So tonight’s posting is another redirection of sorts. I was all ready to write up something about how I had finally started loading boxes and bookshelves into The Pod, in preparation for the move, but then I got to thinking: What the heck does that have to do with trying to live more simply and deliberately?

Instead, I’m following up on what I was trying to learn yesterday–but maybe coming at it from a different direction.

I’m sure I’ve written before about how I tend to push myself too hard and not get enough sleep. I get a lot done in the short-term, no doubt, but there’s a cumulative effect: I start acting like a three-year-old in need of a nap.

While making dinner tonight, I started to notice the warning signs: little things were beginning to annoy me, simple questions felt like huge demands, and I could feel a tightness creeping up into my shoulders and neck.

And when I did notice my souring mood, I decided to try something different. I decided to sweeten up.

I’m not talking about “faking it”; I’m talking about making a conscious decision to make my interactions with my family just a little more light, playful, and loving.

And it wasn’t that hard to do.

And not only did my family appreciate my change in mood; so did I.

And I made a pie for dessert, which is always a good thing.