How to have a Favorites Day

Blog, everyone occasionally needs a “spa day” or “mental health day” when they treat themselves to some treats. Me being the sort of person who indulges in a “Birthday Week” (or sometimes even “Birthday Fortnight”) every year, I condone treating yourself well for any reason you can devise.

So, if you’ve been having a hard week at work, just got bad news, or are simply bored, I recommend having yourself a Favorites Day. And I’m here today to give very specific instructions on how to do just that. Blog, prepare to take notes. Wait...you are notes. Well then, let’s begin.

Your Favorite Outfit: Start by dressing the part. That may mean wearing something you look really good in, something you’re really comfortable in, or something that just feels fun, like your pirate outfit.

Your Favorite Food/Drinks: Be sure to plan to make your eating and drinking for the day a little special. Ideas: put real cream in your coffee instead of the powdered stuff; have drinks or dinner at a favorite bar or restaurant; get yourself a bakery treat for dessert; if you hate to cook, make microwavable meals all day; if you love to cook, do a gourmet meal with new recipes.

Your Favorite Thing to Look at: This is the day to put a photo of your favorite celebrity crush on your computer wallpaper or in a frame on the table next to your lounge chair. Or do likewise, subbing your grandkids, the car you wish you owned, or your fave vacation spot.

Your Favorite Music: Listen to your absolute favorite CDs or iPod playlist. Have a few songs you’ve been craving but haven’t gotten yet? Today’s the day to spend a few bucks on iTunes.

Your Favorite Special Indulgence: Treat yourself to some flowers, a six pack of your favorite microbrew, a chocolate bar, a bubble bath. Think of the most luxurious thing you can afford to treat yourself to and go for it.

Your Favorite Things to Do: Watch an old favorite movie or see a new one; work on a beloved type of craft project; go golfing; reread a great book; shop for shoes; or just lay around watching HGTV.

Your Favorite Things to Not Do: Don’t forget going from the reverse angle. This may be the day to not get up early, not do your workout, not go to work, not do chores, not answer your phone and/or email.

Your Favorite Thing You Forgot You Even Liked: Think creatively here. You may remember a place in town once where you took a walk once that was really pretty--visit there again. Or a store you saw once that you didn’t have time to go in--now’s the time! How about playing an old favorite game you loved? Trivial Pursuit maybe? Or call up a friend you haven’t thought about in awhile but actually really miss.

Your Favorite Person/People: Recruit the participation of a loved one or great friends. I mean, who’s going to turn you down when you say “I’m doing a Favorite Things Day for myself so naturally I thought of you”?

Don’t Forget the Cherry on Top: The cherry on top is up to you, but pick one thing about your day that is going to be the best of all. Perhaps everything else you do during the day is free, but put one splurgy item in, like a martini at an outdoor bar you love. Or make one of the other elements I’ve talked about really special: like making your dinner out be with your mate at the place where you had your first date. Big or small, make the Cherry something that really gets your heart racing in anticipation and will make a fond memory for sure.

The key to making a great Favorites Day is not money, Blog, it’s thought and planning. If you sit down with yourself and figure out all the little things that can add up to a day of total fun--building in a little flexibility, as life does throw curves at a person--and then really do it all, it could be quite the day.

In fact, it sounds so good to me, I think one of these days I will have one! So you thought I knew what I was talking about here, Blog? Nope, all sheer speculation. I’ll let you know what happens when I try it out. And readers, if you try it out, let me know!