Attitude

A couple of days ago, Lilly woke up at 8:00am and proclaimed, "Today is the best day ever!"

As I fought to rouse myself from slumber, and to clear the sleepy dust from my swollen eyelids, I couldn't help but wonder, "Is she nuts?"

I dragged myself out of bed, threw on a sweatshirt, and fumbled around in search of my leopard print slippers.  (I'm sure no one is surprised I have leopard print slippers.)  I cracked open the blinds in our bedroom and was met with gloom, gloom, gloom--leafless trees, dingy and frost-crusted grass, dried up bushes resembling planted twigs, and dark and dreary skies.  All the components were there to drive me back to my bed, to hide beneath the warm covers.

Meanwhile, Lilly was skipping through the house.

She opened the blinds in the living room and sang out:  "Just look at that?!  It's a beautiful day!"

She pranced into the kitchen and parted the curtains adorning the sliding glass door.  She yelled, "Today is the best day ever!  It really is!"

I buttered my wheat toast, tiptoed around Cam pushing his toy trains across the dirty floor, and fought the urge to reach for a cold can of Diet Coke.  As I listened to Lilly's merriment in the next room, I thought about how my hellacious bedhead matched my attitude.

And then I remembered a quote I adore, from the brilliant and inspirational Maya Angelou:  "If you don't like something, change it.  If you can't change it, change your attitude."

Resolving to exhibit (and embrace) a positive attitude can make a BIG difference in your day.  Sure, days are long and kids are crazy.  Sure, taking care of a puppy and shoveling her poop out of your front yard can be equally overwhelming and disgusting.  And sure, it's easy to get bogged down in the monotony of the "winter blahs."  But if you strive (and sometimes battle!) to maintain a happy attitude, you'll start to see the good around you.  You'll see the dazzling slivers of sunlight in an otherwise gray day.  You'll realize your five-year-old IS that sunlight.

Change your attitude.  Change your day.