I recently visited some of my relatives, down south.  It was lovely, sunny, and warm.  I had a great time.

Then I returned home.

It was raining.  Pouring, actually.  And the sky was grey.  And I am in the second to last week of school.

Simply put, I was not crazy about being back.

To help beat the blahs, and to keep my attitude on the positive side, I have decided to add some happiness to my day.  This is a challenge–have you ever tried to think of things that make you happy, when you’re in a cranky mood?

My list:  the beach, places where the sun actually shines, and other than that, absolutely nothing!

Pressing harder, I looked back at the list of simple pleasures that I put together last winter. Using that to get my mind back into a positive place, I came up with more activities that put a smile on my face:

• Reading mysteries
• A bubble bath, while reading said mystery
• Art projects with the Bean
• Road trips
• Writing
• Exchanging e-mails
• Paint by number
• Baking cookies
• Bicycle rides

So here is my challenge, to myself and to you: let’s work more happy into our days!  Make a list (and if you get stuck, go to this blog or this blog for some ideas) of simple pleasures that make you happy.  Then, try to do 1-3 things from your list each day.  (How many you actually do, will depend on how time consuming your items are).  And make sure that you do at least one thing that isn’t computer-related. 

I intend to set aside some writing time each day (I know, I’ve talked about this before, and have yet to succeed at it!), after work.  I will also set aside time to write to my friends, in the evenings.  Then, I will choose one thing from my list, and do it after I get home that day.

I challenge you to do the same. 

Life is too short to spend in an ornery mood–the housework will still be there when you’re done, I promise!