The perfect day doesn’t exist…or does it? What if you could have a recipe for the perfect day? You just might be able to have a perfect day every single day with this little perspective shift.
Recently I had one of those days where I planned one thing and the weather planned something else. I was hoping to take the kids to the arboretum to see what was growing. I could picture all the fun we’d have as we walked the paths and discovered new spaces. Instead of the idyllic summer day I had pictured in my head, I woke up to 54 degrees, windy and cold. I went outside briefly to run an errand and even that was too much for me. I didn’t want to have to pull our winter coats out of storage just to be comfortable on what should have been a warmer day!
I thought about the cold day and the other things we wouldn’t be able to do because of it. I was scrambling for activities to do with the kids when something in my brain shifted, and I thought, “Okay, this is not the perfect day for the arboretum, but what IS it the perfect day for?”
I landed on that it was the perfect day to….snuggle under blankets! I told the kids to grab blankets and pillows from inside the house because we were building a cozy nest in the yard! They eagerly brought out materials and the oldest took on the project manager role. Soon we were all snuggled up together on the cold day, tucked in and reading books aloud together. Occasionally we’d take time to gaze at the puffy clouds above us and make guesses as to what they might be. The day went down as one of my favorite memories with the kids.
Since that day, I’ve tried to start out my mornings with, “Today is the perfect day to…” and then dream up a few ideas. What I like about this approach is that it fosters contentment by helping me focus on what I’ve been given, not on what I don’t have. Is it a cold and rainy day? A perfect day for fort-building! Is it 70’s and sunny? A perfect day to have a picnic! Is it snowing? A perfect day to make a snowman! I take what I’m given and make the most of it.
This way of thinking also helps me to face each day with more joy. It’s hard to say “Today is the perfect day to…” with a frown. Just uttering those words sends some energy into the air and gets me dreaming.
As I’ve been practicing this, I’ve also come to realize that there are many factors to choose from in addition to weather when considering what the day is perfect for. When my husband was traveling and I was feeling a little anxious about managing all the things on my own, I decided, “Considering my energy level and workload, today is the perfect day to take it easy” and so we did! We stuck around home, ate PB&Js for lunch, skipped baths, and left laundry and dishes undone. And that was perfect.
So, what is today the perfect day for in your world? Take stock of how you’re feeling, your kids’ needs, or the weather, and see what adventures the day holds.
