Got the rainy day blues?  

Perk up and enjoy the day for the opportunities it presents to reset, recharge and make some memories!

Most all of us look forward to the weather continuing to warm up, all the spring things and getting back out in the sun.  Still, Pennsylvania has a way of getting us to pump our brakes a bit as rainy days beckon us to curl up inside and eagerly await the days ahead.  Today, March 24, 2021, happens to be just such a day.  Below are some great things to do in the meantime:

1. Plan Your Next Vacation

Take a look at the calendar, bust out a map and plan your next family (or solo) vacation!  Where will it be this year?  A cross-country road trip?  A flight to Spain?  Oooh, how about finally taking that trip to Italy? 

There are so many options and many that may be more budget-friendly than you think.  Now would be a great time to weigh those options!

2. Start a Side Hustle

In response to numerous cultural and economic shifts, many are taking advantage of opportunities now more readily available to establish added revenue streams.  What's something you're good at or could offer others in an exchange of value?  Are you an arts-and-crafts star waiting to make your Etsy debut?  Maybe you have decades of experience that could translate into a wealth of knowledge and resources to those less experienced.

Take a moment to do a little research or just start dropping ideas on paper.  

3. Unplug and Read a Book

Call us old school but there's still much to be said about flipping actual pages in a real book.  Shut down the electronics (these are known to trigger depression and anxiety anyhow) and key things down.  Grab a cup of coffee, tea or a warm cup of broth and enjoy a good book.  Be entertained.  Learn something new.  Just curl up on the couch or next to your favorite window and enjoy the invitation to just breathe.

4. Do a Social Media Cleanse

Again, SHUT IT DOWN!  You won't miss anything and you won't regret it!

5. Get Your Finances in Order

If you haven't already prepped things to file your taxes, now would be a good time to knock that out.  Beyond that, taking a moment to get finances organized and to do some solid financial planning can pay back in dividends.  Establish a plan to get out of debt, boost your savings or to make sure you're allocating resources in a way that most caters to your personal goals.

6. Donate Your Time

Put unexpected time to good use.  What are some needs around you that you can readily meet with something you can do today?

7. Reach Out to a Relative or An Old Friend

Life gets BUSY.  We all can fall into losing days, weeks and months to the craziness of trying to maintain that work-family-life balance.  (Is there really even such a thing or are we chasing unicorns here?)  

Take a moment to reach out to someone you haven't connected with in a while.  

8. Tackle Small Cleaning Projects

If you haven't already tackled your spring cleaning, that's okay.  Take a moment today to get one of those little projects knocked out.  It will feel like a victory for the day and come with the gift of knowing your spring clean to-do just got a little bit smaller.

9. Get organized

We all have that ONE drawer (or five) or that pantry, closet or nook that is just mad-disheveled and has become the black hole in which nothing going in may ever be found again.  Take an hour to pull things out, pitch what you don't really need to keep anyhow and get everything organized in that spot.

10. Cook It Up!

There is something incredibly therapeutic about getting in the kitchen, especially on a rainy day.  While many turn to baking cookies or muffins, there are many options that make a perfect fit.  A personal favorite here is to make up a pot of homemade vegetable soup and a fresh loaf of bread made from scratch.  There's something incredibly satisfying about the aroma of fresh baked bread rolling out of the kitchen and pairing with an incredibly nourishing bowl of soup - ESPECIALLY on a rainy day!

11. Tackle a DIY Project

You've been talking long enough about that bathroom needing a fresh coat of paint and the touch up work needing to be done in the kids' rooms.  How about the new shelves you meant to put up in the family room? 

Why not do it now?  Tomorrow you'll wake up feeling that sense of accomplishment that comes on the other side of a well done DIY. 

12. Play Games

Rainy days make the perfect backdrop for making memories with the family.  Scrabble?  Jenga?  What are some classic games you haven't played in a while but could bust out today?

13. Squeeze in a Workout

Movement is medicine!  Some days you want to hit it hard.  Some days the body appreciates light, intentional movement that allows you to get refocused on simply enjoying the gift of life and the abliity to move.  

14. Pamper Yourself!

Put on a mud mask and start a journal.  Soak your feet.  Go for the manicure or maybe a hot stone massage.  Taking a moment to enjoy a little self-care can work wonders for increasing your sense of joy and readiness to roll into the days ahead with energy and excitement.

So, how about it?  What will you be getting into on this rainy day?  Drop us a message or a comment.  We'd love to hear your favorite thing on this list or what you would add to it!