From dragging to optimism

This past weekend, we turned the clocks back, and every fall I start thinking ahead to that springtime shift when we lose an hour and everything feels a little off. Normally, I get up at 4:50 in the morning. But because of the time change, I decided to shift that to 4:20. I wanted to give myself a little extra room in the morning—time to shower, meditate, write in my journal, have my spiritual time, walk the dog, pack my lunch, and brew a quick coffee before hitting the road at 6:20. That way, I’m not rushing, and hopefully, when spring rolls around, I won’t feel so thrown off.

But the truth is, even with that plan, I still find myself tired, and going back to bed just isn’t an option. It can be a little frustrating to see advice about “just sleep in if you’re tired” when that’s not the reality for those of us who need to be at work in person. I’ve got a job that requires me to be out the door and on the road, dealing with the real-world responsibilities that come with it.

And here’s where the optimism piece comes in. It’s not about ignoring the tiredness—it’s about choosing a bit of positivity to guide me back into enjoying the parts of my job I actually love. Maybe I’m not always eager at 4:20 in the morning, but by choosing that little bit of optimism, I can remember what I do enjoy and steer myself back into a better mindset.

So I’ll leave you with a question: How do you find those small pockets of optimism when the morning feels tough? I’d love to hear your approach