The first week of Savor 180 was such a success. I looked forward to every daily task and each one truly helped me enjoy each day more. Yesterday in church the focus was happiness and how it’s so important to try and find happiness each day, no matter what your circumstance. My sister-in-law has a piece of wall art that says “Happiness is a choice.” This has become clearer to me the older I get. Happiness isn’t a destination. It’s not something you get and then keep. It’s something you work for every day. Sometimes, when the bills are piling up, you’re struggling to balance work and home life, the kids are screaming and you’re exhausted, and trials come your way, it’s hard to find joy. But there is always something to be happy about.
These little Savor 180 tasks have helped me find more joy in my everyday life and I’m so excited to continue them in the days and months ahead.
Since New Year’s Day fell on a Friday, I had 10 tasks instead of 7 for the first week. Of them, 5 stand out as the most memorable and fun. The first one, rocking out to my favorite song, was actually difficult. We had stayed up well past midnight to ring in the New Year the night before and I was exhausted. So I couldn’t quite muster up the energy to rock out to anything that morning. But that night, I rocked out to my favorite song with my daughters and we danced and laughed. What was most memorable about the experience, though, is what happened after. I curled up with my daughters on the couch as we watched one of their favorite shows, my 4-year old laying on my left side and my 2-year old on my right.
The next day I called my mom just to tell her I loved her and was so thankful to have her in my life. She was so happy that I couldn’t get a word in edgewise to tell her my favorite memory of her. But she said it made her day and told me it was just what she needed to hear that day.
For the $5 gift card, I gave a coworker a gift certificate to a drink place I know she likes and frequents. The best part is I waited for her to leave for lunch and then I placed it on her desk. That day I had to leave at lunch anyway, so I didn’t get to see her reaction when she returned. I’m kind of glad. Many times, when we give something to someone else, a lot of the joy we receive is in watching their reaction when they receive it. Sometimes, it even overpowers the joy we receive just in giving. So to have given it to her simply for the pleasure of giving was wonderful. I also am glad that I kept it anonymous. I like just knowing that with the unexpected gift, I brightened a friend’s day a little more.
Tip #8 was to start a gratitude list that you add to often. I’ve started my list and look forward to adding more things on a regular basis. I went to a conference once where the speaker said she started a gratitude list long ago and the more often she adds to her list, the harder it is to think of things to add. The important part is just continuing to do it. I look forward to watching my list grow and reviewing it in a year and especially on crazy days when I feel stressed and exhausted.
Admittedly, I have never done just a yoga routine. The yoga I have done has always been combined with cardio and strength training and is more of a conclusion to my workout to get my heart rate back down. But for tip #9, I did a 10-minute yoga routine on Sworkit and absolutely loved it. I was amazed at how quickly the time passed and how great I felt afterward. It’s definitely something I want to continue doing in addition to my regular workout.
That’s what I love about these Savor 180 tips. They’re all a blast to do and can be done as often as you’d like. I already know I’ll be repeating many of them—some even on a daily basis.
