Beaming

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg, even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." --Bernard Meltzer

Today was another awesome day, for a bunch of reasons.

I'll start off with a question: Have you ever had someone let you know when you don't look so good? You know, like...

"Wow, you look exhausted."

"Are you sick? You look sick."

"Geez, you look terrible!"

I think we all have experienced this, right? And it always seems to happen when you are feeling especially crummy and nasty and grubby...and you really didn't need someone to remind you.

On the other hand, isn't it great when someone tells you that you look good? Especially when you are feeling particularly sharp or sassy, or you are busting out a new piece of jewelry or hairstyle or outfit (bonus if you got any of it on mega-sale!). As much as I love compliments on clothes and jewelry, they are nothing compared to a different kind of compliment I got today. Someone I hadn't seen in about a month gave me some feedback on how I looked, saying I seemed...

-more relaxed
-less stressed
-like I was "beaming" compared to a month ago

OK, hands down, that was WAY better than having someone tell me that my shoes rock!

It was a great thing to hear, especially since I have actually felt that change in the past month or so. I don't think the person was just humoring me, either...so I appreciated that someone else noticed a difference in me. I hope it continues!

I also had a wonderful dinner with two good friends tonight. I hadn't seen them in about a month, either, so it was great to reconnect. They are two hilarious ladies from school who were awesome supports when I worked there. Their rooms were always great places to stop by after school and hold legendary "vent sessions." More than anything, they were always there for a good laugh and a constant support system. Oh yes...and they also share my love of delicious food! Bonus! We had a great visit at Olive Garden (mmmmmmmmm, unlimited breadsticks.....) and caught up on life. It was one of those situations where the time apart did nothing to hinder the conversation or the connection, because the friendship is so strong that time apart doesn't really matter. I was really blessed at my school job to meet a handful of special friends like that. When I think about possibly returning to school in a year, the friendships of my colleagues are certainly at the top of the"pros" list. Anyway, it was a great dinner and I can't wait to see those lovely ladies again!

Hmm...I was actually going to finish up with something else today, but I think I'll save it for tomorrow. Looking back on what I wrote, I think that is plenty for one day! So here's my Doogie Howser "moral of the story" part of the blog:

-Getting a sincere compliment feels great. Don't ruin it by rejecting it ("No, I don't look that good...I need to lose more weight...etc")...I am guilty of this sometimes. I am trying to get better at accepting compliments, saying thank you, and believing them.
-Giving a sincere compliment feels great, too...and it can make someone's day (it made mine today!).
-Good friends rock. Plain and simple.

...and so do unlimited breadsticks! :)

QUESTIONS FOR YOU: OK, people. Time to start commenting...don't make me beg! I want to know: How do you receive compliments? Do you accept them, minimize them, get embarrassed, etc?

Also...what do you love most about your friends?

I Will

"For myself, I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -Winston Churchill


If you follow Maggie's Octopus, you already know that I have been working at a liquor store since early July. This job is a (huge) part of the "Stress Free Year Off" plan. Even though I don't make a whole lot of money there, it has been the perfect place for me since leaving my other job. I go there every day knowing what lies ahead. I don't have many (or really, any) confrontations with people. I don't have to think very hard. I laugh A LOT because my co-workers are hilarious. I listen to the radio. I dance. Bottom line? I have fun.

Obviously, my career goal is not to work at a liquor store for the rest of my life. But for someone who has been pushing and going nonstop and juggling thousands of balls in the air at her old job, this job is such a breath of fresh air. It feels like I was driving in rush hour traffic forever and ever, and then one day, I just pulled off the highway and onto a quiet back road. It's great!

My other blog features funny stories about liquor store customers...the crazy things they do, the odd things they say...but this post is going to be a little different. I want to tell you about a really wise customer who comes in every now and then. I bet he has no idea that he is the inspiration for today's post. Here goes.

This man seems like a typical guy...nothing flashy about him, just your Average Joe. He says "Hello" when he walks into the store, makes his purchase, and leaves without much excitement. However, there is something that sticks out about him. Whenever a customer leaves the store, I always say, "Have a great day." Most people just say, "You, too" or "Thanks" and walk out the door. But this man is different. He always says the same thing whenever I tell him to have a nice day...

"I will."

It might sound kind of simple, but I always notice it. "I will." Maybe it's just what he says, but I like to think it's something more. Think about it. What if every day, as you head out into the world, you made a decision that it was going to be a great day? What if you told yourself, "I will have a great day today." It seems like an easy thing to do, but honestly, I don't always do that. Some days I wake up feeling tired or cranky or defeated...almost like I have already decided on having a bad day. Why do I do that? Why do a lot of us do that? What if we all just decided to have a great day every day? And then we did our best to go out and make it happen?

Tomorrow morning when I wake up, I am going to tell myself that it is going to be a great day. I'll let you know how it goes!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU: Do you have any morning rituals that help you prepare for the day? Do they work? Do you think starting your day a certain way has an impact on the rest of your day?