Off the Beaten Path: Top 8 Ways to Add Zest to Your Day!

By Contributor: Jen Thompson

"I made a huge to do list for today. I just can't figure out who's going to do it."
​- coolfunnyquotes.com 
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In the rush of everyday life, commuting, multiple obligations and relationships, and messages staring at you from your phone that you still haven’t responded to, it is so easy to forget to have fun. It is too easy to rush toward the fun you are going to have later--tonight, this weekend, next month--but forget to have some fun right now.

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​​My three year old daughter has reminded me that fun is hiding everywhere, just waiting to be had. It’s really true. It is in the sidewalk that instead of stepping up onto, you skip onto. It is in the flower waiting to be smelled or picked, and the smile you give to the person behind the counter. Use your imagination and let yourself be wacky to come up with some schemes.

​Here are my top 8 ways to put some zest into your everyday routine:

1. Surprise everyone in the office with a treat!  It doesn’t have to be bad for you for people to enjoy!  You could do blueberries, or dark chocolate, just something to give back and switch the pace of the day up from the ordinary.
2. Run up the stairs instead of walk (ok, I lied for the sake of the rhyme above ;) ), or take two at a time.  
3. Be the friendly host of the elevator and push the buttons for everyone inside.
4. Chat with your neighbor, at home or at work. Even just a friendly hello goes a long way in a time when people forget to smile.
5. Blast your favorite tunes on the way to work and all the way into your parking spot, even if you are listening to "Billy Jean" one more time and allow your fun self to be seen.
6. Try getting away barefoot, or in socks, in whatever setting you can muster at first. Sometimes just feeling the ground makes you feel so different.
7. Let your child wear their cape to the grocery store instead of fighting with them to take it off. (Maybe you can wear one too:)
8. Listen to music and sing and/or dance. If you have never danced by yourself before, check out some dance videos on youtube and amuse yourself trying to replicate the moves! It’s fun and no one will ever know :)​ Reggae is fun, positive and simple. Here’s one you can start with:​

And then put on a fun song you can’t help but move to, like the one we had in this weeks Music Therapy Monday! 

Whatever your day may bring, remember it’s always more fun with a smile and thoughts of sunshine!
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Posted In: WellBody, WellFun, WellHeart, WellMind, WellSpirit