I woke up this morning feeling down. Next to me was my husband struggling with the flu, changing from hot to cold and backwards all through the night. I was up twice with him, heating up the hot water bottle to warm him up. My two and a half years old Theodore woke up pretty early – rather unexpectedly, considering that he went to bed at 10 pm. How wrong I was to hope for a little lie-in. I was up three times with him last night, as he is taking his potty training very seriously, refusing to use a nappy as a backup, even for the night. So let’s count – 7 hours (the total possible) minus 15 min (getting up average) multiplied by 5 (times of getting up). I must’ve slept 5 hours 45 minutes in the very best of cases. And as I get up, Cookie the dog meets me with a large puddle in the middle of the living room...
It is Monday morning. I feel angry with the sun for rushing into the office and making my computer screen too bright to be useful, as well as for pretending to be warm, when the summer is clearly not there yet. I don’t know how to make the three deadlines that I have for today, when even the first one feels a bit too large to handle in one day. I have a slight hangover, though I only had two (ok, may be three) glasses of wine yesterday night. And to top it all up, coffee beans have just run out – why on earth did I not check the coffee jar before going shopping yesterday? And how am I expected to complete at least the first recommendation document without a cup of coffee?
I am starting to suspect that I must be coming across as a little too negative for someone who is supposed to be a positive psychologist. Yes, I know that the negative attitude zaps the energy that I already don’t have too much of this morning. It will probably not help me think too well either. I also know damn well how to reverse the focus, but why am I resistant? Three things to be grateful for, the usual research-based advice of Sonja Lyubomirsky? For the paddle on the floor? Thank you very much, it’s not working.
Let’s try again - what’s going right for me right now? I am cringing still, but a little less, as the question feels more palatable. I am trying to restrain myself from responding “nothing”, pushing to go on and find at least a few answers:
·We had a wonderful evening with all five children and a couple of guests last night, enjoying a delicious barbeque.
·Theodore slept very little, but was in a delightful and co-operative mood this morning.
·My two-and-a-half year old is dry through the night – isn’t it a little miracle?
·Theodore’s nursery is organising a trip to a theme park next week – his very first. I am sure he would love it!
·My fist document for today is on fifty activities for happiness for the French Psychologies, that’s not a bad task to start a working week with.
·And to top it all up, I have just found ground coffee in my cupboard – hallelujah!
Off I go to figure out how to use ground coffee in my whole bean coffee machine. Can I do it? Yes, I can! It is amazing how much good can one question bring about. So, what’s going right for you right now?
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