In our last post,we started you off with a great foundation for the BEST DAY EVER.  Honestly, you’d be on the right track with just those.

But we don’t want to stop there!

Here, our list continues with some extra tips on how to really give your day that extra boost to go from ordinary to extraordinary.

6) Look for opportunities to move outside of your comfort zone.  Yes, we know this sounds like ordinary advice, but the truth is, the only way to keep growing (and discovering all the awesomeness that you are!)  is to expand your definition of yourself.  The only way to be way cooler in five years than you are today is to GROW!

You are a well of untapped resources.

Do you think Barack Obama would be where he is today if he never decided to take a chance on himself and test his boundaries day to day?  Whether you are a fan of Barack Obama or not, let’s be real: most people didn’t know he existed before his show-stopping speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

He was elected president just four years later.

Do you think that, just maybe, he had to be bold and test his boundaries a bit?  Don’t you think that perhaps, accepting the assignment to give the key note address and make his national debut at a live televised event took just a little bit of, well, getting outside his comfort zone?  He was a member of the Illinois Senate at the time, not even yet a Senator in Washington.

Let’s be real: that’s a quick leap from the State Senate to the White House.  This is the true definition of being way cooler in five years, is it not?

We achieve greatness through continued growth, growing ever day.  We grow every day by saying “yes” to something we might be inclined to pass on.

So when the opportunity to take on a new project at work that may be beyond what you think you can accomplish shows up, take it.  Ask that pretty girl in the elevator to dinner.  Go to that Open Mic you’ve been fantasizing about.

You really can do anything.

If there’s anything you don’t know, you have the resources to learn.  You just have to give yourself a reason to find them: take the leap.

The only way to be great is to make a habit of taking leaps.

By doing it every day.

In ways both small and big.

For our first post, I’d like to set the tone by helping us all to create our BEST DAY EVER!

OK, so to be fair, our true Best Day Ever will likely be the day your first child is born, achieve a life-long dream, or at the very least occur while you are on some awesome vacation in Tahiti or Lake Havasu.

That being said, sometimes we have Tuesdays that really are quite fantastic.

That’s what we’re dealing with here: the really awesome boring regular day.

You’re not going to like our first few recommendations.  They’re obvious and require discipline.  You know what they are: sleep and exercise.

So here’s our list:

****Pre-List Recommendation: Get a good night’s sleep.  OK, we know this can be hard to control, but do your best.  Really.  Insomnia affects an increasing number of adults every year, so this is really only a recommendation, NOT a requirement.  Although it’s kind of sad that this is the case, we really can no longer depend on people getting a good night’s sleep.  With the increasing stressors of everyday modern life, not to mention the fact that we are looking at screens all day and all evening (which “trick” our body into thinking we are being exposed to sunlight – throwing our circadian rhythm completely out of whack), it’s extremely common for most adults to be sleep deprived.

In order to be fair and accommodate the large portion of the population who may not have gotten a good night’s sleep, we are simply having that as a recommendation; our real list is meant to function EVEN IF you have not had enough sleep. 

So now we will start our list in earnest:

1) Exercise. We don’t care what you do, just do something.  Starting your day with exercise is the only way to have a truly spectacular day.  In fact, it is our opinion that no day should EVER move forward without exercise.  Exceptions are: 1) every Sunday if you so choose and 2) if you’re vacationing in Tahiti or Lake Havasu.

Exercising daily will give you energy to propel you through your day, and vivacity to propel you through your life.  It’s good for your brain, it’s good for your spirit, it’s good for your sex drive (not to mention your sex appeal!), your brain is flooded with mood-boosting endorphins – the list goes on, ad I can’t really say enough about exercise and why it’s THE BEST THING EVER.

Want to be a winner?  Start your day like one: get out there and get your blood flowing!

2) Clean up like you mean it.  Yes, this applies to BOTH men and women.  I know it can feel like drudgery and a waste of time (especially if you haven’ had the best night’s sleep), but when you get ready, you need to make it count: dress for success!  There is simply no way you’re going to have an amazing day, catch the eye of that special someone, have the confidence to land that new client, talk your way out of that ticket, or feel like a million bucks when you happen to run into your ex.

I know every day this can get exhausting, but you know what?  I don’t know anyone who dresses for success every day and ISN’T successful.  It is what it is.

So let’s try to shoot for dressing to impress every day.  In the mean time, you can add it to your list for the next day you choose to be your BEST DAY EVER.

3) Choose your commute activity wisely.  Whether you are listening to the radio to catch up on news, listening to music to set the tone for your day, listening to a book on tape, or making a phone call while en route to your workplace, be very selective and choose carefully.

Decide before you leave the house what you want to accomplish on your way to work, your first meeting, or whatever it is you will encounter that will have you facing the day and no longer 100% in control of your experience.  Many of us get caught in the undertow of a rush of emails or answering to someone else or serving someone else’s needs.

People have been saying for many years to NOT check your email first thing in the morning.  It derails you and you begin your day without a clear intention to drive you through on your own terms.

This is the same idea here.

Your drive to work or whatever it is that the day has in store is YOUR time to serve yourself and set your own trajectory.  So whether it’s listening to your favorite news station, listening to your favorite podcast, or listening to your favorite music, take a few extra moments to make sure it’s exactly what you want.

Don’t hop in the car and start surfing the radio waves, just trying to fond something without commercials.  Take care of yourself!

This is your time, don’t let it be wasted.

4) Greet everyone you meet with sincerity and friendliness. Look people in the eyes, say “hello” to your secretary, ask your barista how their morning is going, engage people.  It doesn’t take a long time to take just a few moments to acknowledge someone sincerely, and it will get people treating you well.  This is a trend we want to continue throughout the day.

And it doesn’t have to be artificially enthusiastic.  We’re not robots, and nobody expects you to be exuberant and cheerful.  Just be sincere.  People will love you for it.

5) Take pride in who you are.   This may translate to taking pride in what you do, but taking pride in what you do is secondary to taking pride in who you are.

Takng pride in what you do is a wonderful thing, but taking pride in who you are is more important; and if you take pride in who you are, everything will follow.

For instance, when I sit down with a client, I remember to take pride in the fact that I’m a good person who treats others well.  I remember that I’m smart, I’ve got a great sense of humor, I’m a great problem-solver, and I can find my way through difficult situations.

You can see how, once I get in touch with those things, they can propel me successfully through any tasks I may face at work or throughout my day, and in the end, I will probably end up being an overachiever!

But no matter what, being authentic, being YOU will always lead you to your best life… and your BEST DAY EVER.

This will get you off on a great start for your BEST DAY EVER. 

I’ll check back in with more tips in PART 2.