Helpful reminders. Already.

Many of us started the year--8 days ago--vowing to seek out the positive, live in the moment, find a healthy balance. Don't know about you, but I am already in need of a reminder. So I gave myself these and thought to share them with you. You're welcome.

1. Look up. We passed the shortest day of the year last month. So every day now, we're getting more daylight. This is my absolute favorite "things are looking up" moment of the year. Even a minute more of daylight is a positive; it's good for your health and makes you feel alive.

2. Reach out. The time I make for friends always, always comes back to me tenfold. So even though I feel tired or busy, I have to remind myself that I'll feel energized and usually, humored, after that monthly lunch date with Brandie. Ditto for the calls and emails I owe folks. Make the time, find the cell signal and enjoy.

3. Snag a laugh. Same idea as reminder #2. If my time is limited, I usually avoid opening my blog reader. Instead, I choose to save it for savoring later. Well, while scrolling through over a thousand unread posts last month, I realized something. I laughed out loud. A lot. Quite a lot. And now realize that I'd rather snag a hearty, healthy laugh in a few minutes then relax under a gazillion posts with pen and TBR list at hand.

4. Shave. Don't laugh. Acting like it's bikini-weather or like I might get sex soon is a big positive for me. Smooth legs and pretty toenails mean that I'm taking time for myself. Positive, healthy. [On a practical note though, I need to buy a good pair of long johns to replace the fur. We're skiing a lot already this winter and I need that extra layer. Any brand or material recommendations?]