“Have a great day!” Have you ever had someone say that to you and you just want to reply with, “Yeah, right” but you smile back with the sincerest smile you can fake, and wish them the same. I know I used to have days like that. Not any more, though.
I learned a while back that great days rarely happen by accident. If I wanted to ensure a great day, I had to put in some effort to make it happen. It’s kind of like if you want to be in good health, you have to think about it, put together a plan, and follow it through. It is pretty simple – but not always easy, and having a great day can be pretty simple, too.
Have you ever even considered what a great day looks like? My concept of a great day may be totally different from yours. It’s something that is unique to each person, but there are some common things that can help it work out easier. Here are a few ideas.
The very first thing to make sure you have a great day is to set youre intention. As soon as you wake up, no matter how you feel at the moment, tell yourself, “Today is going to be a great day.” That sets the tone for everything that follows.
Stretch a little before getting out of bed. Have you ever watched a pet wake up from a nap? Dogs and cats stretch before taking a single step. Try doing the same. Your body is likely a little stiff first thing in the morning. Take a few minutes to enjoy some simple movements – move your arms, legs, hands and feet. Stretch your spine. Do some nice deep breathing to stretch the abdominals and wake up the lungs.
Once you get out of bed, drink a large glass of water. (I like to fill a quart jar with some warm water and add a few drops of certified pure tested grade lemon essential oil.) Even though you probably didn’t do anything last night besides sleep, your body was busy rejuvenating itself. Water is also used in many processes, such as digestion. So even though you may not realize, you’re probably somewhat dehydrated when you first wake up. You’ll feel better and more alert if you give your body the hydration it needs. 
Take a few minutes of quiet time each morning for inspiration. Read or listen to something that makes you feel alive and vibrant. Motivation and inspiration are important components of any great day. Whatever it is that works for you, take a few minutes and get yourself inspired for the day.
In addition, spend some time in meditation or prayer, setting the intention, once again, that your day is going to be great – maybe it will even be awesome!
Find something that gives you purpose for the day. Choose one big task to complete. It’s common to have a list of items to accomplish each day. The challenge with a long list is that some items invariably won’t be completed, which often results in frustration. Choose which items are priority, and focus on getting them done. Anything more than that is a bonus.
Make sure that as you complete each task, you take the time to check it off your to-do list. You’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment each time you make that small check mark and be more motivated to move on to the next thing.
Remind yourself of the things that fill you with gratitude. Your family, home, and good health are all reasons to be thankful. Most of us spend too much time annoyed by the things we don’t have, rather than what we do have. The vast majority of the world’s population likely has less than almost everyone who has the resources to read this post, and despite their meager circumstances, they manage to have a great day almost every day.
Be mindful of each and every moment. What is your attitude like? Would you want to be around you right now? If not, what do you need to do to make it better. Maybe it’s something as simple as an attitude adjustment. Find what is getting in the way of your positive attitude, and then rephrase that negative into a positive.
Is worry getting in the way of your great day? Remember the song, “Don’t worry, be happy?” Focus on the present moment instead. Living in the past or worrying about the future add nothing to your life.
Is anger getting in the way? Are you angry at your co-worker or a friend or family member? Forgive them and come up with a solution to resolve the issue. Anger can be hard on the liver and the gall bladder. Forgiveness has been shown to be good for your blood pressure and consequently, your heart health. Get rid of the anger, extend forgiveness, and your health will thank you for it.
Spend time with someone you love. It could be a spouse, partner, family member, or friend. There’s a reason you love them, so spend some quality time together. Quality time probably doesn’t mean watching the news together. Watching the news is not a good prescription for a great day, neither is staring at a screen. Make your time quality time. Find an activity that you can enjoy together and interact.
You are the only one who can make sure you have a great day. Take personal responsibility for creating a great day for yourself. Think about additional things you can do each day to make it a bit better. Soon every day will be great without even having to think about it.
Perhaps taking a walk during your lunch break or keeping a journal will make your life more enjoyable.
Ask yourself what it would take to make your life better. With a few simple changes, you can greatly increase the odds of having an awesome day. Maybe your best day ever will be today.
Find your purpose – find your joy!
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Did you find a few more ideas of your own? If so, I’d love to hear about them in the comments, and as always please reach out with your thoughts.
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