What's your happy thing today?

No, that's not a euphemism for something dirty. I mean it literally -- what has made you happy today?

I routinely ask SM what his happy thing is. It is so easy to get caught up in the stress of work and focus on negative things that we both make an effort to proactively focus on positive things. We think that the power of positive thinking is all it takes to "happify" yourself, to switch gears and improve a mood.

Sometimes SM's answer is as simple as "I had a great turkey sandwich for lunch" or "I finished that project that's been hanging over my head." And that gives me the opportunity to positively reinforce his good mood or accomplishment.

Sometimes his answer is sweet and sappy like, "Getting to see you at the end of the day" -- for which I make fun of him (because yes, that is our relationship -- he's the mush-head) and then give him a big hug.

And sometimes, he has to think a bit before he comes up with an answer. These are the times that the "happy thing" question is most valuable -- because it pulls him out of whatever mood he's in and makes him think about how his day was good, if even for a moment.

While there may be more, I've already had a "happy thing" today.

Here it is... I had bought a light spring-weight jacket uber cheap sometime last year in the winter. It was so cute and on such a good sale that I couldn't pass it up. The problem was that the only size available was smaller than I took at the time. Did that stop me? Of course not. I'm a shopping kinda gal, and we gals sometimes buy stuff that is a size too small with the intention of shrinking ourselves to fit.

Yeah, I know. Who is kidding whom? Not exactly prudent spending.

Well, that's what I did with this coat. I bought it anyway. I figured that it was so cheap that if it didn't ever fit or I decided I didn't like it, I wasn't out a lotta money so it didn't really matter. And it went in my closet. For more than a year.

This morning, I decided to try it on. Low and behold -- yes! -- it fit perfectly (not even any pulling across the chest). So I ripped the tags off the jacket and wore it to work.

Yay. That's my happy thing. What's your happy thing?