While we cannot do much to control the events of our day, we can do a great deal to control the quality of our day by noticing—and appreciating—the wonders, surprises, and joys the universe sends us.
I have had days that were non-stop awful of various kinds, and all I wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed. But then when I arrived home, it was messy, and there was no food to eat that didn’t require effort, and, adding insult to injury, I had to make my bed before I could crawl into it and hide from the world.
I decided some years ago to see what I could do about those kinds of days. While I can’t control traffic, or weather, or prevent our clients from engaging in Stupid Client Tricks, I can do things to offset/mitigate those things.
As part of my morning devotions, I mark myself with runes to prepare for my day. Regardless of what else is going on, I draw a Wunjo over my heart, with the intent that I notice, appreciate, and savor the joys and blessings in my day, no matter how small. Some days, it works better than others, but the days I don’t do this feel quite different from the days on which I take that moment to draw the rune.
I do not like getting up early (I am the furthest thing from a morning person it’s possible to be), and I remind myself that my morning tea is in a mug that was a gift from a friend. Even if we’re no longer close, at one point, we had a relationship in which we could have that connection.
It’s time to go to work, and I very much do not want to go anywhere, much less the office. I remind myself that I get to drive my adorable little car, which gives me pleasure to be in and drive. (Okay, I have a Mini, and I am totally in love with my car, so this isn’t a stretch. But it does count.)
If I’m commuting on transit, I remind myself it gives me time to read or capture random thoughts in my notebook. ) This one is harder, because The Public is present on Public Transit, and sometimes The Public behaves badly, so it doesn’t always work.)
On the way to work, I see something fun or sweet (a sign, or the local turkeys out for a walk, an adult and child playing together) that I would have missed if I had stayed home, and that energy helps boost my mood.
At work, I receive junk mail, which is upsetting because of the waste of paper, but yay, it keeps USPS going! I also find amusement from the many different ways the senders manage to misspell my name.
Even the worst day has something good about it; if nothing else, it ends, and you get to go to bed.
This is not about toxic positivity; that doesn’t do anyone any good. This is about finding one good thing to keep from drowning in the abyss of despair. It helps me, and I’m sharing it in the hopes that it might help someone else. If it doesn’t work for you, feel free to ignore this.
