The Quest for Claiming the Cheer and Banishing the Grump: Part 1

The days are getting shorter and sunlight is becoming a scarce commodity.

When you live in Northern Alberta you revel in the gift of languidly long summer days but when October arrives it seems as though a chunk of sunlight has been snatched angrily away and hidden until June.

And my mood has become as sullen as the grey clouds that have settled oppressively upon us these last three days bringing snow and rain.

This morning is no exception. I’ve woken up stupendously grumpy. And not even the luxury of sleeping in and sipping my coffee in bed has lifted my mood.

So, my quest for the day is to shift the pendulum from grumpy to cheery

even a smidge.

As I sit here, still in my pajamas, a pile of papers to mark to my left, the vacuum to my right, I know what my plan for the day “should” be:

“Git er done” and you’ll feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment at the END of the day.

But I want my spirits to lift NOW.

And therein lies the rub: Instant gratification.

Usually manifesting itself in bags of popcorn or frivolous sweater purchases.

But maybe I should take a different approach today. An approach that is more internally directed than externally motivated. Something that requires

deep cleansing breaths rather than heavy contemptuous sighs.

Belly laughs instead of the rolling of the eyes.

I’ll let you know what I find.