Live. Love. Laugh. Stop and smell the roses. See the glass as half full. Shoot for the moon. There are the familiar (cliché) activities we know we should engage in more often. But, for those of us not wanting to be cliché, there are others. Everyday things that can become elevated by how we approach them. How we think about them. Simple things that can be anything but simple. Things that we should do. More. Often. Like:
Start. Learn - something, anything new.
Say hello.
Compliment. Comfort. Cultivate.
Create something for a friend. Get messy.
Seek perfection, but learn to be satisfied with your own personal best.
Make mistakes. Don't be afraid.
Let others know you are glad to see them. Go out on a limb.
Forgive others. Forgive yourself.
Surprise someone with a gift when it's not their birthday.
Say, "It's no big deal," and mean it.
Say, "I love you," and mean it.
Act. Believe. Care.
Dare to try.
Read.
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
Use the fancy dishes.
Twirl in public for no reason.
Hop. Skip. Jump.
Put it in first gear and coast for a while.
Aspire. Acknowledge. Adapt.
Ask questions.
Ask for help.
Ride with the windows down and the radio up.
Pat the dog's stomach in that spot that makes his leg twitch.
Drink water.
Whip up a large stockpot of anything homemade - chicken noodle soup, chili or beef stew. Let it simmer on the stove all day. Freeze the leftovers to give to your dad or your mom or your brother.
Pause. Reflect. Be still in the moment.
Make funny faces at yourself in the mirror.
Tell a joke.
Shoot hoops.
Share. Play. Listen.
Show your soft side.
Scratch someone's back.
Have someone's back.
Change the batteries in the smoke detectors.
Change your mind.
Let the kids have a sleep over.
Sing. Praise. Applaud.
Say, "Good morning," to everyone living in your house.
Say, "Good night," to everyone living in your house.
Stay up past bedtime. Sleep in late.
Bake chocolate chip cookies from scratch.
Look to the future. Forget the past.
Shout. Whisper. Cheer for your team.
Take a deep breath. Repeat. Again.
Eat family meals together. Give thanks.
Unplug.
Pray.
Admit your mistakes and own them.
Apologize. Move on.
Ride a roller coaster. Eat something deep fried on a stick. Act like a kid.
Love others. Love yourself.
Love people more than things.
Give to the food shelf.
Let your good acts be anonymous.
Swap out an old toothbrush for a new one.
Comb your hair. (Even before your mom pesters you about it.)
Eat your veggies. Including the broccoli.
Wear comfortable shoes.
Spray paint something to make it new.
Plant a garden.
Grow. Stretch. Smile.
Let someone cut in front of you in traffic. Give a friendly wave.
Be kind.
Look people in the eye.
Volunteer. Do without on occasion.
Splurge on dessert. Exercise.
Take a nap with the dog.
Make a new friend. Call an old friend. Keep in touch.
Bask in the sunshine.
Finish. Savor.
Say the occasional goodbye. Move on.
See endings for what they really are: beginnings in disguise.
- Jill Pertler's column appears every Thursday in the Times. She can be reached at pertmn@qwest.net.
Start. Learn - something, anything new.
Say hello.
Compliment. Comfort. Cultivate.
Create something for a friend. Get messy.
Seek perfection, but learn to be satisfied with your own personal best.
Make mistakes. Don't be afraid.
Let others know you are glad to see them. Go out on a limb.
Forgive others. Forgive yourself.
Surprise someone with a gift when it's not their birthday.
Say, "It's no big deal," and mean it.
Say, "I love you," and mean it.
Act. Believe. Care.
Dare to try.
Read.
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
Use the fancy dishes.
Twirl in public for no reason.
Hop. Skip. Jump.
Put it in first gear and coast for a while.
Aspire. Acknowledge. Adapt.
Ask questions.
Ask for help.
Ride with the windows down and the radio up.
Pat the dog's stomach in that spot that makes his leg twitch.
Drink water.
Whip up a large stockpot of anything homemade - chicken noodle soup, chili or beef stew. Let it simmer on the stove all day. Freeze the leftovers to give to your dad or your mom or your brother.
Pause. Reflect. Be still in the moment.
Make funny faces at yourself in the mirror.
Tell a joke.
Shoot hoops.
Share. Play. Listen.
Show your soft side.
Scratch someone's back.
Have someone's back.
Change the batteries in the smoke detectors.
Change your mind.
Let the kids have a sleep over.
Sing. Praise. Applaud.
Say, "Good morning," to everyone living in your house.
Say, "Good night," to everyone living in your house.
Stay up past bedtime. Sleep in late.
Bake chocolate chip cookies from scratch.
Look to the future. Forget the past.
Shout. Whisper. Cheer for your team.
Take a deep breath. Repeat. Again.
Eat family meals together. Give thanks.
Unplug.
Pray.
Admit your mistakes and own them.
Apologize. Move on.
Ride a roller coaster. Eat something deep fried on a stick. Act like a kid.
Love others. Love yourself.
Love people more than things.
Give to the food shelf.
Let your good acts be anonymous.
Swap out an old toothbrush for a new one.
Comb your hair. (Even before your mom pesters you about it.)
Eat your veggies. Including the broccoli.
Wear comfortable shoes.
Spray paint something to make it new.
Plant a garden.
Grow. Stretch. Smile.
Let someone cut in front of you in traffic. Give a friendly wave.
Be kind.
Look people in the eye.
Volunteer. Do without on occasion.
Splurge on dessert. Exercise.
Take a nap with the dog.
Make a new friend. Call an old friend. Keep in touch.
Bask in the sunshine.
Finish. Savor.
Say the occasional goodbye. Move on.
See endings for what they really are: beginnings in disguise.
- Jill Pertler's column appears every Thursday in the Times. She can be reached at pertmn@qwest.net.
