Cure For The Morning Crazies

Some mornings, the right move seems to be staying in bed.

Yesterday I woke up with a cloud in my head. I could've said fog, which would've been a fair description, but this was more like a multi-hour thundershower of inner grumpiness.

The previous day had ended with a setback, after missing a meal. Plus I'd gotten some criticism without constructive feedback for correction, and uncertainty is great food for fuming.

In that mood, you feel like climbing out onto the deck of the ship and throwing things at the hurricane. The idea feels so good, that it's almost as if the half of the brain which would point out how useless, silly and weak that would be has swelled shut.

Fortunately years of setbacks have trained me to reduce the swelling.

1. It will pass. The world is simply too good for anger to survive for long.

2. Tired + underfed = weaker. Having a solid breakfast and chugging water builds up strength.

3. When your race is going nowhere... take a simple step. Few things fuel an emotional recovery like doing positive, little things. This morning, it was a workout, a trip to the bank, and a haircut. Even though intellectually you know you have worth, the physical act of accomplishment helps sweep away the last meaningful, futile act of the previous day. Lying in bed does nothing for that.

4. Do some dreaming, step out of today, brighten the horizon. I literally stood in front of a window, facing nature, and conjured up the most exciting things on the road ahead, as well as picturing summer and vacations. I think this qualifies as "meditating," an ideal kind for checklist-makers like me.

Even when I got to the salon and learned that I would have to wait for an hour, I resisted the urge to walk away in frustration. I sat down in the waiting area, closed my eyes, and did some more meditation. It was in the midst of that, that my energy finally surged. I even found myself reciting lines from the musical for practice.

The crazies were cured. And when next they return, in a day or a year, they'll be cured again.