Having a Good Day

I went out with my husband for lunch and then even managed to get a little bit of Christmas shopping done. While I'm tempted to say that this is a "good" day, labeling it as so doesn't feel quite right.

It is hard not to define a "good" day as one in which I can physically do many things. There have been more than a few times when I've had one of those so-called good days, days when I could accomplish many things, followed by weeks of bad days, in which I could barely get out of bed. Does it really make sense to just throw all of those days away, writing them off as "bad" days?

How, then, would you define a good day for someone who is chronically ill? Low pain levels? A positive mental outlook? A day at home with a good friend? Whether you're sick or well, it is crucial to fill your life with the things that make you smile, especially on days you would be quick to label as "bad." It is important to find a way to make each day count, even on days when you can't get out of bed.

Some of my own personal things to do to turn a "blah" day into a more bearable day are: watching a funny movie, opening up the windows, Skyping with a friend, blogging, looking at the clouds, cuddling a purring cat, having a friend come over, sitting out in the sunshine, listening to my favorite music, looking at old pictures, texting, reading a good book, drinking a cup of tea, taking an aromatherapy bath, or working on my quilt.

When you are sick, the key to having a good day is to find ways to keep your mind busy. If you're just sitting there feeling sorry for yourself, you're going to go crazy quicker than you can say Lyme Disease! Something that helps me when I'm starting to go stir-crazy is to make silly to-do lists that look like this:

Monday:
-take meds
-take bath
-eat chili
-call BFF
-work on quilt
-read book
-watch The Office

Checking things off the list makes me feel like I've accomplished things, even if technically I haven't left the house.

Whether you're sick or well, what does a "good" day look like to you? Is it defined by how busy you were? How many times you laughed during the day? Is it when you've actually had a break from your hectic schedule? Is it a day when everything went perfectly and nothing went wrong?