My Happy Hour!

Happy Hour!

Not the kind at your local pub or favorite restaurant. I'm talking about giving yourself a happy hour. Taking an hour just for yourself and doing something that makes you smile or brings you joy.

One hour a day, or a half hour if you can't spare a full 60 minutes, but dedicating some time during the day just for you. Right away, we hesitate, because we all have so much to do these days, so much responsibility, we may feel it's hard to find time to take a breath. But we must.

We may even feel guilty. Thinking there's a lot we could be doing with that hour. But we're not being selfish. We're being good to ourselves so we can be good for everyone else.

We have 24 of them in a day, at least one of them should be our own.

60 minutes. 3,600 seconds. To take a walk. Call up a friend. Catch up on your reading, watch your favorite show, or sneak in a nap. Your only requirement, getting your happy on!

Your happy hour could make a happier you.  And it might just rub off on those around you.

I only managed to get in 45 minutes today... but it did a world of good.  I turned my happy time into a no phones/no computer zone.  It was fabulous... and it was free.  My happy (almost) hour was my joy moment today. Next time, I'm going for the full 60 :-)

Here's to happy hour!

Cheers, Friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Out of the Blue

Today, out of the blue, I received some recognition for a project that I've been working on.

Funny what a kind word or simple gesture will do. Especially, when you've been working hard on something, it's always nice to know your efforts are appreciated. That happened to me today, out of nowhere, and that simple act was just the rush I needed to fuel me through the rest of my busy day.

You know what I always say, it's the simple things.  And when they're unexpected or come by surprise... they're even better.

That out of the blue experience left me feeling pretty rosy... and it was my joy moment for today.

Hope you had a pleasant one, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Holiday Spirit

Just a few short weeks until Christmas. Three weeks. 19 days.

When you're a kid, it feels like it takes forever before Christmas arrives. When you're an adult, December seems to fly by in a blur.

I'm trying to get a little organized this year, slow down the hectic pace and enjoy the time leading up to the holidays.

I'm also trying to plan ahead. Last year I waited too late and found myself shopping on Christmas eve... not fun. There's no holiday spirit to be found waiting on extremely long lines in a disheveled store. Take my word for it.

This year, I plan to get an early start and enjoy the holiday season. There won't be much fanfare, I'm keeping it simple due to the crazy economy. My goal is to get into the true spirit of the season and each of the days leading up to it, by gathering with friends and family.

My joy moment today is gearing up for a little holiday planning and a lot of holiday cheer.

Happy Holidays, Friends.

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

I'll Have the Special!

A friend and I decided to stop at one of our fav spots for brunch today. A local diner that we visit from time to time. It's nothing fancy but we like going there because the food is good and the staff is very friendly.  The waitresses always remember their customers and make you feel right at home. It's like that old TV show "Cheers", where you walk in and everybody knows your name.

Diner's are pretty fun places to visit because they usually have a funky atmosphere... Colorful swivel stools, eclectic decor, big outdated booths, mini jukeboxes, walls lined with old photos and collectibles, and of course, the standard food bell. There's always an interesting mix of people of all ages and cultures and a menu that boasts a variety of cuisines.... all homemade, all served up fast, and pretty cheap, too. Can't beat that!

My joy moment today was hanging with a friend at one of our fav breakfast spots, enjoying good food, fun atmosphere and down home hospitality.

Cheers indeed!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Wake Up and Live!

Heard this great old song today that has some cool lyrics. I especially enjoyed it because has the same title as my blog, "Wake Up and Live." It's by legendary Jamaican singer, songwriter, and musician, Bob Marley.

Here are a few of Marley's inspiring lyrics...

Wake Up and Live, Ya'll. Get up and Wake up and Live.
Life is one big road with lots of signs. 
So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. 
Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. 
Don't bury your thoughts put your vision to reality. 
Wake up and Live. Wake up and Live. 
Wake up. Wake up. And Live! Yeah!

Check out his 1979 live performance...
Bob Marley's, "Wake Up and Live"

Jamming to this cool song and getting my daily reminder was my joy moment today.

Yeah, Mon!  LOL.

Stay Tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Frrrrriiiiiiidddddaaaaayyyyyyy!

Happy Friday!! And it was!

It was my joy moment alllllllll dayyyyyyyy long!  LOL.

Hope you had a good one, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

Snap Happy

I've mentioned before that I love pictures. I love snapping cool pics or looking at great photography.

So when I happened upon a few amazing pics on a site called "Smashing Magazine", I was a happy camper.

It was my first time coming across this web design site... glad I did. Checked out one of their entries, entitled, "(Really) Stunning Pictures and Photos."  And they were!

Have a look..."Smashing Magazine pics"

Coming across this fun site and checking out some very cool pics was my joy moment today.

Ah, the simple things!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl

And This to Shall Pass

Life has been a little crazy for me this week. I'm not going to lie, it's been crazy for several weeks.

During times like these, I try to remind myself that this too shall pass.

We all go through trying times, especially these days... Crazy, difficult, stressful life situations or events. I've learned (and I'm still learning) to look for the lesson during these times and to remember the blessing. That may sound a bit conflicting but allow me to explain.

The Lesson. Usually, there is something to be learned from an unpleasant situation.  If we look back over past difficult occasions, we can usually pinpoint a lesson or experience that has helped us in some way, often in the future. Sometimes, we get the lesson while we're still in it, other times we have to reflect back before we make the realization. At times it's a simple lesson, other times it's a hard one, but they're usually there.

The Blessing. During this time, I also try to count my blessings and remember that no matter how difficult or trying a life situation can be, things could be worse, much worse. I may not always feel that way but if I really stop to think about it, more often than not, it's true.

Of course there will always be hills and valleys in life, but with God's grace, I come out of them stronger, wiser, and at times, better for it.

My joy moment today was remembering that. In the meantime, I try to stay strong, stay focused, stay faithful... and remember that this too shall pass.

Be well, friends!

Stay tuned :-)

Ms. Girl