Happy June friends! I hope you are having a wonderful start to your summer. I am a teacher so as soon as school is out it means summertime for me:). I finished up with school the Friday before Memorial weekend so it has felt like summer for a little over a week for me. Such an amazing feeling. Summer is one of my favorite seasons because life is a little bit slower for me and my family. This summer I really want to lean into making the every day moments of life more special and joyful. I wanted to share a couple of these tips with you and if you have any suggestions please let me know in the comments. I truly believe life is made up of the sweet, simple moments and I am trying to make even mundane things feel extra joyful,

fresh flowers

I feel like any time you can surround yourself with fresh flowers or greenery either from the garden or by treating yourself from the grocery store or flower store is a win! I instantly feel so much happier when I have them around and I even notice myself making sure the rest of my space feels clean and organized around the flowers. I personally think real flowers/greenery is the best if possible for the full effect of joy but that could just be me. In the winter I find myself not having the fresh flowers as much because I can’t get any from my yard and sometimes they do not have what I am looking for at the grocery store (and also it can get expensive.). However, I am going to continue to indulge in this little luxury as much as I can because I personally do feel much more joyful when they are in my home. My favorite flowers in the spring and summer are tulips, daffodils, lilacs, peonies, and hydrangeas. During the winter I mostly buy pretty greenery from the store. It gives my home a fresh feeling especially when it is cold and dreary out.

Fancy MOrnings

One thing that I do every day that is pretty ordinary is drink my coffee. I adore coffee and I will do anything possible to make drinking it more of a fun event than a normal thing. I usually will put my coffee in a pretty mug, sometimes I will froth some milk with lavender syrup and make a lavender latte. I will drink my coffee in the porch with a candle, soft music and a pretty blanket. I try to make this ordinary moment as fancy and joyful as possible. This is my favorite way to start the day and it is also something that makes me excited to wake up in the morning. I wake up very early during the school year so having something to look forward to when I wake up makes it so much more fun. You could do this same thing with tea, your breakfast, snack, anything you do during the day to make it a bit more luxurious and fun.

Cozy Lighting

I am all about the lighting when it comes to creating joyful moments throughout the day. Bad lighting or too much artificial lighting is a mood killer for sure. Give me all the natural sunlight if possible! I also adore candle light any time of the day. I am obsessed with battery operated candles that have a remote because they are super safe and also create the cozy feel I am looking for. These battery operated candles look amazing because they actually come in a glass container to make them look more life-like. I am adding them to my list for sure:). I also love a good scent to make a moment more joyful. I love a pretty white candle by Sweet Water Decor also. My favorite is Pumpkin Spice but during the summer the scent Salt +Sea looks amazing! Try adding some fun lighting to an ordinary moment and see how much more joyful and special it feels:)

create a playlist for your life

So I am obsessed with all Nancy Meyers movies. She always makes the homes feel so cozy and inviting. My goal in life is to feel like I am in a Nancy Meyers movie at all times. Some of my favorites are Somethings Gotta Give, Father of the Bride 1 and 2 and Its Complicated. One way that I do this is to create a beautiful soundtrack that I play on my way to work, when I am working in the kitchen, sitting in my porch, etc. Everybody listens to different music so this is totally personal and up to you. My personal soundtrack lately has included lots of French cafe music, Van Morrison, Madeline Peyroux and classic jazz like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Every time I listen to my playlist I feel peaceful, happy and like I am in my own beautiful movie. Try it and I know you will love it!

I hope these tips help you make your ordinary moments a bit more joyful. I would love to hear any other ideas you have. Have a wonderful day!

xoxo

Michelle