Hitting the reset button on my day

So it's early this morning, just after seven, and Jean and I are out for our daily dog walk. I usually like this part of the day, but this morning I'm not really into it. The sky is dark and dreary, a little rain is peppering us, and I' m feeling more like the walk is a chore than anything else.

But I'm trying to maintain a good attitude, and as we go along, I'm starting to feel pretty good about the day ahead. That is until one of the footie socks I'm wearing decides to slip off my heel and down into my sneaker. All of a sudden, it's like I've got a pebble stuck in the arch of my foot. It's painful, it's distracting, and I'm not going anywhere until I get the situation resolved.

"Hang on a second," I tell Jean, "I've got to deal with this or I'm gonna go nuts."

I hand her Wookie's leash, and begin the process of trying to extricate my sock. It's not as easy as it might sound. The ground is wet, and I don't want to put either sock or bare foot on the pavement, so I'm trying to balance on one leg while simultaneously pulling my sock out of my shoe. The process doesn't go well; I'm swaying to and fro, and I almost lose my balance several times.

Finally, through her laughter at my obviously comical efforts, Jean asks if she can help and moves next to me so I can use her as a prop. Of course, things move along swimmingly from there. Ten seconds later, my sock is back in place and we're back on our trek, dogs and people all quite pleased with our renewed progress.

"I'm thinking this is a metaphor," I tell Jean as we turn a corner. "I can't tell you how many times I've done that same kind of balancing act when we've done yoga. But in yoga, it's pretty easy: there is a teacher showing you what to do and the environment is really conducive to achieving that balance. But the real world is something different. There's wet pavement, dogs pulling at you, and so forth. It's a lot harder.

"I'm thinking the same thing about mindfulness," I went on. "It's easy for me to be mindful when I'm composed and quiet and peaceful, but when I'm full-on into a busy day, dealing with customers or trying to write, it's very easy to get caught up in the business of life and completely let mindfulness go by the wayside."

Jean gave me a look that said "well done, grasshopper," and we went on to complete our walk.

It wasn't long before breakfast was done, Jean was off to work, and I was left to plan my day. There was much to be done, and I was somewhat dreading the rest of the morning. Then my sinuses started acting up, giving me one hell of a headache. After that, the ring finger on my left hand started throbbing (I almost sliced off the tip of it last night when I was cutting limes at work). To say the least, my mood was becoming dark.

Just as I was about to let these things pull me into a crappy day, I recognized what was happening and made a decision. These events aren't going to drive my day. I'm going to be mindful about myself and the world around me. I'm not going to let today be a drag; it's the only day I've got, and I want to make the most of it. All this positive thinking I've been promoting isn't just about words, it's about making positive changes in my life.

So I'm hitting the metaphorical reset button on my day. It's going to be a good one.