The Day Starts with Perfume and Lipstick

No kidding. It does, really.

As I write to you, my day is just beginning - a couple of hours earlier than usual (it's 4:30 local time, and the time that you see for blogposts is Pacific - VERY misleading!).

Early, early morning - right about now - is my favorite time for writing to you. The "air" is quiet, so to speak. The hubbub and churn and people-density of the day has not yet started.

I love this quiet time. Because I'm an early-morning person, my mind is awake and clear - perhaps at its best in terms of insight coupled with intuition. (And a little bit of caffeine helps!)

At various times this year, I wasn't even "playing by my own rules." I'd wake up, and immerse myself in a project - still wrapped in a warm, fuzzy bathrobe. Yes to a cup of tea and feeding the cats. No to everything else. And then, I'd come out of "project immersion" to find that it was late morning - sometimes even early afternoon - and I was far from either looking or feeling my best for the day. And a very late recovery would ensue.

Now, one of my "secrets" to happiness (and even fame and prosperity!) is to "get gorgeous first."

This means everything. I'm not kidding; I really do mean EVERYTHING. The full, all-out, pull-out-all-the-stops gorgeousness. Do everything you might do for a big date, or a great night out on the town. (OK, sometimes, even now, I skip setting my hair -- but I'm even becoming more diligent about that!)

As an example, right now I'm not only showered and "dressed," I'm taking "dressed" to its highest level. I'm wearing a long, coral-peach silk negligee - trimmed with lace that has just a tiny bit of sparkle. (And although I've had this gorgeous piece for a couple of years, today is the first day that I'm wearing it. I had been saving it for something "special." Well, today is "special"! I'm writing to you, and that's "special" enough, isn't it?

I'm wearing my silky Chinese-brocade robe, best Manolo Blahnik mules, full cosmetics and jewelry, and whooshed all over with my very best perfume! And there's no one in the house who is awake to enjoy this. Except that I'm writing to you - and for a private moment, between us right now, isn't that reason enough to make this time very "extra-special"!

We've got a lovely Memorial Day weekend coming up. Why not take time - MAKE the time - for yourself? Whatever it is that you've got planned, look (and feel) as gorgeous as possible while doing your "whatever."

Take a look at your to-do list, and see if there isn't a way to simplify, or get some things off your list entirely. Add a little time for making yourself beautiful, and giving yourself a little pleasure. Allow your inner Goddess to emerge, and allow others the privilege of serving the Goddess - by serving you!

Remember, there is a world of difference between approaching others when you are stressed, harried, and groomed just enough for social civility - versus being a "Goddess;" someone who is so beautifully put together, and so calm and simply enjoying being in the present moment, that others simply want to be with you - because they'd like a little of what you have to rub off on them!

Live joyfully, my darling!

yours in dance - Alay'nya