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A million bucks

Shopping is fun. When you have some extra cash to spend, it's fun going out, and getting a new shirt, or maybe some new shoes, or maybe even a gadget you were thinking about, without thinking about it too much.

That first day you have your new thing is important. You might get it and hang it in your closet for a week or two, or maybe you're itching for the next day to come so you can put it on, but that first time, it makes you feel like a million bucks. It's like that new car smell. New shirt smell is nice.

When you feel like a million bucks, something happens. You walk with a skip in your step. The day feels like it's going to be a good one. You take a glance when you pass your reflection from a store window on the street. You might even smile more, and find it easier to say hi to people in the morning. Confidence is gold and it's great you can get it something you slip on before you head out the door.

And people notice. Not that that's so important, but you don't have to ever think about people thinking otherwise. It's one less thing to worry about. Now you have more time to think about more important things. Like doing good work. Or taking care of yourself.

The question is, how do you feel like a million bucks every day? It's not like you can wear a new shirt every day.

Stay clean. I think one of the reasons that first day is awesome is because that's the best that shirt is ever going to look. Every wash dims it a little, each stain hurts. But you can be careful. Careful when you wear it, careful when you wash it, careful when you hang it up. And it isn't just your clothes. You ever wake up late and have to rush out without a shower (or whatever your morning routine is)? Shave, comb your hair, polish your shoes. Put on a watch, iron your pants. Looking clean makes you feel clean.

Keep your house clean. It feels so good to walk into your room and not have to pick anythhing up. To see your bed neatly made. To not have any dishes in the sink.

Exercise. When you hit the gym, or maybe go for a jog, you feel like a different person from thirty minutes before. Maybe it's that slight soreness that comes with a good workout, or maybe it's that boost of energy, or maybe that knowledge that you did something good for yourself. Think of exercise as a kind of cleaning. Just like you wouldn't go days without brushing your teeth in fear of letting it rot, you got to exercise to keep your body and health together.

Keep your work clean. Don't let your emails pile up. Keep your desk organized. If you have to dig around to find things, and you're constantly forgetting where things are, or are scarred things are going to break and you can't do things with confidence, you're forced to worry aout things other than solving the problem you're working on and creating something awesome. If you can end the day knowing your work is good, clean, and beautiful, you can walk out each day feeling like a million bucks too.

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