start as you mean to go on, make the day great.

Call me Ishmael.    (Moby Dick)    I am an invisible man.   (Ralph Ellison)    It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was a the age of foolishness, …  (A Tale of Two Cities)

Not all great books have a great opening line, but there’s a different thrill of anticipation when the first line hooks you.  Having a great day is different than making a great day.  One is a wish handed out with change at the newsstand and the other happens when we take action to make it so.  LIke a great opening line, we set the tone at the start.

I like to start the day with a little yoga and meditation.

My theory is I’ll stretch out the kinks from last night’s sleep, allowing the muscles to start from scratch as the new day shapes new knots and tensions into the fascia.   My mind clutters as easily as the table by the front door  with its collection of  pocket contents, pizza coupons and keys.  Meditation helps.

Common wisdom holds that the right start is a good breakfast.  How do you define good, oatmeal and fruit vs. eggs and toast?  When I was a kid my dad used to insist I have some sort of warm liquid in the morning.  Year round.  It would be either Ovaltine, Milo or warm milk on the Rice Krispies.  Nothing mutes the snap and crackle like warm milk.  Milo and Ovaltine are in the same family of “enriched beverages” served either cold or hot.  I’ve been conditioned to have no appreciation for cold Milo or  breakfast cereals.

I’ve tried different things over the years… voiding my thoughts into journals, taking rigorous morning hikes or drinking Bodums of strong coffee.  There’s no right or wrong but I know if I feel great about the start, I’ve got better odds for the remainder not sucking.