Opalite - Creating My Own Joy (April 2026 Recap)

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I chose the word Opalite for 2026 because I love the meaning so much.  The word is the title of a song by Taylor Swift, and it means creating your own joy or happiness even when things aren’t going your way.  Life is full of ups and downs, so I thought this would be the perfect word to keep at the forefront of my mind as a constant reminder that there’s always something I can do to lift my own spirits.  And this manufactured joy doesn’t have to come from grand gestures or big events… most of the time it’s made in the small, everyday details. 

April went by in the blink of an eye, and I was terrible at documenting things.  My list won’t be as long today, but only because I’m going off of memory since I barely took notes.  Here are some of the things I did in April to create my own joy…

 

-       We kicked off the month at Disney World, more specifically, Magic Kingdom, the most magical park of all!  And even though it wasn’t technically my birthday yet (it was four days later), I decided to wear a birthday pin a few days early just to make the day even more joyful!  I received tons of well wishes from cast members, characters, and other Disney visitors and it just made the day even more special.

-       My favorite restaurant in all of Disney World (maybe anywhere!!) is Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom.  The main eating area is an exact replica of the ballroom from Beauty and the Beast (my all-time favorite Disney movie since I was little), and it is so magical.  However, there are two other rooms in which you could be seated for your meal, and I was so bummed on our last trip because we weren’t seated in the main ballroom.  This year, I asked Brian if he would request our seats to be in the main ballroom for my birthday, and it’s Disney World, so of course, they honored our request.  We had some of the best seats in the house, and it just made my entire trip!  The food was amazing, the drinks were delicious, and our view of the ballroom – PERFECTION.

-       The day after my birthday, I ate leftover Funfetti cake for breakfast because… why not?!

-       One evening, we had the most stunning sunset, so I paused what I was doing, and I spent the next 15 minutes in the back yard just soaking it up.  I cannot stress enough how grounding it is to get outside, touch grass, hear the wind rustling through the trees, and marvel at the vastness of the sky. 

-       One day while tidying the kitchen, I was putting up some of my essential oils, and instead of just shelving them and being done, I took the time to look through my collection, pausing to open each of the bottles and smell each of the scents – lime, peppermint, cinnamon, bergamot, tangerine, frankincense, jade lemon – such a simple thing to do, but I enjoyed it so much.

-       I happened to stumble upon these icon glasses that just happened to be the perfect lookalikes for some that sold out months ago, and I purchased them instantly.  I’ve been using them for my cocktails all month and goodness, they just make me so happy!  I love a festive cup or mug!

-       Brian and the kids got me the Disney Inside Out Lego Brickheads for my birthday, so after Jacob put them together for me, I displayed them on my desk.  They’re so dang cute, and I love seeing them all day while I work. 

-       I added a few new things to the bulletin board over my desk – all things that bring me joy, of course!   

-       I added several new books to my hold list at the library, and I’m finally reaping the benefits now that my turn has arrived to have several of them!  There is just something so delightful about a big stack of new-to-me books to read!

-       I allowed myself to take naps as I felt the need, guilt free!  I think I took five or six in April. 

-       I went on lots of evening walks and those pretty much always bring me joy.

-       I have been devouring The Swiftie and the Scholar podcast because it is SO GOOD.  I have been a writer since I was old enough to hold a pencil, so hearing someone break down Taylor Swift’s lyrics from a literary standpoint has been fascinating to me.  Hearing someone else’s take on what each song means is wild because there are so many things I haven’t even considered about certain lyrics and the meanings behind them.  Tay’s writing is always ambiguous, and that’s what makes a great artist in my opinion – because her lyrics can be interpreted so many ways, allowing everyone to relate to them in their own personal way.

-       I snoozed an extra time several days in April… I hate early wakeups and at this point in the school year, I’m completely over it, so it brought me a lot of joy to get that extra nine minutes of sleep each day that I snoozed.  Lol.

-       Brian bought all the ingredients and perfected the cocktail that we had at Hollywood Studios that was so delightful, so we can now make it at home, and we enjoyed several in April.  ;o)  (Recipe is coming eventually to the blog!)

 

And that was April, even though I know I’m probably forgetting a lot! 

Happy Monday, y’all!