Things that are making me feel good about myself

1. My birthday.
My birthday was on March 22, and my family really did a great job. There was champagne and chocolates the night before, and then presents and dinner with The Hubby at the fondue place on the 22nd. The presents showed me they really know me: all things I love! New pajamas, cozy socks, Cadbury creme eggs, the DVD of Chuck Season 1, tickets to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, climbing roses from my Mom, a $50 gift card to Nordstrom from my mother-in-law (do I even remember how to shop?). I'm feeling the love.

2. My haircut.
I finally got my hair cut about a month ago. It was in a horrible state: bangs so long I just brushed them to the side and didn't have bangs; ends so fried it didn't even look like hair any more. It was shapeless and long, and I HATED it!
When I first got it cut, the bangs were a little too short. But now that a month has gone by, the bangs are the right length and I have figured out how to style it correctly. I am so happy with it! I feel a million times better when I see myself in the mirror. I am walking taller.
I was trying to go without a haircut for as long as possible to save funds, but I should have just spent the money sooner! The improvement in my outlook was well worth it!



3. Daffodils.
They are in Trader Joe's and the grocery store. Little bunches of daffodil buds. About $2.00 for 10 stems. They just look like green blobs.
Then, you get them home and put them in a vase, and later that night, they have started to open.
The next morning, they are BIG, beautiful, bright yellow daffodil blossoms.
Their season is short. I am savoring it while it lasts!

4. New pajamas.
As mentioned above, my family bought me a new pair of pajamas for my birthday. They are just a simple cotton t-shirt and drawstring pants from Target, but ahhhhhhhh. Who knew that such a simple thing could feel so good? Such soft cotton... not threadbare, pilling, and falling apart, like the pajamas I was wearing. I put them on, and I feel like a million bucks!

5. My band.
Last Saturday, we had a gig (this precluded me from going to the bloggers' picnic). It was a small gig for us: playing at The Boy's preschool carnival. The preschool director had asked me for a favor - they needed live entertainment - and my guys delivered. Big or small event, they are terrific.
I sang lots of my favorite songs, in front of a crowd who knew only the "mom" side of me. It was fun hearing their surprised reactions: "WOW, you're so good!" "How long have you been singing?" All my life, and thanks!
My mom was here visiting, and she hasn't had a chance to hear my band before, so this was extra-, extra-special! (Most of my singing has been in the theatre, and she saw that a lot when I was growing up! But she hasn't had a chance since I started singing in bands three years ago.)
Singing with the band does make me feel good about myself, since it allows me to have an identity outside of "Mom," and gives me a chance to perform (I miss the theatre terribly). However, it can also give me opportunities to feel bad about myself, since I am really hard on myself and beat myself up over mistakes.

But this is a positive post. Being positive is another thing that is making me feel good (and just like going to the gym, it sometimes takes willpower), so I am not going to start down the road of things that are making me feel bad about myself. Unfortunately I can't stop my brain from going there, but I'm having my fingers focus on the positive!