Have you ever been in a such a state of contentment that you can’t help but smile? Just wander around all day with a silly smile on your face? Sing silly made-up songs? Okay, maybe the singing is just me. I’ve always been a happy cheerful person. I really hate days when I am not in a happy mood. It just irritates me. I maybe have two – four days per year when I just wake up in a non-happy mood. Those days drive me crazy.
I love inspirational quotes. I have a sign on my desk that says, “think happy thoughts” – not that I need to be told that on most days but sometimes it is a good reminder. I also keep a quote book. My personal Pinterest page is probably more quotes than anything else. Do you have a favorite quote that just lifts your spirits when you need it?
I’ve been thinking back over the past 8.5 weeks since we arrived and thinking about the months leading up to the move. There was certainly a lot of stress leading up to the move. There were times as we were sorting through stuff and making decisions on what to get rid of that the weight of all of that became too much. Trying to limit ourselves to just the approximately 70 boxes that we had estimated. Crazy. Then when we arrived here and were working through all of the documentation bureaucracy there were definitely days where being in a happy mood was nearly impossible.
To cope I would turn to inspiring quotes, walks in the vineyard and a glass or two or three of red wine. Sometimes we need to be reminded that things will get better. That it isn’t a bad life it is just a bad day. Sometimes we just need to stop what we are doing and “think happy thoughts.”
Bob and I find ourselves sitting in our courtyard just sighing with contentment. Today while we were eating lunch out there we were talking about how the courtyard is looking so great now that we have added our touch to it. The only sounds while we were having lunch was the constant birdsong. How can that not make you smile?
Well, then something can happen to take that smile away. Like when I was carrying the tray from lunch back inside and the glass cruet of olive oil slipped off the tray and smashed on the tile floor and splashed on the wall and a framed painting. Why couldn’t it have been the glass of water? Why the olive oil? That immediately changed my mood. After cleaning it up I came into the office to try to write a blog but all I kept thinking about was how mad I was at myself for my clumsiness. I couldn’t focus. What had been a day with a great mood suddenly turned sour. I didn’t want it to stay that way and I needed to get it out of my head so that I could write. Inspiring quotes and good music helped me to ‘turn that frown upside down.’
What works for you? What helps you to pick yourself up when you are feeling down? If you need any help making up silly songs to sing…let me know! Oh, and I’ll bring the wine!
“Always find time for the things that make you feel happy to be alive.” ~Unknown
The Winery Woman 