Beautiful Monday

https://joyfulpursuitoflife.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/beautiful-monday/

Every Day Is A New Day, A New Dawn

https://joyfulpursuitoflife.wordpress.com/2016/11/27/a-new-day-a-new-dawn/

Tami F

Here to bring us her own person Joy is Tami, our Southern Flavor of Fun & Joy. Tami is so silly and yet so supportive and an amazing friend. I have known her since 2009 and have enjoyed every moment. I just wanted to share a little bit with you about this awesome woman who is going to be sharing about herself. Mrs. Tami held the unit together on the floor of the hospital I worked on in Tennessee. Everyone loved her, she always went out of her way to make you smile and laugh. She always had a little surprise or something silly to make you smile. We talked about classic movies and horror movies in between goofing off and laughing. I remember one Valentine's Day we met downtown at this beautiful restaurant and sat at a hightop table near the front window. I remember that she got me a box of Chocolate Strawberries from Godiva I believe, I mean like heaven in a box. I have never in my life, before or after that, seen strawberries that big. And that dark chocolate was so amazing I about died. She also gave me one of the movies we always joked about. She gave me "Despicable Me" on Blu-Ray/DVD. I still have that movie, and it came with a digital copy. It makes me think of her every time I look at it. I love it, it makes me laugh so much from beginning to end because of its silliness and just carefree laughs. I miss having Ms. Tami around, but at least now we will still get to remain close through the Joy being shared that brings us all together.

The Joy of A New Day, A Fresh Start & A New Beginning

There are two best parts of any day, as cliche as it may sound, the beginning and the end. It all has to do with promise and hope. Every morning we wake up there lies before us the promise of a new day and the hope of a new beginning. As we lie in bed at night before going to sleep we sum up our day and look back on the things that have happened and forward at the opportunities that tomorrow brings. One of the things I like about my job is having two daily offices as well as other offices I periodically drop by, all within about a five to ten mile radius max. Since I am salaried I get breaks throughout the day as I travel to my office or back and it's nice to have those little drives to enjoy music, enjoy the weather, vent a little on my frustrations and pep myself up a little bit when I need it - which is just about always. Even these short five minute drives can help keep me going through a crazy day of doctor calls and client appointments and client accidents and Special Incident Reports and Universe-forbid Licensing from the State Health Department (not the kindest people on planet Earth).
The best drive though is the one that comes every morning after I leave my apartment. Having differing destinations my route isn't always the same, and even when it is I can change it up. The weather is pretty good here in California and I have my music from my iPhone to keep me going as I drive the truck. It's nice to breath in the morning air as I set out to work each morning even if all I want to do is head back into bed at home. Even yawning and dreary-eyed I enjoy having time to pep myself up for the day. I don't know if anyone really wants to go to work everyday, or maybe there are those lucky few out there who really enjoy getting up and going to work. I enjoy my job enough and I like being a nurse and all but I know that I would much rather be on the beach reading a book or traveling the world seeing new places. But, this is life and you deal with it and you keep going. So each morning we have a chance to talk ourselves up for the coming day that we have to face no matter what. This is where we can focus on the Joy that we have found for ourselves and really use it to charge up our batteries. I mean, find a silly song you love that just makes you grin ear to ear and play it when you pull out of the driveway while you begin to plan your day. Stick a little bobble-head of your favorite Disney Villain on the dashboard to snicker back at you as you drive. Get the figure from your favorite TV show or movie and put it up in the truck or put up a sticker in the back windshield that you can see through the rear-view mirror. You don't have to overdo it but it is nice to have those little reminders to smile and not take life too seriously. If someone else says something then so what, obviously they are taking life a little too damn seriously too.
Put yourself in a good frame of mind so that when you get to life and reality you are in a better place to face it. We are all going to face life every morning, we just have to make sure we face it with our best foot forward. Think about that this morning, how do you face each day? What do you do to help yourself attain and hold on to your Joy? This morning are you doing anything to help set yourself up to win instead of setting yourself up for failure? We all already have our arsenal and stockpile of Joy that we have found and built up. Use your mornings to tap into that arsenal, and use your evenings  to take inventory so that you don't ever forget the precious cargo you have hidden inside you. We so often forget our greatest weapon - ourselves. We are the keys and instruments to change, both within and without. Anytime is a good time for a new beginning, any day is the day for a fresh start - All it takes is you. As I have written before:

"Joy is endless, boundless. No matter how much of it you share there will always be more than enough of it left for you. On top of that, in a karma-esque way, it comes back to you ten-fold. When you share your joy with others, along with some peace and understanding as well, it brings joy to you as well. Those rewards are immeasurable."