Three-Day Weekend

Is it just me, or would life just be so much better if every work week was followed by a three-day weekend?  Somehow that extra day makes it feel like a real break.  All of the normal chores you do in a weekend are done already, so you truly get a day off.  I love it.

For me the ideal "day off" includes a nice long run outside (weather permitting of course), a pedicure or massage (wallet permitting of course), a nap, a good book, and a really yummy dinner followed by some sort of chocolate amazingness.  Not very glamorous I guess, but sometimes happiness doesn't have to involve an exotic vacation or a lottery win.

I've been thinking about happiness a lot lately.  Sometimes it seems more elusive than a perfectly flattering pair of jeans.  It should be so simple, right?  Surround yourself with people you love who love and understand you.  Do nice things for other people.  Find a career that fulfills you and a safe, homey place to live.  Get exercise and be proactive about your health.  Invest in your spiritual life.  Invest in your bank account.  Have things to be excited about.

In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, "Have something to love, something to do, and something to look forward to."

But sometimes it's really hard to find people to love who love you back and treat you the way you deserve to be treated. It's not easy to figure out what you want to do for a living or if you know what you want to do, how to get your foot in the door.  Putting yourself out there can be debilitatingly difficult.  Especially when you don't have the perfect body or tons of money or a supportive family.  Especially if you have health problems or financial problems.  Especially when you have a job (or two or three) that keeps you occupied, or a child (or two or three) that needs to be your first priority.

Of course, none of us have unlimited time or resources to figure out how to be happy.  (If we did, we'd probably be perfectly happy in the first place.)  So how do we do it?  Is it about making small changes or just changing our priorities?  Is it a decision we make every morning when we wake up or is it dictated by our circumstances?

Maybe it's just about being grateful for the categories (home, relationships, career, family, health, etc.) that we do have figured out.  Maybe you have the perfect career but just need some more time to find the perfect man.  Or you love your home and volunteer once a week helping care for shelter pets but would love to lose 20 lbs.  Maybe you don't have a single thing figured out but you really, really love your coffee maker.  That has to count for something right?

All I know is that I'm going to dedicate more of my time to figuring out how to be happier.  I want to take advantage of the opportunities in my life.  I want to have more fun.  I want to squeeze every little ounce of awesomeness out of my life.  Any suggestions?