making today amazing.

it's a monday.

i am looking forward to a great week at home.

last week i was in Arizona with the Bazzill team nailing down CHA Summer.

feels good.

excited about what is on the horizon.

new products, new lines and of course beautiful cardstock!

loved being in the sun for the week.

spending time with Lorie & the fam.

seeing my darling niece Jordan and nephew Dave and his sweet wife Courtney.

meeting their new baby, my great nephew Vernon Charles.

Vernon is a family name, they had to do it.

he's darling, going to be called Charlie!

loved catching up with them!

ate some amazing Mexican food.

of course.

made a little time to sit by the pool.

it was a great week.

over the weekend i did a little scrapping.

working on a fun little mini book using Janet's line with Bazill Wayfarer!

LOVE.

working on a fun little project, finally getting some of my South Africa photos scrapped!

will share with you on Wednesday!

on Friday i called a dear friend who is going through a hard divorce.

she's struggling.

it's hard.

but it was great to talk to her.

support each other during trials.

it got me thinking.

over the weekend i had a lot of time alone.

something that is new for me.

the boys live in Idaho with their dad and the girls went up to spend the weekend.

so that meant a lot of alone time for me.

i'm learning how to be ok alone.

some things i wanted to share, just some ideas that i am finding that help me stay happy.

it's not huge stuff.

but for me it's small things that are working.

1. create a project.

weather that be an actual creative project ie scrapbook, layouts, canvas, frame etc. For me time in my studio sooths my soul. i love it.

or it can be any other type of project.

Friday i decided to Spring clean the upstairs part of my home.

bathrooms, laundry room and bedrooms.

i made my list of chores and knocked them out.

felt good.

i did sheets & towels.

dusted & Vacuumed.

washed floor boards and walls.

toilets & tubs.

so domestic.

but i had a project in mind and spent several hours doing it.

this week the main floor.

having a project keeps my mind at task.

seeing a finished project feels great.

2. Do small things that make you happy.

bring you joy.

We all have small things that make us happy.

no life long happiness, for me that is a HUGE statement.

what i am talking about is snipits of happiness.

i get overwhelmed very easily with the idea of LIFE long happiness.

for me that is the journey i am on.

day by day.

snipits of happiness that will get me there.

take time for yourself.

Friday night i gave myself a manicure.

i normally don't sport painted nails.

but i took the time after cleaning all day to do my nails.

small thing.

but a happy thing.

wear your favorite color.

i am on a pretty tight budget these days, we all are really.

so for me a snipit of happiness is treating myself to a new shirt or pair of pants or shoes.

not a $300 handbag.

but a little perk.

last week for me it was cheetah.

a $15 shirt on the clearance rack at Old Navy.

lot's of happiness for very little.

even seeing it hang in my closet brings a smile to my face.

have a treat.

i'm not a depriver.

i just don't believe in it.

so if i want a little chocolate i eat a little chocolate.

not a bag of chocolate, or a box of cookies but in moderation.

do something simple but make it special.

as a treat on Saturday after going to the grocery store in the pouring rain i treated myself to an orange pop served in a wine glass.

simple. 

fun.

i know silly, i'm 46 but orange pop reminds me of when i was a kid and pop wasn't something we had in our home and was a treat when we went out to Dees Family Restaurant.

it's nostalgic for me.

makes me happy.

so.

think of the little things.

do them.

3. exercise.

i am going to be honest here.

i have never been someone who loved exercise.

in fact i have always kinda hated it.

didn't get it.

but.

after almost a year of getting up and walking has changed me.

no i am not running any marathons soon.

or doing a tri-athelon like Lorie does.

but i am exercising.

i didn't have to join a gym.

i bought my first pair of walking shoes at costco because they were cheap and pink.

walking is free.

i am not a person who weighs myself.

{that would not make me happy}

wink.

but, since last June i am walking my butt literally off.

it's still there believe me.

but i am down 2 pant sizes and feel great.

no special diet per say.

just walking.

what it has done for me mentally is immeasurable.

i has given me the time to clear my mind each day.

i love it.

one of the first things a Dr. will tell you when you are having depression is start to exercise.

it works.

i woke up this morning the sun is out.

the sky is so intense blue i can't wait to get out there and enjoy it.

it rained most of the weekend.

yesterday the sun finally came out.

i woke up wanting to motivate myself.

remind myself of the small things that add up to a happy life.

and share them with you.

i don't know who you are.

but i feel grateful you check in on me.

we are on this road together.

make today amazing.

kiss kiss

m.

 

 

Comments

[Sheri Twing]

Always love your posts! So inspiring! Thanks for being so real...

[Vicky]

I love your posts too and REALLY want a little sneak of the upcoming products - can't WAIT!

[Barbara Frazier]

I enjoy your posts because you are REAL ... and amazingly talented.

[Colleen]

I haven't commented much but I do enjoy checking in with you. I think we would have fun together! Thanks for the walk talk. Just what I needed to hear. I need to get out and move and clear the brain. Thank you!

[Tracey B]

always read your posts ... keep me going some days... thks for being honest and real... day by day is good...enjoy your week.

[Missy]

Really wise stuff - thanks for always sharing from the heart. LOVED the part about "snippets" of happiness. I am typically the whole picture kind of girl...which makes it hard in keeping perspective about feeling good about the small stuff. I look too far out and don't allow feel good moments if I know it won't happen in the future too. Weird, but true. Thanks for all you do :)

[connie]

Thanks for sharing..I love the orange pop in the wine glass...like you, when I was growing up we never had soda in the house...except when were sick..7-up and if you had a sore throat orange crush..for some reason that was the magic that made everything better...
Have a great week and congrats on the results from walking...that is so encouraging...yeah!

[Heather]

Great thoughts! Thanks for sharing!I believe in many of the same things!! ...and, I have never bought myself a $300 handbag...lol. ;)

[Jord]

That is a great list Auntie and I'm so glad we got some time to catch up. Definitely let me know when you're in town again! Love you.

[corinna]

great post love it!!! you have a smile that reminds me of Goldie Hawn who I love btw lol you sound great great advice you are great :)

[izzy]

So glad to hear the sunshine in your voice again. You rock!

[laurie lariviere]

such a lovely post Margie, you always inspire me to look at things in a different way...I love to walk too, the only kind of exercise that I really like, glad it is working out for you :) it's nice to get outside in the blue skies, have a good day M.

[Nicole]

Amen! Thanks for this post and reminder it takes effort but we need to do little things to make us happy. take the time to smell the roses :)

Have a good day!

[Anda Williams]

I don't get to check in everyday...I just catch up with you when I get a minute and Im very happy I had that minute today--great post (I usually like most of them!)
Love how real and up front you are and love knowing we all go thru similar things in life!! Take it easy!!

[Beth W]

It's like you can look straight into my soul-I will try harder using many of your suggestions.Thank you for being so honest and letting us know we are not alone.

[chrissy]

i.
adore.
you.

[Emma Tandy]

Thank-you for this post, it gave me the uplift I needed today and a new outlook x

[Barb Robson]

Your posts are always so inspirational and motivating....they always make me feel better and provide me with such happy thoughts. We all have had rough patches in our lives, but you sharing with us so intimately helps me see that I'm not alone....thank you for that!
A friend from Pennsylvania...Barb

[denise kerut]

thanks for inspiring me to walk every day even alone! i am going to start to walk my tummy off with you! hope it works! and i am going to make some projects for me! i think this will help me feel happier! god bless you friend! where and when is cha summer? maybe i can go . i have always wanted to go!
denise

[Paula]

Thank you.

[Dolly]

Margie, from the day I met you at CKU Masters 2005 I found a wonderful, completely human woman with an incredible sense of style and a wicked sense of humor. I have checked in with you ever since. You are the partner in crime everyone of us would love to have, a girlfriend that they can count on, a shoulder to cry on and someone we could laugh hysterically with. I enjoy checking in daily through your blog and twitter and Instagram too. It makes my day. You make me laugh, contemplate life and wish I lived in Utah. Cheers to you girlfriend, you are truly one in a million!

[patty]

love you margie!
awesome tips! :)