Recapturing the glow.

I do not get much sleep. Maybe it is the air mattress... maybe it is all the crazy people or the violent crime... maybe it is the online sudoku... we may never know. Anyway, I have kind of gotten used to having that tired look. I recently started eating much more healthfully and had not noticed the absence of that tired look that I have had almost continuously for the last few years (I guess? I am not really sure when it started. I just know people were always telling me I looked tired for a long time). I knew that my face had changed in some way, but it was not significant enough for me to take the time to figure it out, and it was a positive change, so I assumed I was doing something right and should just keep doing whatever I was doing.

Anyway... I was working a shift at Starbucks one day after not getting much sleep. A woman came up to my register, and as usual, I started a conversation with her. At some point during this conversation, she paused and looked at me a little harder. Convinced I had broccoli in my teeth or a huge zit I hadn't noticed, I grinned a close-mouthed smile and nodded as if I were acknowledging her last comment. She then said, "You look really well-rested."

I do not think I have heard that... ever. At the first chance I got, I went to the bathroom and took a good, hard look at my face. Sure enough, there were no dark circles under my eyes, fewer lines on my face, and my skin had a good color to it - not too pale, but obviously not catching too much sun. I also just generally looked more alert. I am not getting more sleep, but I look seriously healthier. This new diet was intended to help me change my eating habits and be healthier, but I did not think there would be visible changes like these in my face. It never really occurred to me. My hair also looks and feels healthier and softer.

Then, Sunday, when I arrived for my shift at Starbucks, one of my coworkers remarked that I had a certain light in my face, that I looked really happy. I guess I have picked up a glow somewhere along the line. She asked what I had done that made me so happy, and I retraced my steps for the day... sleeping in... rising, pulling on a pair of jeans, and walking to the corner store to buy a Sunday Times... reading the paper while eating a healthy breakfast and sitting in front of a window looking out into a sunny day... very simple, but this was perfect for me. Sunday is my favorite day of the week in general, but I always end up working mornings, and this prevents me from doing that lazy Sunday morning stuff I love to do. Even just thinking about it now is setting my heart at ease.

Health and happiness are not just about diet and exercise, but figuring out what things you can do on a regular basis that make you happy. For me, it's the Sunday Times with a healthy breakfast, or reading a good book while listening to certain bands or artists... among many other things.

What makes you tick?