April 4, 2010

The weather this weekend was amazing. I booked vacation days around the holiday weekend thinking that I would spend the time stripping wallpaper or painting or redecorating a room. I wasn't planning to be financially strapped, so unfortunately nothing was done. I had no energy to do anything. Nothing. Notta. Zip...I checked Facebook, worked on my Blog, watched tv, (which by the way sucked) so I didn't get dressed all weekend, didn't go anywhere, talked to BFF for 10 or 15 minutes and napped!

With it being so nice outside, I could have got some sun. I could have gardened (rather have a colonoscopy). I could have decluttered or cleaned the blinds, or swiffered the ceiling for cobwebs. There were a lot of thing I could have done that were free but I didn't...I couldn't...I didn't wanna!

What is it about having money in your pocket, or money in the bank that makes life so euphoric? Everything seems better, even if you aren't planning on spending it or doing anything with it, it is just nice to know it is there. Then I was thinking to myself, what else in my life gives me that same euphoria? 'Medically recognized as a mental/emotional state defined as a sense of great (usually exaggerated) elation and well being' and I thought of a lot of them...so here is my list:

1. Readers that have kids will understand this one. At bedtime when you lock the doors, and crawl into bed and know that your kids are home, safe, tucked into their beds. That is a feeling you don't get very often when they get older or teenagers. I remember on the nights when my son was home on a Saturday night, usually because he was hung over, but that's ok...he was home, in bed safe and sound! Or if there is a storm outside and everyone is home!

2. On Friday night, when you crawl into bed (why are all my euphoric elations all start going to bed?) and you turn your alarm clock off...you know you don't have to get up early in the morning...oooohhh heaven.

3. Sometimes the euphoric feelings are usually just something in the back of your mind, reminding you something good is happening or happened. (The opposite of the over impending doom) like you know when you get off the phone, you have a fresh cup of Tim Horton's coffee waiting for you!

4. In the pit of winter, you book a vacation to go somewhere hot!

5. When you know someone loves you! Even if it is a new relationship or you are married for 20 years. When you think of your 'special' someone the euphoria kicks in.

6. Laughing! OMG sometimes you get that deep, belly laugh when you almost can't breathe. Could have a lot to do with the chemistry of the brain, and the releasing of endorphins and increasing the oxygen in your brain. Laughing also helps your body fight infection, and laughing 100 times equals 15 minutes on a tread mill!

7. Disney World. If you can get over the fact that your feet are killing you, being in Disney World give you euphoria. Doesn't matter if you are 2 or 102, you get that excited, delightful, wanna skip and hold hands and sing Zippity Do Da feeling.

8. Bouclairs...ok, ok, that is probably just me...

9. Sitting by an ocean. Hearing the waves, the turquoise water, the white sand. Wasaga Beach will do it too.

10. Getting positive feedback, whether it is from a loved one, or from a co-worker or your immediate supervisor. Nothing encourages you to work harder than to get positive feedback. Like training a dog. If you yell or scold it every time it does something wrong, it will continue to do it, but if you praise the dog or reward him when he does someting right, he will continue with the positive behaviour. Nudge nudge, wink wink!