what’s this morning feeling?

For the first time in what seems like years, I woke this morning without an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion. Even though I could have slept for another hour, I “jumped” out of bed and started my day.

As I had such an early start, I had a few moments to contemplate this burst of energy. Where did it come from? What has made the difference?

I am not sure, but I’ve been working to change a number of habits, and one of them (or a combination) may have been the difference I needed. Each week, I’ve started or changed one habit. Just one. I know I have a number of them to change, but I cannot manage to change all at once. As each new habit truly becomes a habit, I can take on another.

• I’m drinking at least 4 cups of water a day and almost no soda. I know, four is probably not enough, but it is what iI can handle at the moment. I have gradual goals to increase it. Drinking water has caused me to cut down on coffee and soda and gatorade. Unfortunately, it also makes me have to get up in the night to pee 🙁
  

• I’m eating (somewhat) leafy greens every day. I love romaine. It might not be the best of the greens, but as my neglect of my greens was due to inertia, choosing something simple makes me more likely to stick with it.
  

• I’m brushing and flossing each night before bed. While I usually managed to brush once a day, forcing myself to do it before collapsing in bed makes me sleep better.
  

• I’m closing the blinds in my room all the way. As we live on a busy street, there is a lot of ambient noise and light in my room, and this affects how well I sleep.
  

• I’m walking at least 10K steps a day. Sometimes it is a challenge to get there, especially as my knee and hop are hurting a bit right now. I’ve decided that I will take an ibuprofen to help with the pain if it gets me walking more and sleeping better. I’m pacing during conf calls and even standing to work at our high counter a bit.
  

• My to-do list is no longer anxiety-producing. I still have things I’m working through, but I don’t wake with the dread that there’s just no way I can get everything done during the day. That’s just an amazing feeling. I’ve worked hard to get here. Unfortunately, I don’t harbor illusions that it is here to stay. It is going to take constant vigilance – not taking on too many new projects, taking it slow on existing projects, protecting my time.

Whatever it is, I’m so pleased to not have the overwhelming need to climb back in here minutes after leaving it unlike Phelix — can you spot him?

And yes, a kitchen towel too – one of Phelix’s odd habits.