Choosing Joy.

"What fresh hell is in store for me today"...is something that I could have chosen to say this morning seeing as I'm in day 23 of my menstrual cycle heading into my latter luteal phase where any feel good hormones are rapidly depleting in my body.

I got up and admittedly my energy was spiky, and was not in the mood for much. I made my favorite coffee and watched my favorite episode of Veep, then headed out to do some errands. First stop was Walgreen's where there was an altercation at the checkout, lots of screaming and cursing - what in the fresh hell? But, upon closer inspection, I realized people are just really not ok right now - I mean, I knew this, but hadn't seen something unfold right in front of me. Taking note and moving about my business quickly, I saw no empathy or passion, only anger, hate, and blame.

I recited the ancient Hawaiian poem in my head, Ho'oponopono - "I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you" and almost immediately felt the ripple effect into the energy around me. Everything sort of "calmed down" around me and I re-created my day.

The next stop was a grocery pickup - 1. I'm extremely grateful to be able to buy groceries 2. I'm extremely grateful to have the ability to pick up groceries and 3. I'm extremely grateful to be able to have a plan for food for 3 meals a day for the next week.

As I sat waiting for the pick up, I had brought along my tweezers and finally got a rogue hair that had been making me feel like I was losing my mind because I could feel it but not see it - HUZZAH, got it.

On the way home, I was feeling energized, excited, grateful, joyous, happy as I celebrated my versatile love of music (in this order) swaying to "Best of my Love" by the Eagles, popping to "Smack That" by Akon and Eminem, then jamming to "All the Small Things" by Blink 182.

Getting home, getting everything settled and put away, I look back at my experience today. I was meant to see the fight at Walgreen's so that I could recite the poem of gratitude so that those around me could feel and remember that we're all doing the best we can. I was able to shift my spiky energy into that of joy and celebration, simply by assessing and turning inward.

By shifting my own energy, I shifted all of that around me and my day became the sort of day I always hope for in a Saturday.

My point is, things will happen all day every day around you - you get to choose your response to them...as my friend Morgan Garza says, "Funk begets funk", so choose your vibe...no one can tell you how to feel, no one.

Things can be "bad" on the outside, and you still get to choose how you feel on the inside - if you allow it.