Stillness

The sunrise didn’t do anything special this morning. It was the same light, the same quiet, the same start to the day. But it was different. Different colors, shapes. The temperature and the thickness of the air.

It's here in the morning, that I like to dwell. I allow myself some stillness. Not rest. But a pause in gratitude.

For what?

That is different too.

I mean, a lot of it is the same but there are additional things.

some big

and some more subtle.

It's here that I build my outlook for the day. How am I feeling now.

Can I keep this going throughout the day, even when there are

surprises,

letdowns,

and hard pivots.

The short answer? Yes.

The not as short answer;

Also, yes but...

Not because the day will cooperate. It won’t.

Not because everything will go smoothly. It doesn’t.

But because I’ve started noticing that this feeling—this steadiness—doesn’t come from what’s waiting for me out there. It starts here.

In the quiet.

In the pause.

In the moment before I pick everything up again.

It’s something I’ve heard talked about—at the salon, in yoga class, in passing conversations.

Happiness as a choice.

And for a long time, I didn’t fully buy that.

Because life happens. People happen. Circumstances shift. And it’s easy to feel like your mood is just a reaction to all of it.

But lately, it feels different.

Not forced. Not fake. Not like I’m trying to convince myself of anything.

Just… a quiet understanding that I get to decide how tightly I hold onto things as the day unfolds.

I don’t control what shows up.

But I do have a say in what stays.

And maybe that’s what happiness really is.

Not constant. Not loud. Not something you chase.

Just a series of small decisions…

to return to yourself

again and again

throughout the day.