My Ideal Day

Last week, my blogging friend and Weaving Influence co-worker, Molly, shared what she would consider to be her "Ideal Day". She was inspired by author Jason Womack, of Your Best Just Got Better fame, and is quite involved in his "WIN your Ideal Day" campaign. Being a blog-loving, dream-loving, fellow co-worker, I offered to write up a post about what would constitute my ideal day, and then I sat back and tried to figure out what in the world that would be!

It was harder than I thought because my dreams and my ideas of what I consider to be "ideal" have changed a bit in the last year. For one thing, in the last six months, both Peter and I found enjoyable jobs that use our gifts and abilities, challenge us to grow, and feel like they were tailor-made for us. A year ago, having the kind of job that I have today would have made my "Ideal" list. Now, it's not a dream, it's a reality ... and not just for me, but for Peter too. It doesn't get more ideal then loving your job and seeing your spouse love his as well.

I'm not off to a rousing start, am I? Second on my list would be to have our mortgage paid off ... but with a lot of hard work and belt tightening, we are headed towards the finish-line of that "Ideal" as well. Of course, I wouldn't say no to having the remainder taken care of, but depending on how fast it takes to hammer out the details, we might have that done ourselves before we ever saw a check from Mr. Womack. {No offence, sir ... and if you want to send one, we'll make good use of it, we have rental properties to pay off!}

So with those two big things crossed off the list, I set about, trying to come up with my ideal day. Molly went all out with her European/Around-the-World Cruise, but I'm going to have to take it down a notch. Although I would adore getting tickets in the mail for a trek on the Orient Express (a dream of mine, ever since I first read Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express in junior high - which doesn't seem like it should make me want to ride it, and yet it did), that would take a bit longer than a day.

Rather than imagine something out of the realm of possibility, let me share a typical Saturday morning with you, with a few realities and several "ideals" that would make it even better...

Season: Autumn

Location: Our (paid for) home

Scenario: Reality with a few touches of Ideal

I wake up next to the man I married twelve years ago, more in love with him today than I was last night (reality). We snuggle together while the sun comes up, enjoying the warmth of our heated mattress pad and soft flannel sheets (reality).  After we discuss the plans for the day, he heads out to the kitchen to prepare breakfast (reality). 

While I get dressed in my favorite wool pants and soft cashmere sweater (ideal), he stirs steel cut oats in a new pan from our All Clad set, finally purchased to replace the twelve year old wedding registry set from Target (ideal). He tops the oatmeal with granola and milk (reality) and proceeds to brew a pot of the best  Kopi Luwak Coffee (ideal) while I get started on preparations for the day's outing. 

After a leisurely breakfast, lingering over coffee and comparing notes about our individual and combined goals for the future, we pack a gourmet picnic into our basket (ideal), hop into our sporty forest green 1938 MG TA Midget (ideal), and take a cruise on the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway (reality). 

We stop at a beautiful spot overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains, pull out our Pendleton Picnic Blanket  (ideal), pop the cork on our bottle of sparkling grape juice from the Biltmore, and propose a toast - to the Creator of the vast beauty before us, to the past for it's blessings, and to the future for it's dreams (reality).

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So, tell me, what would YOUR ideal day look like?

To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, please visit ShareYourIdealDay.com.