, and this is not one of those pairs.  Fortunately for the goldendoodle.)

Additionally, I am irritable and cranky toward people I love who are doing absolutely NOTHING deserving of irritability or crankiness.  I'm a catch.  Let me tell you.

Oh, and p.s. - I somehow modified the appearance of my blog accidentally.  But at least it's cute!

Do you ever have one of those days?  

The thing I'm learning is that "those days" come.  And they go.  

A better day usually winds up blooming tomorrow.

I have not perfected "How To Have a Sleep-Deprived, Emotionally Fragile Day Without Being Offensive to People I Love."  It would be terrific if I could say with conviction that I press into the Lord, pray a whole bunch, recite scripture in my head on an effortless replay button.  

It would be fantastic to say that I can just forge ahead with only an extra cup of coffee and my Super-Christian-and-Super-Woman cape (ok, when I re-read that it sounded a little scandalous to think of only having coffee and a cape on.... that's not what I meant).

Here are three things you can tell yourself when you have "one of those days":

* This is temporary.

* I will choose to do what I can do today, and I will give myself permission to set aside the more-than-I-can-do.

* God is with me, and He loves me even on "those days."

Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

3 Places to Invest in Your Happiness Today

There are so many to-do lists, appointments, errands, chores, blah blah blah... all this stuff that we "must" do, so we run around frazzled and disconnected and irritable (or is it just me?) and miss some really easy ways to have a more joyful day.  

Here are 3 ways to increase your happiness today:

Invest in friendship.  

Think of one person you'd love to know better, and invite her to get together for coffee or lunch.  Stop saying things like, "We should get together sometime," because it probably won't happen (and nobody really believes you when you say that anyway, right?).  Grab the calendar and mark down a date.  Get it planned.  You'll feel really energized today and on the day you hang out with your friend. 

Have an old friend you think of but keep not-getting-in-touch-with?  Send an email, or make a phone call.  Or get really old-school and send a letter you wrote by hand.  Or (wait for it) stop by to say hello in person.  One of my best friends from high school and I don't see each other as often as we'd like to, because of kids and life keeping us so busy, but we call each other whenever "California Love" is on the radio, because we remember driving around for hours in 1996 in my old Nissan Pulsar with that playing on repeat in the CD player that was velcroed to my dash.  

Do you have some inside jokes with a good friend?  Text a photo that will make her laugh when you see something only the two of you will appreciate.  Pick up that silly little item that will make her laugh.  One of my friends gave me a "Goats in Trees" calendar at Christmas, so every day I smile at a goat and feel loved by my friend for remembering something silly about me. A new friend at church recalled my love of all things peacock-feather and suprised me after a service one Sunday with a purple satin pen that has a humongous (like, humongous) peacock feather sticking up at the top.  These ladies invested in me, and I remember them every day when I'm surrounded by goats and peacock feathers, and I bet they had some sparkle going on when they were choosing these fun gifts, too.

Invest in strangers. 

There's something so unexpected about a stranger extending kindness, that it's really so invigorating!  

Give a sincere compliment.  Women are so often really catty.  You know it's true, ok?  Next time you see someone with a great haircut, let her know you love it!  (Please do this in a sincere and un-creepy way.  And I recommend complimenting someone of your same gender, lest you be misunderstood as trying to put a move on someone.)

Offer someone you don't know to go ahead of you in a line.  Are you still mulling over whether to get the skinny latte or the 2% milk?  Just say, "You can go right ahead.  I'm still thinking," to the couple behind you.  

Tuesday an older gentleman at the grocery store checkout said to me, "You only have two items.  Why don't you go in front of me?"  I declined at first, but he insisted.  And it was a really big treat, because I was slightly panic-stricken about the gallon of ice cream that was probably starting to melt in my trunk. (I didn't plan my errands well, apparently.)  His kindness to me probably made him feel good, and it was a little sparkle in my morning. 

Invest in you. 

Wake up a little early to read something inspiring. 

Go on a walk outside. 

Choose the sparkly one.

Take more slow, deep breaths.

Eat it even though it's fattening. 

Don't eat it, because it's fattening.

Stop cheating on your Weight Watchers points. You will never eyeball 2 tablespoons of peanut butter properly.
Try that nail color you secretly love but wonder if you're too old to wear.
Stop feeling guilty for not loving to climb through the playground equipment at the park with your kids.
Pray.

Let your teenager take you on a four-wheeler ride, even though you scored a literal "0" in "excitement" on some type of personality profile your mother had to do on you for grad school.

Remind yourself of all the times God has been really good to you.

Allow "it makes me smile" to be a legitimate reason for choosing household decor.  Even the yellow couch.

Keep little notes and mementos in a "special things box." 

Try that project you've been wanting to tackle.

Get the goldendoodle.  

(These are examples from my personal list... feel free to adapt them.)

(a few photos of my sparkle-makers)