Setting The Tone For A Good Day

Posted: March 25, 2011 at 3:15 pm

Did you enter the workout skort giveaway? It’s a good one!

This morning, I found myself in another butt whooping at spin class. I think the instructor has it out for us. And she just loves to shout “Tina…go for it!” now that she has learned my name. Perhaps I should have said “Sally” when she asked. I look like a Sally, don’t you think? No? I guess you’re right. Just like you all are right about surrounding myself with positive people in my life and moving on from toxic friendships.

I did just that today. I visited one of my very best friends today for a play date. [Side note: Danielle, I hope you know how much your friendship means to me!] We talked about all things under the sun for a few hours while our little girls entertained each other.

playdate

I left all smiles from some great girl time. Now, that is what a friendship should feel like!

When, I got home I needed some food. Since we’re at the end of the week again, I faced limited options. I guess I should embrace limited options because it causes me to get creative and I ended up with quite the delicious lunch.

eggswpotlunchswpotblackbeans eggscramble 

One egg, one egg white, blue cheese laughing cow, spinach, and mushrooms all scrambled together on one side. A sweet potato with black beans on the other side. And a cup of grapes for some sweet. Super random. Super tasty! I now want this meal for dinner one night this week. You know. So I don’t have to eat it while breastfeeding. You should have seen me balancing beans on sweet potato on fork hovering to my mouth over baby B’s head. Clearly, I am a mother. 

After both my and B’s feedings, we all settled in to naptime. Errr…until M decided she didn’t need a nap today. Can I just express my gratitude for getting in my morning quiet time today? It helps keep me so much more level headed when things like missed naps and our daily “poopy on the potty” debacles happen. When I lose my all-too-important morning time, I end up in a perpetual bad mood. I firmly believe that the start of the morning sets the tone for the day.

In fact, for Lent I gave up my morning time to focus solely on reflection instead of things like catching up on emails or writing blog posts. I had noticed hectic awakenings and mornings had a negative effect on the remainder of my day and attitude. I wanted to focus on starting the day with a calming, positive energy. It rejuvenates me and my “spirit” shall we say. In order to get that time, I do have to wake up at 6:10 because M believes 6:30 is time to wake up. It’s early, but 6:10 isn’t so bad now that the little man has dropped to only one feeding a night. And I would rather exchange 20 minutes of sleep for a happier demeanor any day of the week. Well, except for maybe Saturdays. 😉

Questions of the Day:

  • What do you think? Does the morning set the tone for your day? Do you get up early to have more time to ease into the day?
  • Best random meal you have had recently?

 
32 Comments to “Setting The Tone For A Good Day”
  1. The morning definitely does set the tone for my day. That’s largely why I switched to AM workouts, and it makes SUCH a difference! I feel awake, healthy, and ready to take on the day. Having my evenings free doesn’t hurt either. 🙂 Happy Friday Tina!

  2. Time with good friends is the best! I would love to start waking up a little earlier and getting in some quiet time to meditate. The fact that I workout first thing in the morning makes it tricky because I’m so antsy to get going, but I think if I really tried I could make that happen. Getting time to myself is so important for me, and I’m sure it will becoming infinitely more important if I’m a mom someday!
    I love reading your posts about balancing kids, exercise, healthy eating, and just life in general – they are so helpful to me in so many ways!

  3. Karen says:

    My morning definitely sets the tone for the remainder of my day! One morning last week, both girls decided that 5:20 was going to be there wake up time. I was not pleased – they normally wake up around 7. Needless to say they were completely exhausted by bedtime : )

  4. Lately I’ve been getting up early to workout and to have more time to get ready, etc, instead of rushing around like a madwoman (which is what I had been doing).

    But yes, if my morning starts off badly (slept in, late for work, traffic, bad hair day!, anything like that) then it is super hard for me to turn the day around!

  5. mornings 100% set my tone for the day. i am absolutely a morning person and on days when i get in extra sleep but wake up late and end up rushing, i have a much worse attitude and coping abilities than if i had slept a little less and kept my morning routine.

    i’m so happy you had great girl talk today! i love spending time with my good girlfriends. 🙂

  6. Jennifer Rahn says:

    One feed per night?! I’m jealous!

    I’m all for setting the tone of the day by getting up before the kids for some “me” time. I’m up at five and out the door by 5:35 for a great endorphin rush. I’m seriously lacking in the reflection/spiritual time, though. I need to be better about that. Though we attend Mass every week, it’s not the same AT ALL with two kids in tow. I can hardly breathe, let alone meditate on what the priest is saying.

    “Amen” to the balancing of the food while breastfeeding….it’s the story of my life right now!

    • Tina says:

      Haha! They always like to get hungry right when we try to eat, don’t they? 😉

      And you can certainly get in some reflection time during the endorphin rush. I love reflecting then too.

  7. Random meal, I ate sauteed bean sprouts and mustard greens with tomato paste with a side of nutritional yeast chickpea waffles. So weird and so good! Yours looks tasty too. I’m so glad you got in some good friendship time today. I know that helps with all the other stuff.

    My mornings totally set the tone for the day. That’s why I get up and work out before anyone else gets up. It’s my time, then it can always go down from there, but at least I have that to reflect on.

  8. i think the morning can set the tone for the day or even a simple conversation with someone…I hate to start out on the bad foot! ok that sweet potato and beans looks like a STELLAR combination, Tina!

    best random meal I have had?? hmmm i decided instead of a protein shake and oats on the side, I dumped protein powder in the oats (which I rarely do) and it was delicious ahh the life of competition prep LOL I know you;ve been there 🙂

  9. Oh the morning does set the tone for the day and kids sense when we are rushed, out of balance, etc..it makes an already rushed/pressured situation go that much worse! b/c they sense it. Double whammy!

    • Tina says:

      They totally sense it! Never thought about it, but its true. They’re like dogs that smell fear. They smell a lack of patience and know that is when to push buttons. That’s dead on!

  10. I love getting up earlier than everyone in the house so I have some quiet time. I’ve gotten away from it lately, but need to get back in the habit. It definitely sets the tone for the day!

  11. Dorry says:

    I love getting up early (before Billy usually) to have some quiet time and get my day started on the right foot. A frustrating morning can linger into the day, and I agree it’s worth getting up a little bit earlier to avoid that!

  12. Kacy says:

    Yay for good friend time!
    I need to make more time for reflection in the morning – it’s always go go go.

  13. Cara says:

    My mornings totally set the tone for my day! I love getting up early and having time to myself. My morning quiet time is essential to a good, calm day for me, and if I get a run in, even better!

    That meal looks delicious, totally random but great!

  14. jobo says:

    Yum! Your random meals are WAY better than stuff I throw together. However, I’ve made a few really good random stir fry meals this week. Throwing whatever I have into a pan with some seasoning and a sauce of some kind and voila, super tasty, quick dinner 😉

  15. I’m all about my mornings! I love a peaceful start as well 🙂 I’ve been enjoying greek yogurt with sliced strawberries with crumbled thin mints on top (I have a ton of Girl Scout cookies to eat! haha!)

  16. Morning is definitely my favorite time of day. I guess if I don’t have a chance to get in my workout and relaxing time in the am, it definitely affects my day!

  17. A great workout followed by some quality bonding time with a friend? Now THAT is my ideal day right there, let alone morning.

  18. The morning definitely sets the tone for me. If I don’t get my quiet alone time, forget it!

  19. Shady says:

    The morning most definitely sets the tone for the day. A missed alarm doesn’t just mean getting to my morning appointment late it means feeling discombobulated and off-kilter all day.
    Best random meal recently? I haven’t been bad lately but next week is a ‘clean out the fridge week’ so I’ll probabaly have some doozies then.
    Hope you are at peace with whatever you decided to do about the toxic friend situation. Its slightly selfish but at the end of the day if we’re not ok with our choices, how can we expect anyone else to be supportive of them.

    • Tina says:

      Yes! I hat that discombobulated feeling. Almost as much as I like the word discombobulated. It’s fun to say! LOL

  20. lindsay says:

    my morning routine starts at 5am and I wouldn’t miss it. You are so right, it makes my day so much more balanced and positive. My time with God in the morning is just like my morning coffee…..it gets me going!

  21. Katie Smothers says:

    The morning totally sets the tone for you day!!!! I LOVE getting up at 6:00 every morning and hitting the gym! The results may be minimal, but the feeling I get when I’m done, and the energy, and attitude I have throughout the day it totally worth it!!!! Plus, like yourself, it gives me that time to myself. Because, while I just love attending to every whim of Reagans throughout the day — there is some much needed ME time!!!!! Even if that involves almost dying on the eliptical every morning !!!!!!!

  22. Morning totally sets up my day! I NEED my swim in the morning, and I can’t be rushed!

  23. I’m totally a morning person – I always tell myself that waking up 10 minutes earlier won’t make me much more tired, but those extra 10 minutes will allow me to not have to RUSH out the door… you know?!

    Earlier this week I made angel hair pasta w/ baby spinach and mushrooms, and made a sauce of roasted red pepper hummus, milk and parmesan cheese. It was random but fabulous!

  24. missy miller says:

    I’m glad you are starting your day right. I often read of mothers who wake up super-duper early just to get that silent meditative time.

    Sweet potatoes and black beans makes such a good combo, huh? I first came across the combo while reading “Clean Food” Cookbook…try it with avocado, salsa…you can get creative. I made a salad out of a similar combo.

  25. Can I just tell you how much respect I have for you that you know the importance of “me time”? I mean, really, that’s the best gift you can give to yourself and to M & B. I am constantly amazed that you are not only working so so hard raising two little ones, being a wife, a friend, and also one of the best bloggers. I can’t ever get over how well you write or how much thought and care goes into each post- the quality of them- considering how much you do. Love me some Mama T.

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