Calm in the Chaos - Tips for a Better Life
The Ideal Day
by Jamie Spannhake
November 15, 2020
This past weekend was my birthday. (It was so great to be 30 -- again!) ;-)
My plan for the day was to do things that I enjoy, and only things I enjoy. I was able to do just that. It reiterated to me that the things that make me most happy are simple. I didn't need anything extravagant or expensive. Most importantly, I spent the day with someone I love, which made everything better.
During this time in our world, simple pleasures are even more enjoyable than usual and I was grateful to have simple pleasures and great company.
This was my day, my Ideal Day:
Start with sleeping late. As I've written about before, sleep is the foundation of wellness. In this time of pandemic coupled with cold and flu season, sleep is really important. Our immune systems work best when we are well-rested. Plus, I love the feeling when I wake up in the morning and my eyes "pop" open, ready to be awake. That only happens when I get sufficient sleep.
Related content: 3 Ways to Get a Better Night's Sleep - Because You Need It
Meditation. Everything in life is better when I meditate. It calms my mind enough to think clearly and act rather than react to frustrating circumstances. Meditation makes me a better person, a better mom, a better lawyer; just better.
Related content: 5 Reasons to Meditate
Yoga. Now that I'm thirty -- again -- my body needs more stretching to feel good, especially my back since I suffered an injury to it as a dancer in my teens. Yoga keeps my body in balance. An at-home 30 minute full-body yoga class on YouTube was just what I needed on my birthday.
Next my daughter and I sat on the couch together and read. I never enjoyed reading as a kid, but now I do. And it's really important for me to model being a reader and to ensure that Sarah reads regularly because she has dyslexia. The more she reads the better for her brain. So we read. She is reading Harry Potter. I am reading The Island of Dr. Libris, which is a kids' book, but Sarah loved it and wanted me to read it too, so I did.
Then we went on a hike. Sarah always enjoys hiking, but she never wants to go. But for my birthday, she had to do things I enjoy, and not complaint. We went on a four-mile hike! It was a cool day here in CT, but the sun was shining and the river was high. It was so lovely. We laughed a lot and saw lots of natural beauty. And she didn't complain until mile 3.5, so I was happy with that. As always, exercise and nature make life better!
Related content: How to Fit a Regular Workout into Your Busy Day
Next it was time for dinner: Indian Food! No one in my family but me likes Indian food so I rarely get to eat it. But, again, Sarah had to do things I enjoy and not complain. She ate rice and naan plus some plain vegetables I cooked for her, but she did at least try the paneer and daal, so I was happy with that.
The Good Place. I rarely watch TV or Netflix or any shows, but Sarah and I both like The Good Place, and it's (almost) appropriate for a 10-year-old, so we watched three episodes.
It was a simple day, spent with my favorite person. What would you do on your ideal day? And with whom?
Upcoming Event: Nov. 19, 2020 at 12:30 p.m. EST
Time & Stress Management to Achieve More in Life: Independent Women Talk with Jamie Jackson Spannhake
I will be a speaker at the upcoming Independent Women Talk, held via ZOOM.
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