There are so many days in the year, and it seems like there is only so much time in each day to get things done.
The Leap Year only comes around every four years — that’s every 1,460 days, 35,040 hours, or 2,102,400 minutes. It’s the 29th day tacked on to every four Februarys to keep the calendar year in synch with the seasonal year. It’s a rare ‘gimme’ day, an extra two-dozen hours that wouldn’t normally be there.
It’s interesting when you think about it — a bonus 24 hours that many, if not most of us, don’t take advantage of! Leap Year may be an abnormal day, but it’s completely normal in that aspect. How many days do we let slip by without doing a single thing we enjoy? Think about your average weekday from the time you wake up to the time you fall asleep.
What things do you do to make yourself happy?
Do you make time for a bike ride so that you can enjoy the good weather? Do you cook a meal, if that’s what you enjoy doing, or eat out, if you’re tired of doing dishes? Do you engage in one of your creative outlets? Too often, our days are characterized by jobs we don’t love and errands we’d rather put off. Caught in this cycle, we’re always thinking that “tomorrow will be better,” or, “I’ll have ‘me time’ over the weekend.” What we forget is this: every day has the potential to be something special if we engage in the present moment.
Whether it’s Leap Year, a holiday, or a plain old Monday, don’t let your day slip by unnoticed. Read a good book, catch a movie, take a walk, or make time for coffee with your best friend. Discover new things and see how these little acts reinvigorate you.
And, if you’re having trouble motivating yourself to make the change, think of it this way: you control what you do and whether you have fun. Whether or not you have lots of spending cash, the possibilities are endless. It’s crazy to think how many of our mundane Mondays could become fabulous Fridays if we only let them be! Remember, happiness is an inside job!
HAPPINESS STRATEGY
Regardless of what your schedule may be for today, make an effort to fit in one out-of-the-ordinary activity that will bring you happiness. It could be anything: seeing a movie, indulging in something sweet, or driving to see an old friend. Treat today as a special day, even if it doesn’t seem like it should be one!
Then, after you engage in that activity that brings you joy, make note of how you feel. Are you happier? Reinvigorated? Try to work in one purely happy activity every day, and see how those moments of happiness build into a life that’s more joyful in general.
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