Yesterday could have started off as a recipe for disaster – a sick child, a good bit on the to-do list, and a Monday. Ick. Yet, I still ended up having a really good day. I took care of my kids. I made homemade tomato soup for dinner. I made my workout happen with two fantastic new circuits.

I saw a quote while reading my morning devotional yesterday:

“An attitude is contagious. Is yours worth catching?”

Something about that stuck with me and I decided I was going to make the day a good one. I believe we have the power to do that each and every day – to make our days good or bad. Well, except for those days where everything seems to align against us or something really awful happens. Have a bad day then. I don’t blame ya.

But in the day to day? Make it good. It may not be ground-breaking information, but sometimes we all need a little reminder or nudge in the right direction…

8 Ways To Make Today A Good Day

Find something to laugh at – whether a comedy on TV or a funny YouTube video online. Might I suggest an oldie but goodie of baby B getting caught dancing?

De-stress. Take 5 deep breaths. Take a power nap. Pray. De-clutter your space.

Splurge a little on something you normally wouldn’t. Nab that $30 group deal for a massage. Satisfy the fancy coffee craving. Crawl into bed at 8 pm tonight. Do whatever suits your fancy and will feel like a small treat.

Get active. Even a short walk outdoors will get the blood flowing. Hey – it could even be better than the time in the gym.

Flashback “get active” image! Look at that belly go!

Tackle a realistic to-do list. I try to pick the minimal amount of things that really need to get done. That way, I feel productive and not overwhelmed.

Give someone a kiss, a hug, or, at the very least, a smile. I plan on all three…although I must say baby snuggles are the best.

If only they could stay this snuggly forever.

Count up the blessings. List out 5 good things in life. I promise you have five.

Eat something delicious….and savor it. Oh pumpkin oats breakfast, you really do start my day off right. Cliché? Whatever. I’m going to eat what I want for my one meal of the day I get to enjoy in peace and quiet.

And that breakfast is calling my name right now…

You tell me – how do you plan on making today a good one?

Today, I wanted to kick some butt in the gym. I had that pumped up and motivated feeling, along with a restful weekend to top off my energy. Life always likes to have different plans, though. As you can imagine, a sick kid meant a no go at the gym for me today. What to do? What to do?

I don’t mind skipping workouts when I either physically or mentally need the rest. I also will skip if certain priorities come into play and I just cannot make a workout happen. I can’t stress myself over those situations.

But today didn’t really fit any of those scenarios. I felt good. Makenzie’s cough is hardly life alert status. And I wanted to workout!

So, I did. When there’s a will, there’s a way. Sometimes you have to keep determined and make things happen. I looked at my options and determined that I could still fit in a great at-home workout with the kids.I just had to keep it short and sweet…and make sure to have an arsenal of entertainment for them.

Monday’s plan was a legs and shoulders workout plus some cardio. For the first part of the workout, I opted to go with a bunch of supersets completed with little rest (15-30 seconds between exercises) to keep my heart rate up through the workout. Then, I added a plyometric circuit to top it all off with a cardio super burst.

It ended up being a great thirty-ish minute workout! And it’s completely versatile too. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t get a good workout at home. Basic moves and body weight exercises can challenge you quite nicely. My legs and sweaty clothes can tell you that.

• What’s the last healthy act you made happen, despite roadblocks?