Comfort and Joy.

We can all easily think of luxuries that we would be happy to experience everyday that are expensive, impractical or even unrealistic! And these are great sometimes, we all deserve special days and treats.

But most of life is made up of the ordinary days, work days, work weeks... and then also days that are just difficult, sick days, rained in weeks and all of the things of daily life. Really it is like with dieting. It is not what you eat on the special occasion that matters it is what you eat day to day. Making daily ordinary life as nice as possible means more overall than one special time now and then. It is the bulk of the time. THIS is it. 

Making the ordinary as lovely as possible. Thats the mission. As soon as I say it I think of things like a thermo of hot soup for lunch at work in freezing weather. Snuggling into bed with a hot pack. Hot chocolate in a big mug on a cold night. Coming home to a cooked dinner. Going to the mail box and finding a pretty letter. Little moments in the day that are just ahhhhh! this is lovely. These moments make an ordinary day into a good one. Little highlights. These things to me make life happy.

When I was at school finding a pretty cupcake Mum had made in my lunchbox was one of these moments. As adults we all have our own personal things that are "those moments". Some just come to us as gifts and we have no control over them other than to enjoy them. But many, many others are things we can create for ourselves and others to really add to the joy of daily living.

Make a mission out of adding lovely to your daily routines. Mostly we know what is glorious, soothing, happy to us. But when you have a moment where you feel so happy take notice. It can be a clue to something you can re create.

What we are looking for are things that we can do daily or often, cost virtually nothing, don't take much time, that really add moments of bliss to our day. And to do this for others. How many times does ONE little nice thing make your day? Sometimes just someone paying you a compliment will make your day and stay with you for ages.

My reliable day to day indulgences that add up to a lovely day are....

Tea in a beautiful cup and saucer. 
When my hair goes just right.
When my outfit is nice.
When I find a fabulous bargain in fruit or vegies.
I create a beautiful meal.
A bubble bath.
Feeling that I accomplished things during the day.
A project to work on.
Writing or receiving a letter.
Reading something really uplifting or inspiring.
Good news. Happy news.
Sitting in the sun or a little gardening.... being outdoors.
Birds and animals and the silly/funny things they do.
A glass of wine in a crystal glass.
A lovely pillowcase on my pillow.

I have a million! Perfume, rainbows, flowers in the house...

Knowing what these things are for you and working as many of them as you can into your day/routine as you can. Allowing time if you can for adding some in. Working out new ways to include them. 

While we were away I wrote heaps of letters. I had one of these moments. I had in my hand a heap of letters to take to the post box. There it was that feeling of great happiness! Note to self! 

I felt the same about sitting in the sun reading op shop magazines. Joy!

Then I did so much crocheting I thought I might run out of wool. And the drive home was six hours and then the evening at home before I could possibly get more. I could not waste all those good hours of crochet time! There was a little sewing/craft shop in Tumby Bay so I went in to see if they had any wool. And I was greeted by this...

And yes my heart was so happy! Another note to self.... I can certainly recreate these happy moments in the future.

Having a lovely project to work on is another for me. This makes a big difference in my day even if it is just for an hour in the evening that's fine.

I finished my bobble rug. It is the first project I made with this new stitch I learned on you tube. It is so easy to do! It was really great fun.

It is quite large, 3/4 of a single bed ish. And heavy. Very warm. The stitch is Pineapple stitch which I learned in about 15 minutes on you tube. Joy!

I just realised soup for lunch is another thing for me, in cold weather at least. I love it and it fills me up and I feel like it does me good. So making big batches and freezing individual portions is my practical way of making sure that happens.

So that is the project, working into your average day some of the things that make life beautiful and working out ways to include them. 

It is funny too noting what these things are for others. They can be way different from ourselves! We are having a turkey roast tonight. That will do it for Andy. And tomorrow I will send him a huge drumstick to work for lunch. Yep that will do it for him also. What is a thrill for one person may not be for another! lol. But sometimes really ordinary things are so wonderful for someone. The other day I was short of lunches.  I combined a frozen roll with a slab of frozen meat loaf. (for Andy's work lunch). Well, success! That goes on the favourite list now apparently. :) Some little things that are just thoughtful can make someone else's day just lovely. 

These little missions make a whole world of difference.