Waking Up Happy

Something so small, something that takes only a few minutes, made me immeasurably happy this morning.  It's a little ridiculous, really, how happy it made me.

I want to wake up happy, not just for me, but for everybody else. I want to be self-aware enough to manage my moods and know what it's going to take to set the scene for flair.  I know that feelings of happiness and security for everybody else often depend on Mom's Mood.  I've been working on this for 10 years.

And all it was?  Chopped veggies in a bag for an omelet waiting in the refrigerator.  The whole morning seemed to pass so smoothly, like we were all skating on ice, gliding peacefully through the morning routine.  No rush, no yelling.

It started last night.  I do things like put out all the clothes we are going to wear and line up the backpacks by the door--anything I can do to make the morning work better.  But at my Weight Watchers meeting, I learned that you can chop up vegetables, put them in a bag, and dump everything in your pan with eggs for a quick breakfast.  It seemed easy enough.

So in a mere 3 minutes, I found I had flipped the world's most perfect omelet, complete with three different vegetables.  I paraded that omelet around the kitchen.  I imagined that omelet makers who have gone before me were rejoicing in heaven over this omelet.

When I do these little things--these little preparations the night before--I'm setting the scene for a good mood.  I know what it takes to keep myself pleasant for everybody else.  I know about exercise, about healthy eating, about a good night's sleep, about spiritual disciplines.  But what I sometimes forget is all the little night before preparations that, although consume time and effort, yield happiness benefits for me.

I think it's because when I opened the fridge and saw my breakfast nearly ready, I felt cared for and nurtured.  I wasn't in breakfast panic mode.  Everything was already taken care of.  Even though it was me caring for myself in advance (stay with me...), it still felt like a gesture of love.  It's how I feel when my husband has the coffee ready before I'm even out of bed (he's so great). 

Living with flair is being in a good mood for my family and my neighbors.  If it means chopping veggies the night before, I'm adding that to the good mood recipe.   And I'll do it as a gift to all the other folks around my table who appreciate a peaceful morning.