What do I do with the stress?

There are days when the stress can seem a bit much. I am fortunate to have developed my morning routine that automatically kicks me into action each morning.  

Up at the same time seven days a week, open all the blinds and curtains, make the bed, make a cup of coffee, feed Daisy, find a morning quote and we head out on the morning walk. There are certainly mornings where a large part of me thinks today I am not going to get up, but, for years now, I just get up. Maybe a bit reluctantly, but even when I say I am going to sleep in, the habit takes over and I am up no later than 6 even on the worst of days.  Most of the time I am out of bed by 5:30am

The amazing effect of this habit on my brain works it's magic every time. You can call it a morning brain hack.  It's most helpful on those mornings when my brain is in overdrive on what I call the crazy train.  Just going in circles with the same two are three problems over and over again. The morning habit works it magic every time by the time I open the front door to head out for the morning.  

Getting out of bed is purely habit. I think of the mornings where I want to just stay in bed and I just can't. My brain and body are wide awake and I just throw the covers back and hop out of bed.  I will still have a lot of thinking going on but it that morning routine just starts happening.  Make the bed, open the blinds and curtains, put Daisy's collar on, head downstairs and get open the blinds and curtains down there and get Daisy fed and coffee made for me. 

By the time I am sitting down to put my shoes and socks on is where the magic of the morning routine hits. I usually am saying to myself that I can do today. I can do the day even if it is just to get through it. This will be enough to kick me out of the crazy train thinking. Once out on the morning walk I have started the shift from being in worry mode to being in working mode in my brain. I start thinking about whats on my calendar and the things I can accomplish for the day ahead. I get off the crazy train and start the day. 

I can always do a day. In each day I can take action toward problems solving and finding solutions to my problems. I can take a day to look at what was just circle thinking to breaking the issue down into digestible problem solving strategies. I can take a day to talk to people in my circle of influence to help me see my issues from different perspectives. I can take a day to see the good I have that can shift me into an attitude of gratitude that helps me to realize that I have a lot. I can always take a day to do what I can to make the world a better place for myself and those around me.