Rejoice! It's National Hat Day

Jan. 15, 2013

Today I am 190.2 pounds of rolling thunder.

We've reached the time of year when everyone is suffering through the mid-winter doldrums. It starts long before winter actually begins as the days grow shorter in December and the darkness cuts the day so short that people drive to work and return home in the dark.

Over the years, I've noticed that it really kicks in right after the holidays. The great anticipation of Christmas and New Year's with family gatherings and gift-giving has passed giving way to credit card bills and cars that won't start.

It's also the time when people return to the routine work drudgery and kids go back to school and face tests, homework and peer pressure. In many households it combines to form a witch's brew of discontent that results in serious doldrums.

Because the days are so short this time of year the energy-sucking vampires in your life are out more often. Everybody has some of these in their life. You know the ones; they are the people who point out the least trace of tarnish on your silver lining. They spend an inordinate amount of time talking about the empty half of the glass.

So I had to smile when a friend of mine sent me an invitation to like a Facebook page titled "The Good Things That Happened To Me Today." 

Maybe I'm just getting to be more and more of a sucker for this kind of stuff. The Runner's World quote of the day that shows up in my email each morning is met with the anticipation of a Christmas present. And my daily inspirational quote is in fact -- inspirational.

 So why not join in and appreciate the little things in life that make your day better? We've got enough stuff to turn the day the other way this time of year.

Today a business acquaintance sent me a lead on some contract work -- that's a good thing. Hey, I weighed myself with clothes on and then a few minutes with clothes off and was lighter, so the day went from gloom to smiles in a matter of minutes despite how small the difference really was.

 

So when you start feeling the doldrums taking over your life try to think of something good -- large or small -- that happened recently and let your mind savor the moment and be thankful for it.

If all else fails, remember that today is National Hat Day, so put on your favorite hat, and go out and run. And if you see the world's slowest human out on the streets, give me a wave -- it will help me out of my doldrums.