In the top drawer of my dresser, I tuck away my favourite little satchel. It’s a special little cloth pouch tattered and worn many years old a real treasure of mine, this fine pouch brings me so much joy.

Every time I receive a five dollar bill as change into my wallet I take it out open my dresser drawer and carefully put it in my colourful satchel.

On the last Saturday of the month, I gratefully take my satchel, place it in my pocket and out on an adventure I go.

Sometimes I have an appointment for something nice, like a hair wash and style, or I go to the movies, occasionally I buy myself something organic to enjoy that I wouldn’t normally, whatever amount ends up in my special little pouch I spend on me.

One Saturday a month I declare ‘Annanda Day’, sometimes there is only a very small amount in my satchel which means I have to be creative, but a walk on the beach with a nice hot organic tea brings me as much joy as anything else would.

Occasionally my little money pouch is full, so I do what I love to do best, I share it with someone.

I invite a friend or two to join me in a glass of wine and a gourmet hors doeuvre. With our lives so busy doing and giving mostly for other people we very often neglect our own spirit, and our joyful feelings seem to become more and more faded, it isn’t always easy to bring the grey back to life once it has clouded beyond repair.

As humans we neglect our Soul terribly, there is no one to blame but yourself, so if we are to take responsibility for our own happiness, we then must be the one to create it.

Joy isn’t something we ‘deserve’, it is as necessary as feeding food to our physical body so we don’t die.

When was the last time you did something nice just for yourself? It’s a lovely idea to have time to yourself once in a while but it is really enough?

Perhaps it is time to start something new, why not declare a day for ‘You’ at least one day a month.

An opportunity for you to be creative and imaginative as a gift to yourself, no one else to please by you.

I have done a really good job of practising this special ritual here in Australia and I am certainly going to keep the momentum going when I return home again. Annanda day, why not, nothing makes me more satisfied than seeing myself happy (and those we love get to benefit too!)

Much love and devotion
Annanda