The daily Cup started out as almost daily posts on our Facebook Page consisting in little bits of inspiration for small thoughts or actions to brighten your day, offer a different perspective and pamper yourself and others.

Here are the first Daily Cup entries that inspired us to turn this segment into our blog. Over time, this will enable us to expand into new topics. In addition to this, now that The Daily Cup appears on this website as a blog, you can choose to subscribe (see sidebar) to receive an email notification when we post something new. Enjoy.

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12- Clean out one drawer from your desk at work or one drawer at home. Set aside at least one item to give away to a friend or colleague. Set aside another item that has special significance to you and take a moment to enjoy the memories it brings to mind.

11 – Whatever you eat tonight, save half for tomorrow. Tomorrow, when appropriate, take a few moments to research ideas for how to turn your leftovers into a new meal in a few quick steps or by adding simple ingredients.

10- Bring flowers home today. Just a few flowers in the center of the table can shift everything as if you had stepped into a new dimension… or a new season. A variation: Bring flowers to a neighbor, for no reason at all. Do both; flowers for yourself and for the neighbor.

9 – When you sit down at a meal today, or with your afternoon snack, pick one item from your plate and think of how you would explain its texture and taste to someone from a foreign country who has never eaten this food in a way that would make them want to taste it. This fun, creative thinking exercise can make you experience the simplest food in a whole new way. Side effect warning: Your mind may completely let go of the day’s worries while you focus on this task.

8 – Do you usually get a treat to eat on the way home from work? Today, set it aside until you get home. Then, take at least 30 minutes to sit down quietly with a book or magazine and savor every bite.

7 – Today, at lunch time or when you take a break, close your eyes for a moment and imagine a colorful flower arrangement in a pot. Now imagine the pot is a tree in a colorful landscape and you are walking beneath its branches. Sit there for a moment. What fragrances do you smell? Imagine the flowering tree has fruits on the tip of its branches. Take one. Bite into it. what does it taste like? Next time you feel stressed, mentally return to this flowering tree now that you know where it is!

6 – Think of one skill you would like to learn. Enlist a friend to help you begin to find the information or equipment you need. Plan on taking one small step in that direction this coming weekend. It could be going to a bookstore to buy a how-to book or browsing through an art supplies shop. Bring your friend along. Make it a day for chasing and catching dreams.

5 – Play outside with children for 30 minutes. If you do not have children: go somewhere where you can watch children play, invite your neighbor’s kid to play catch for a while, invite a family member with children for a walk. Caution: you might act silly. Mission accomplished.

4 – Every time you are in the presence of another person today, find one reason to say thank you. Your goal is to say thank you at least 5 times today.

3 – List two topics you would like to learn more about. After lunch or dinner, spend a few moments researching one of them on the Internet. Research the other one tomorrow. Alternate. Keep learning. See where it leads. What are those topics?

2 – Think of a tradition or simple daily ritual you used to enjoy and make time for it again. It could be reading for a few moments before getting out of bed, or drinking a smoothie every day,  sharing lunch with colleagues more often, listening to audio-books while preparing dinner. There is no doubt you deserve to treat yourself to a special moment, just for you.

1 – How about a daily challenge? Something easy, something to think about, something to change in our routine… just a new perspective to bring into the day. Here’s a first one: Next time you walk, even if it’s between offices at work, notice where you are looking. Most of us look down. For one day, make it a point to look in the distance instead and to mentally note what you are seeing.

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