How to Start a Day

There are any number of ways to start a great work day besides the very obvious calling in sick. In my time working down on the peninsula I've biked to work and surfed before work. I've met friends for coffee and breakfast, dropped visitors off at SFO, sat in a steam room. I've stopped to shop at Target in that magical first hour when everything is folded and stocked and calm and inviting. I've started the work day with masters swimming and spin classes. One day I met Jessica super early for a trail run in Golden Gate Park. She lost her car keys. Not good. But found them again. Good. And I still made it to work on time. Great. And she still got her M2 R1 2x8 repeat hills 80% lactate whatever workout in. Greater still.

Lest you think that every work day starts with roses and kittens, there was the one day I changed outfits maybe 8 times before settling on one, making it to my car and then bursting into tears. Although I did call in sick - "mental health day" - so it ended up better almost immediately.

But today I indulged. It started with a swim at the company pool. A bunch of laps, some drills, water in my goggles, blah, blah, blah. As I got out to head toward the locker room, a ray of light flickered off the edge of a lounge chair, catching my attention. In my 4+ years working here I've never stopped to lay on the lounge chairs but today, as the sun shone down and the deck was quiet, I kicked back and luxuriated in the momentary feeling of having not a care in the world. Not deadlines, not bills, not all the M&M's I ate yesterday, not skin cancer.

It. Was. Awesome.