Life 101: "Creating Happiness"

Great morning!!!

I love blogging so much I just thought I'd say that, so Lord's will, nothing will keep me from you guys and spending my time here blogging! I tweeted the other evening, "Just very happy and at ease." I love my mornings. Was able to get up at 8:45 a.m. this morning! Lord help me to rise early every day! Even though I am currently unemployed, I want to stay active and be every where I need to be when I need to be there! Bless God!

I have listed here my absolute favorites. I do all of these on the regular and they take me to a sweet place similar to worship, praise God! WARNING, some parts may be more for women than men so please caution before proceeding, thank you.

Rising early Waking early gives you a sense of unspoken happiness (maybe for you too, but for me it is a spoken happiness--I bless God each morning that I rise, amen!) Just great joy. We have heard throughout our lifetime people say that, "Oh, I'm not a morning person." Well, I hope you are not a night person, amen! Early morning air is so sweet! So pure, so indescribable. Rising early is a moment where time stands still, a moment where time is prolonged. The hours in the day are stretched, which means more time with God, more time to bask in His glory.

Light candles at sundown I do this on rare occasion because most times I have not considered it. It is a treat. Not just any candles, they must be scented, adding extra joy. Light just one makes for a modest happiness, while several is really indulging, lol! :) The time at which you light the candles depends upon your mood. At sundown could be a time of remembrance and early morning could symbolize an early blessing.

Scents Ok now this is a big one. While I hope that you practice each one, this is where you should probably begin. Fancy or non-fancy, this one is required, ok! Think, Airwick Scented Oils (plugins), scented candles as mentioned earlier, and hand lotion from like Bath & Body Works or something. Perfumes. Scents are a very bold statement. Get some plugins and put 'em in your room. This is what I have done and I can't stand not having them. Each time you walk into your room, you get a big glop of scented-greatness stimulating your nostrils. Sweet, sweet aroma just like our prayers should be to God!

Spend time outdoors This is one place that you can retreat to where there is absolutely no noise or distraction unless it's from cars and trucks passing by, or lawnmowers; and even these are not distracting to me. Stillness, cold breezes, fresh air, leaves blowing to and fro/scenery/visual stimulation, birds chirping, scurrying creatures, ahh. Peace outdoors. No loud voices, no nagging people, no restrictions. Just perfect, wholesome, blessed time with your feet up and your arms cradling your head (deck/patio, or lawn with a beach towel).

Showers Not going into detail because this is a Christian blog and I am saved, amen. lol. But, two showers per day, just like brushing your teeth. This is mainly for the experience, not the cleansing aspect.

Stretch and exercise Nothing intense, ok! Crunches, jumping jacks, touching your toes/stretching. We all know that exercising does something so good to us! It releases endorphins that help us to feel rejuvenated, refueled and whet with energy. Even if it's light and moderate, it does something good to you, amen!

Have a sweet little hobby Collecting and admiring sweet coffee cups and mugs make me smile. Sipping coffee from my favorite polka dot mug and smiling from ear to ear does something so wonderful to me! It is a great delight of mine! Scrapbooking. Another sweet hobby that I love. The little bitesized ornamental scrapbooking pieces; oh how they make me swoon! And also couponing. Consider your favorite hobby and/or add/create a new one.

And most times I do all of these at once, making for extra happiness! lol; ie; couponing while sipping coffee and lighting candles. Or, rising early and spending times outdoors.

Joyful, joyful,
Whitney