Life With a Sprinkle of Glitter – Who Needs Sparkles?

“Happiness is not measured in size but in significance” – Louise Pentland (pg. 8)

It’s been a rough week for me. Several things were going on at the same time and at one point, I found myself in a hurry, which led to a very unintended consequence at work. Ugh and ugh.

It could have happened to anyone! But, in fact, it happened to ME, and for that, I am embarrassed. No, mortified.

See, an email was sent out………..

It was a test.

A phishing test.

Ol’ dum dum here opened the darned thing.

AND MORE. I clicked……

THE LINK.

Am I kidding? Unfortunately, no.

God, I could just dig a hole and crawl into it. Now, I have to take a “Don’t open this kind of email” class. Geeeeeez Louise!

Literally folks, in my career-lifetime, I’ve NEVER opened one, test or real. I did – however – once delete an entire hard drive. That was in the early 1990s. I was the church secretary at the time, so it wouldn’t have caught “shit” necessarily, but it was a steaming coil of something! And yes, I digress.

So, tough week, where I was once again reminded to STOP HURRYING.

So, I decided that while I wanted to read a new self-help book… it wouldn’t be a heavy one.

Enter Life With a Sprinkle of Glitter by Louise Pentland.

Just what the doctor – er, me – ordered!!!

Filled with beautiful photos and bits of wisdom about how to be happy (Hint: Because you *choose* to!) it is an invitation to relax with a cup of tea and visit a peaceful, lovely, quiet place of reflection. And yeah, you’ll learn a thing or two, too!

Everything about this little book feels decadent and self-soothing!

I am very tempted to just share the photos I took along the way and call it a day. I couldn’t possibly impart all the lessons sprinkled throughout the pages. And, seriously, I mean about EVERYthing!

So much of it is common sense!

Like, those fancy makeup removing cloths that smell so good and are so very, very convenient? Try water instead! Seriously? Yes! Why? Because those lovely little cloths are filled with chemicals that your fragile skin does NOT appreciate. Pentland knows! Because she is a lifestyle blogger who has tested the best and the worst of pretty-much anything.

And the best part? She EXUDES happiness!

She is, in my own words (if I may) a Connoisseur of Joyful Living!

The chapters break down like this:

1. Glitz
2. Create
3. Need to Knows
4. All About Love

Within the chapters, there’s stuff about body confidence, dating, banking, bullying, online safety, decorating your home, love, and passion, eating, drinking, and being merry. <<< That “merry” part may or may not have to do with imbibing ~ just so you know!

In the pages about light – OMG, blessed light! – Pentland gives a fantastic tip about the fairy lights we all seem to have – wait, you don’t? Well, I do! LOL

That’s the kind of stuff that’s good to know.

Then, there are little post-it notes and signs and drawings with words to take to heart:

I know that today’s post isn’t profoundly deep or meaningful. Except it kinda is, if you know what I mean.

February is among my least favorite months of the year. It’s far enough removed from Christmas to NOT be holiday time… but it’s bloody cold and a generally snowy time. We have been inundated! It is NOT going away, either!

Here’s a photo I snapped on my way to work last week:

Yeah, I had to drive over that mess.

This is the ugly side of snow that’s hung around too long. It’s piled up and frozen into cement-like blocks. See those little “hills”? You can total a car on those suckers!

Also, February is the month my Nana died… and it is the month (last year) that my sweet Dad died. I have both “anniversary” days off and will be lighting candles and having heartfelt conversations with them. I will touch base with my mom and sister, of course.

God. The first year is always … what does one say? … most horrible? In a year full of horrible.

Life and death. It’s what happens. But it sure sucks, especially in the early days.

But yes, once again, I digress.

Sorry to have become an interloper in my own blog post. I meant to keep this one upbeat!

So, about this book…

It’s wonderful and a keeper.

If you keep books by your bedside, perhaps a book about a little bear named Pooh or a cat named Katie… this would be a nice addition to the group. Just something to pick up when you’re feeling up, down, or otherwise.

Here’s a happy reminder to end with…