The things I say to myself

Read. Listen to your favorite music. Eat as much sweet food as you can. Drink gallons of water. Sit down with a child and listen to her talk, don't interrupt and don't challenge her ideas. Read. Find a good recipe and spend time in the kitchen. And before that, spend time in a real market, not the air-conditioned type where everything is either frozen or sprinkled with mist. Take a walk all by yourself. Drink red wine. Laugh till tears start rolling down your cheeks. Sleep in your oldest, most comfortable shirt. Play with your dog. Clean your kitchen. Call an old friend. Write your parents a letter, use paper and pen and send it via snail-mail. For one whole day, eat only fruits and vegetables (okay, mashed potatoes with gravy is fine.). Buy a coloring book and a set of crayons and shade away. Forgive. Smile. Nod when you agree and hold your opinion. Ask for forgiveness. Spend quiet time with God. Read the Bible. Find a dress/underwear/socks/pants that need mending and sew away. Sing. For once, don't wash your hands before eating, nobody has really died of dirty hands. Say grace before eating. Take candid photos of yourself. Let others go before you in an elevator, escalator, bus or train. Offer your seat to women, the elderly, and other-abled individuals. Smile at the security guard who checks your bag. Say sorry. Give the dog a bath. Give the cats warm milk. Open the windows and let fresh air come in. Watch your favorite movie. Cook more than you can eat and give half of it to your neighbor. Say "Thank You" more often. Say "Please" more often. When you go to an amusement park, do not skip the roller coaster. And the carousel. Bathe in the rain. Treat your mom to a salon. Close your eyes when you pray. Be fiercely loyal to your friends. Don't tell lies. Be kind. Be kinder. Give people a second chance. When someone takes you out for dinner, do not order more than what you can pay for yourself. When you receive a gift, open it in front of the giver and thank him sincerely. If the gift is something you can use or wear, use it or wear it. Pay your bills. Work hard. Work honestly.