Light pitter patter of rain drops cascade down the window pane.
In a swell of elemental churning, the wind moaned and rain drops quickened.
The steady uneven repetition grew thicker, plucking with assertive reverberation.
Still the sound of sleep lulled me deep into the recesses of my mind.

Puffy eyed, I felt myself gaze out the window only to blink back asleep.
Such brilliance beamed through with morning glories early light.
Rain did flutter on in the throws of sleep, like a humble melody.
Until all too suddenly I found myself awake. 1 week ago

After nine months in my new job I have to say I enjoy it a lot. Being happy with what I do during the day with work certainly contributes to waking up happy the next day. Getting some personal financial issues resolved would put a cap on the waking up happy goal, but that’s a slow go [sigh]. 1 month ago

Yesterday was laundry day. Not only does the bed smell amazing but the sheets were warm and toasty, straight from the dryer, just before bed.

That makes progress on two goals :
1) Go to sleep happy
2) wake up happy 2 months ago

Funny story. To summarize, this goal is working out for me! 2 months ago

As I lay in bed this morning, blinking myself awake, I saw my beloved better half. Soundly sleeping, without even a mild suggestion of pain on his face. Peacefully adrift upon a dream.

It is a good morning. 4 months ago

“Early to bed; early to rise.

Happy, healthy, wealthy and wise.” – me

When I woke up this morning, I was quick to busy myself. The day is still fresh and new. What marvel should I happen to find but a beloved construct of humanity; Silent Evolution by Jason deCaires Taylor. 4 months ago

Men come and go like ocean tides;

And ere one generation dies, Another in its place shall rise; THAT, sinking soon into the grave, Others succeed, like wave on wave;

And as they rise, they pass away. The sun arises every day, And hastening onward to the West, He nightly sinks, but not to rest:

Returning to the eastern skies, Again to light us, he must rise. 6 months ago

I think it was because I’m really far along on a VERY important project. The 365 Questions (I have the goal here on 43T). I’m on page 70 or so and I think it will end up being about 100 pages. I’m really far along! 6 months ago

I’ve got tons to do today, some of the stuff I should have done on other days, but in any case I feel like I have the energy to do it today. Most of it is chore related, not intellectual, not much brain power involved.

“Happiness is having something to do, something to hope for, and someone to love.”
- Ancient Chinese saying 7 months ago

What is that quote about intensions? I intended to clean yesterday, but got up and did it with gusto today AND I went to the gardens to study. Very nice morning and early afternoon.

I’ve been recording that I wake up “productive.” Today I woke up happy AND productive. Maybe because it was Saturday.

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but reveal to them their own.”

- Benjamin Disraeli

“The artist is nothing without gift, but gift is nothing without work.”

- Emile Zola, 19thcentury French Novelist 8 months ago

Well now… I got a promotion and moved to Northern California three months, ago and for some reason I have woken up happy a lot lately. That’s a start! 8 months ago

I really wanted to do some cleaning yesterday but didn’t get to it. I curled my hair and cooked last night.

I will be scrubbing floors today!

Also thought of the Practical Guide, which I have not worked on so far this week!

“Life is a series of moments; to live each one is to succeed.”

- Corita Kent 8 months ago

It was a dream about my hair! I was getting ready to put it in this cute style, but my alarm woke me up before I could get to it. LOL.

Was in a neutral mood. I ironed their uniforms instead of doing any of my work first thing. Tho I knew I wanted to finish the Bll aricle I drafted on Monday. I did that after they were gone. Now there’s nothing weighing on my mind. I have lots scheduled, but nothing urgent.

AND after I finished the article, I thought of a new idea for next Monday. I opened a new document, created a title and wrote the first sentence. I read an article recently, can’t recall the author’s name, but she said in order to teach all you have to do is to stay one lesson plan ahead of your students. It’s like that with writing a column as well. All I have to do is to stay one step ahead.

“The most sublime act is to set another before you.”

- William Blake 8 months ago

I was thinking about things I regret, and I started to do what I do when I regret, ruminating type internet searches that I’ve been doing for years. Before the internet, it was me in the MidMan library pouring over the occ outlook handbook.

I’ve learned myself so well, that I even have a project on toggl called “ob career rsch” or something like that. I turned the timer on and allowed myself to obsess. This lasted an hour, then I got proactive and put together a cover letter for a job I’d really like to apply for.

This morning I got right up, did the left over dishes from last night, cleared off my desk (I’ve been putting off cleaning my desk for weeks) then put the finishing touches on the cover letter and read it outloud to my husband. I like it!

Then I did 25 minutes on my wii fit.

Don’t know if I’d say I was “happy,” but definitely I was productive.

Perhaps productivity is my own version of happiness. Will continue to explore with this goal. 8 months ago

but recovered and grabbed my text book and studied for an hour, then pitched an article!!!

I was watching Y&R last night on youtube before I went to bed, need to make it a habit to shut down everything at night so I can get a fresh start in the morning or if not a fresh start continue something productive.

Mood was middle of the road. Not happy or sad, tho I have to admit, I enjoyed sending that pitch email to the magazine, but that was well after I woke up. 8 months ago

because I had to go to the b-room. Not happy, not sad. Pretty neutral. I did think of the writing project that I completed yesterday and could pitch today, but am not scheduled to pitch until tomorrow.

I thought of mopping the floors, which I didn’t get a chance to get to yesterday after we cleaned the bathroom. And I thought of some other random stuff which I can’t remember now.

It’s funny because the reason I started this goal is that for a period of time a few weeks ago, I’d wake up thinking: I CAN DO ANYTHING!!!! It’s not that I feel trapped now, at the sametime I feel no strong passion to do anything extraordinary. Today will be another ordinary day. 8 months ago

I had started to look at my “done” list yesterday, but since it’s over 600 things long, it’s hard to look at it inone setting, when I got up that’s the first thing I thought of, along with an article I said I’d spend 5 minutes on , but didn’t… 8 months ago

DH hurt his ankle yesterday, said the pain was throbbing last night, so I woke up concerned about that.

And I was productive. The second thing I thought about was completing and posting a piece I worked on yesterday. When I thought of posting, I looked forward to getting it done!

“There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.”

- Steven Wright 8 months ago

Today I woke up and grabbed “The Practical Guide.” I wasn’t on top of the world, but I’m definitely in the mood to get some work done. Dopamine in effect! 8 months ago

I did some research, and these are some things I want to try to help me wake up happy and energetic each morning:

No wine, coffee or chocolate after 7pm
Meditate and/or pray each night before bed
No eating after 8pm
Sleep with the window open
Have a consistent sleep pattern
Drink water in the morning
Stretch in the morning
Deep breathing in the morning
Have something to be excited about each day
Get up right away
Be grateful for being alive
Eat a hearty breakfast 11 months ago

waking up with the same negative scripts, running over and over again – pointing out all the mistakes I’ve made and all the areas in life that I am supposedly neglecting, leaving me paralyzed and not at all ready to start my day.

It’s kind of awful…and I’m not really sure how to stop it. Being a bit sick lately hasn’t helped either. 15 months ago

Two things have kept me from exercising: the cold, snowy weather; and the busiest time of year at work. Being busy is good but often leads to feeling overwhelmed, which doesn’t help with the waking up happy goal.

The good news is that my efforts to recruit help, thank God, have been successful. By next month two new coworkers arrive to help with achieving works goals. Good friends and faithful workers—there is hope. 17 months ago

Exercise has led to feelings of happiness, but I do not enjoy the gym routine. Jogging isn’t fun, but I do enjoy biking; I just prefer not to go alone. So today I took a detour on my way home from my South Dakota trip and went to Devils Tower Monument in Northeast Wyoming. I hiked the trail all the way around the Tower, and I enjoyed it very much. Maybe if I find different places to hike, run, or bike then I might be able to replicate my Devils Tower happy experience. 18 months ago