I have the kind of pregnancies no one should ever experience. The kind of pregnancies that didn’t exist 100 years ago because the mother died 12 weeks in and stopped bothering everyone with her nonstop complications. I’ve talked a little bit about it here before, and even though I’m still haunted by the memories and don’t like to talk about it a ton, I learned some really amazing life lessons from the whole shebang.
There’s something about flirting with death a handful of times that makes one realize there’s only so much time to make the good stuff happen, and that time is right this very second.
The last go-round {with Charming seven years ago} was the worst, worse than the most horrible I could have imagined, but the minute it was all over and I’d recovered enough to stay upright for more than 10 minutes at a time, I came out both guns blazing. {sorry, couldn’t help it} I had some major epiphanies, one of them being the fact that DUDE, I’m still alive! Holy cow, I’m still alive! No, really I made it! The baby made it too, and he’s fantastic!
I took note mentally of a million and one things I wanted to make happen in the next 60 years on earth and decided: let’s go make it happen NOW. Life List 101.
The thing about this whole mortal life we’ve got going on, is that there’s not one day in our 20′s or 30′s or any time beyond where life is just awesome all of a sudden. Boom, magic! There’s no fairy who bursts onto the scene one day and says it’s time for things to start getting all fantastic up in here.
You have to make it happen every. single. day.
We aim to be happy every day around my house. It doesn’t always happen, I mean we’re not Disneyland, but being ridiculous and spontaneous goes a really long way to breaking up our mundane, overly scheduled, super stressful life.
Here are some suggestions to help you get started in your life of happy, spontaneous, everyday magic:
- Jump in a pile of leaves
- Dance in your car
- Dance in your kitchen
- Sing in the shower
- Hang out with your friends
- Have a candlelit dinner of mac n’ cheese
- Make a fort on a Wednesday afternoon
- Start a collection
- Go miniature golfing. Cheat if it makes you happy
- Dye your hair a ridiculous color just because you’ve always wanted to try it
- Eat dessert first, because you can
- Take a sick day to watch all your favorite TV shows
- Blast your favorite music and take a bubble bath in the middle of the day
- Go to a movie alone. Get 2 kinds of your favorite candy and don’t share with anyone
- Allow yourself to be silly, look silly, sound silly
- Listen to inappropriate music, you know for your age
- Buy the meal of the car behind you in a drive-thru
- Paint your nails an inappropriate color
- Take your kids out of school to see an afternoon matinee movie of their choice
- Send ridiculous cards to the people you love {think Chihuahuas and old ladies swimming}
- Say I love you. A lot
- Buy the crazy high, sparkly heels. Just because
- Get a pedicure once in a while, you deserve it
- Eat dinner in bed
- Go out to breakfast. Order a whipped cream confection that’s terrible for your health
Today is your day. Make it happen.
I’m so excited to be partnering again with Hallmark in 2012 as part of their “Life Is a Special Occasion” campaign. As always all stories, opinions, and naughty children are nothing but my own.
Allison
Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!
love Loved LOVED reading this!! i completely and whole-heartedly agree!
So glad you liked it! Thank you.
This right here, why I adore you. yes. yes. yes.
And I love you right on back Rachel.
so I am totally going to do one of these next week – watch a movie ALONE!
Niri,
It’s the simple things really. I mean it.
I didn’t realize you had such difficult pregnancies. Kudos to you for being alive – yay! Kudos to you, again, for living!!
Oh Kristen, they’re a nightmare. But the babies! And I’m alive! :)
This is such a great post! Thank you!
Sara,
Thank you! Sometimes it’s good to be reminded of the little things, isn’t it?
Ditto it all! Life is just too dang short to not. I too loved this post.
You know it Kami. I think you do such a good job of living in the moment, I really do. And you’re such an amazing, cute, crafty mom. My poor kids….
Call me a copycat, but I may have discovered my life list ;) Excellent!!!
Do it! Life Lists should have a lot of doable things on them. Silly, fun things. I’m a big believer.
Allison, thanks for reminding me how blessed I am. Hope you have great weekend.
You’re welcome! Have a great weekend too!
“The thing about this whole mortal life we’ve got going on, is that there’s not one day in our 20′s or 30′s or any time beyond where life is just awesome all of a sudden. Boom, magic! There’s no fairy who bursts onto the scene one day and says it’s time for things to start getting all fantastic up in here.
You have to make it happen every. single. day.”
SO BEYOND SUPER MEANINGFUL TO ME TODAY!!!! THANK YOU.
Oh Suzie, I’m so happy to hear that. Really and truly, it makes sharing the personal stuff easier to know it made a difference to someone. THANK YOU.