Waking Up Happy

You might think by my obsession over my recent discovery of these fine lines around my face, that I don’t have enough to do.  Not true.  I have so MUCH to do that I choose to dwell on small, less significant things to keep my mind off the potpourri of priorities dancing inside my head.

Like most everyone else I suppose, before you even get into your to-dos, to-donts, and priorities for the day, there is an underlying stress related to personal finances, struggles, job security, the economy, health, etc., that wakes up with you every morning and tries to set the tone for the day.  From there, it’s all worries and dwelling over everything big and small, usually resulting in the loss of perspective as even the tiniest things become monsters in your mind.

In order to tame those monsters I try to remember to smile as soon as I wake up. Notice I say “TRY”.  Because I do not always succeed! Even if I can’t get my eyes open and even if I don’t feel like smiling I force myself to do it because it gets my face moving. Energy flowing. Mind working.  Most times I end up feeling like laughing because I think about how I must look laying there with my eyes glued shut trying to talk myself into smiling. I really do say “Good morning! It’s going to be a super day” when I wake up to the Universe.  Which also makes me laugh because I say “SSSUPER” with a bit of a lisp which makes me think of Elle from “Legally Blonde” which always makes me smile.  Do you see how this is coming together?

There is nothing mystical about it. I am not speaking to the Universe so that it will speak back or deliver something magical to me.  I am simply responding to myself and have figured out what changes my mood and keeps the underlying stress and worry from hitting me hard and heavy first thing in the morning.  If you have a hard time waking up in the morning, figure out what you can do to make yourself laugh when you’re laying there grumbling under the covers.

Once I’m up and have made my list, I follow it.  I do what it says, cross it off the list,  and move on to the next thing.  I don’t think beyond the task at hand.  What I think about is the silly stuff.  Researching the best wrinkle creams. What I am going to make for dinner. I really need a haircut.  How much I miss Adam Lambert since Idol has been over.

What gets you going for the day?  What sneaks in and distracts you? My latest addition to the underlying stress is the realization that the holidays are fast approaching and I haven’t even bought school clothes yet! Oh no.  Breathe. “It’s going to be a SSSUPER day. laundry is all caught up. Maybe I’ll make fajitas for dinner.  I wonder what Adam Lambert’s up to.”

Here is a fun distraction for you speaking of Adam Lambert. He recorded the theme song to the upcoming movie “2012.”  It’s about the world coming to an end. Hm. Maybe I could have come up with a better distraction