Soundtracks and Wind Machines

There have been days I step out of my house looking so good and smelling so fresh “I’m about to call the paparazzi on myself!” (Big thanks to Jay-Z for that line). On those days, I have my favorite songs playing in my head and I am strutting down the cement walkway like it’s a red carpet and a wind machine is blowing my hair.

Then I get stuck in traffic or realize after all this prancing, I’m running late or forget to get my lunch or remember my calendar is filled and I won’t get home until after 9pm despite starting the day at 5:45am.

The soundtrack screeches to a halt. The wind machine stops blowing. I trip on the broken pavement.

Throughout my day, I go through the usual routine and attempt to dredge up better spirits. Despite my best effort, sometimes it seems I can’t get energized and I realize I just need to get through the day and wait for 10:30pm to crawl into bed and hope the next day is better.

However, there are other days when I look in the mirror and say, “Come on now. Pull it together!” I reflect on ways I could have taken better care of myself and perhaps planned a little better. I tell myself, “Alright, this day sucks” and sometimes saying it out loud is freeing. It allows my mood to separate from what’s happening. Crappy events don’t necessarily mean one must have a crappy mood.

I remain open to the chance of lifting my spirits by having a pleasant conversation with someone, reading something funny and having a good belly laugh. These things help me to remember my fabulousness and I sing my favorite songs to an audience of me and begin prancing. The red carpet rolls out and I feel the wind in my hair.