A happy day

I started my day thinking I might spend it in my pajamas in bed. After two cups of coffee and about an hour of thinking, I knew I had to take control. I added two Bonnie Raitt CDs to my iPod and headed for The Loop. Thanks to the gorgeous weather and good music, I walked two laps. For those who don't remember, that's almost 5 miles. I felt great and loved being outside. And having the time to think and get my head together was just what I needed. Little did I know that I'd end up back at the beach a couple of hours later. My point: I started the day having trouble getting out of bed, but once I did, I couldn't sit still. And the day ended up much better than I thought.

One thing I realized today is that I had stopped making my list of things that made me happy each day. I knew I wouldn't blog about it forever but I was still making a note in my head each night. I don't know why I stopped, but I do think that's when things really started getting off track. So here's my list of five things that made me happy today.

1. I walked almost 8 miles today. I did The Loop twice this morning and then later in the day I walked from Johnnie Mercers Pier to Shell Island and back. I still want to incorporate running into my physical activity, but, for now, I'm just happy to be moving ... and to feel so compelled to do it. I missed four days last week and I almost felt like I just had to go today. Of course, who knew I'd try to make up for the four days all at once?

2. I tried a new recipe for dinner -- whole-wheat pasta with prosciutto, mushrooms and spinach. It was delicious, easy to make and good for me.Yummy food always makes me happy.

3. I watched Casablanca. It always puts me in a good mood and I just love the song "As Time Goes By." It will probably be stuck in my head for days. Plus, what woman doesn't want Humphrey Bogart pining after her?

4. There were several points in the day when I could have let negative thoughts/conversations or other obstacles take over. But I didn't. This is a real mental success. One of my goals is to change the way I react to adversity. Part of that is adjusting the way I think and not letting things get to me. Today I overcame each challenging moment and found things that made me happy.

5. Sunday nights always make me happy because that's when I change my sheets. I always sleep better on clean sheets. OK, that makes me sound crazy. But clean sheets make me happy. And I truly am trying to appreciate the little things more.