I woke up this morning thinking that things would be different. I laid in bed thinking, thinking, thinking… Every day seems to bring the same challenges…and a few new ones. Is life just a constant struggle? Bills that I can’t pay, work that drains me, a headache, no energy, an argument with my husband… Why is this happening to me? I keep trying but the cards just seem stacked against me.

I figured something had to change. I began running all sorts of accusations through my head… My boss is an idiot and doesn’t appreciate my hard work so I hate my job… But I have all those bills to pay…its not like I can just quit. I’m exhausted because my husband kept me up late last night arguing…apparently he thinks I do everything in my power to make him mad. It’s no wonder I had a headache before I even got out of bed.

I crawled into the shower. I just stood there with the hot water beating on me…and it felt so good! I closed my eyes and simply enjoyed the experience. The smell of the soap was refreshing. The feel of the hot spray was so relaxing. Steam filled the entire space. For a few very brief moments all was wonderful. Then my thinking brought me back to reality. I needed to hurry up or I was going to be late for work…then the boss would be mad and on and on and on…

Sitting in my car a few minutes later I thought it would sure be great if I could simply stand in the shower all day. Then it occurred to me that it really wasn’t the shower that was so good, but rather the thought process that WASN’T going through my head as I was standing there. I wasn’t thinking about the work I had to do or the low balance in my checking account. I wasn’t blaming my husband for keeping me awake or feeling bad about last night’s disagreement. While I was in the shower I was simply enjoying that moment…no worry about the future and no guilt about the past…just loving that shower!

Maybe I was on to something… What if I could discover other activities like the shower where I could focus on enjoying what I was doing at that particular moment in time? Surely I could put together a list of many things that I “enjoy” doing!? What if I picked one of the ‘joys’ on my list whenever I was struggling? I’d be creating the list, so every item listed would be something that I’d enthusiastically complete. I’d love every second of what I was doing. I’d be responsible for having a better day – not my boss, my husband or my co-workers! Whether I only had a minute or I had a few hours…I could enjoy what I was doing. For those brief moments I’d accept the past and be ok with whatever was going to happen tomorrow, next week or next month…because I’d be living in the moment!!

Then, came the analysis…again. Who did I think I was? With all the challenges in my life, I wasn’t living in reality thinking I could have a better day just because I did things I enjoyed. What would people think? Would they laugh and say what I was doing was crazy? Wait a minute…who’s in charge of me? I’m making changes in my life because most of the time it’s just a series of obstacles. Why not create blocks of time to stop and smell the roses so to speak?! My friends and family are either supportive or not…but it’s about ME having a better day…so there! They can support me or join me…

Another inspiration strikes. Why not start a movement…a “better day movement”? And what better way to start a movement than with a blog. So, that brings me to right here, right now. I’m doing one of the things I enjoy…writing. Now, here’s the deal… I’m not a professional writer; I don’t have any impressive credentials or initials after my name. I’m just a gal that struggles and is ready and willing to make changes. I thought I could share my ideas and experiences with you. I’m sure I’ll have challenges but thought it might be fun to work through them with the help of others. So, without further delay, let’s get this Better Day Movement started…

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