Life should be good. On the one hand, I believe love and acceptance go far in creating a more caring world. On the other hand, not everyone shares my interest in living a happy, peaceful life. In fact, it seems like the more determined I am to smile, the harder it is to do. Therefore, in an effort to make the most of my time here on earth, I’ve hit upon a routine that works for me.

It doesn’t take much to choose a happy, peaceful life over a stressful existence.

Here’s how I start my day.

• Wake up with a stretch and a grin.
• Say good morning to Roxie with a good, old-fashioned belly rub.
• Because I set up the auto brew yesterday, the coffee’s ready.
• Alexa does her job and turns on the Diwali* lights in the living room.
• Hey, Google tells me what to expect weather-wise.
• Yay! The weather’s good!

*Diwali is a festival of new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness. It’s India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year.

Learn how to relax when things don’t go your way.

After a quick walk outside with Roxie, it’s time for breakfast. Two fried eggs give me lots of protein, are easy to make, and quick to eat. But, I’d like to know when I lost the ability to crack an egg without breaking the yolk.

Uh-uh, this is a trick to mess with my day. No sir, not gonna steal my sunshine. I’m gonna go along with it and make some scrambled eggs. As a result, I accept the change and love eating my delicious eggs. 🙂

I’m looking forward to a nice, long shower. But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Can you imagine my disappointment when I figure out there’s no hot water? Mumbling under my breath, I start flipping switches in the switch box. By the way, why are so many of them labeled “water heater”? Switch, run to the bathroom and try the hot water. Repeat a bunch more times. Not working.

Nonetheless, I’m determined to remain happy and peaceful. So, I go to the one thing that never lets me down…Google. With a smile on my face and renewed energy, I sit down to my Chromebook. It takes only a minute to see that the temperature should be around 120 degrees. Then, I remember there’s a water temperature thermostat on the wall by the washing machine that’s always set to 120. Aha, I’ll go check it. To my surprise, it’s been turned off! No doubt by a wily three-year-old who hangs out here with me a good part of the day. Mystery solved. As we say in New Yawk, whateva.

It’s your choice.

As the captain of my ship, it’s my decision to choose to be happy and peaceful. For that reason, I sometimes go back and read posts I’ve written about Mindfulness and Personal Growth & Relationships. You might like this Dance Safari post, “Good Manners and Simple Pleasantries“.

Prepare your own routine for when you encounter people and situations that might cause tension in your body. Relax and turn that frown upside down. Yeah, I know it’s corny, but it works. I promise. Learn more about smiling here.