Wrong Side of Bed

Did you ever have one of those days where you woke up "on the wrong side of the bed"? 

I read a good bit of on-line content but it always seems to me that people, in particular bloggers, and even bloggers who are trying to encourage self-development or spirituality, neglect the fact that not everyone is starting from a place of determination or motivation or engagement.  Some mornings, we wake up, look out the window and just want to go back to bed.  We drag ourselves out of bed from a sense of duty and routine and we haul our carcasses off to work because we really don't want to use up vacation time indulging a bad mood. 

I am sure that most people who read this will be able to relate to what  am saying.  So, if you are on a spiritual 
path, how do you deal skillfully with a morning where you want to crawl back under the covers and tell the world you are taking a pass on the day?  I would love to be able to give you a point by point breakdown on what you should do when the morning blahs strike but life is not as simple as some (usually people who get up happy no matter what) would have you believe.  I will tell you what I did when I got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. 

First of all, I got up anyway.  There were places to go and things to do and even though I did not feel like it, I allowed that knowledge to get me out of bed and into the shower.  I immersed myself in my morning routine to get myself moving and, even though I was cranky, and family around me knew it, I tried to put on as good a face as I could manage.  Sometimes, if you try to act happy it is contagious and you begin to feel happy. 

That strategy did not work for me this morning since I really was feeling rushed.  No excuses.  I was cranky but I tried to keep the damage to a minimum by keeping my mouth shut.  Not an easy task in a household with two 'larks' who are busily buzzing around and asking questions.

I made it out of the house without too much drama and accomplished the task that I had to get done early today.  Then I utilized the time in the car and then on the bus to pull myself together.  I said my morning prayers in the car (offering thoughts for others is always a good way to divert yourself from feeling grumpy) and then used the bus ride for meditation.  The bus dropped me off in front of work earlier than usual so I took the opportunity to take a short walk and, while I walked, I outlined to myself some of the reasons that I have to be grateful.  This always helps me to adjust my perception and I strongly encourage people to try it when they are feeling down.  Just thinking about the things you have to be grateful for seems to elevate mood when nothing else can.

Finally, I sat down and wrote this blog.  On another day, I might have made an entry in my journal, but today I am writing this in hopes that it will help someone else move past a "slow start" morning.  I am smiling now so it is possible to work with the wrong side of the bed syndrome but it takes a little time and space.  I am grateful to have a family that (usually) allows me that time and space :-)