Leadership Thought #386 – Start Your Day Off Right

Start your day off right and channel that energy into the rest of the day.

I’ve always been annoyed with people who are grouchy in the morning. Sure, everyone has a tough morning occasionally, but to wake up every day in a negative mood is difficult to comprehend. What could have happened between the time you first put your head on your pillow and when you woke up, that is so bad you need to make everyone else around you unhappy? If you are too tired, then go to bed earlier. If you are having problems sleeping, then please do something about it. Part of growing up is learning how to act like an adult.

I don’t need an alarm clock this time of year because the sun usually wakes me up. It’s nice to wake up to birds singing and light dawning on a new day. I also have two dogs that are typically wagging their tails and offering their form of happiness and affection. A friend told me to start counting my many blessings each day. I try to do this every morning before I get out of bed, which has made an enormous difference. I love waking my kids up and seeing their first smile of the day. I am fully aware that I set the tone for their day and do my best to begin things positively.

Life must be much more complicated if you don’t like your job, feel alone, or enjoy where you live. I am fortunate not to have to feel this way. In addition, there are the usual life stresses that all of us must deal with at certain points in our lives. Life can get heavy, but it can also be light. It’s all about how we look at it and cope when something doesn’t always go our way.

When you start your day off right, you see every day as a new opportunity to grow as a person, make a positive difference, connect with other people, find and embrace happy moments, appreciate and enjoy what you have, and successfully navigate whatever life has in store for you that day. I have my bad days, but many more good ones. Interestingly, I have found that daily life tends to live up to our expectations. We all create and follow patterns in our lives. If we wake up cranky and/or unhappy with heavy burdens on our minds and see the glass as always half empty, it can be a chore to get through the day. If we wake up in a good mood, thankful for what we have and excited about our day, good things happen more often than not.

I will advise something I don’t normally do — fake it until you make it. Push yourself to smile and be nice to others first thing in the morning, even if it doesn’t come naturally. Bite your tongue and avoid saying things you will regret only a few minutes/hours later. Set your alarm clock a little earlier to allow you to lie in bed, reflect on your blessings, and clear your mind before getting up and engaging with others. Put on some upbeat, positive music. Embrace the opportunity to be a daily source of positive energy in your small corner of the world. Trust me, you will see a substantial difference if you only put forth the effort. Start your day off right…