How to be Happy First Thing in the Morning
I have discovered the secret to being happy first thing in the morning and, surprisingly, it has nothing to do with getting to work early and hiding a family of radioactive badgers under your boss’ desk.
I’m always happy in the morning–even when I lived in Wisconsin and had to get up at 2:30 a.m. so I could have time to scrape ice off my 1988 Nissan Pulsar and drive 60 miles through nearly-fictional weather in order to get to my crummy little job.
I realize I’m probably not normal, but here are a few things I’ve learned that should help most people reduce their morning grumpiness:
1. Give Yourself Extra Time And Do Something Fun In The Morning
I know a lot of you would rather be mauled by dingos than have to get up any earlier, but giving yourself extra time in the morning will take that “rushed” feeling away and reduce the tension level by several degrees. I give myself a full hour before I even have to start getting ready. Usually, I spend it relaxing with a large cup of coffee and plotting a bank heist surfing the internet.
2. Learn To Get Up Before The Alarm Goes Off
Waking up to a screeching alarm is the surest way to inspire a killing spree. I’ve trained myself to wake up an hour before the alarm goes off and, seriously, it is the best advice in this whole article (don’t forget to shut off the alarm when you get out of bed though!).
3. Avoid Chore-Style Work First Thing In The Morning
Sure, you’ll have to feed the cats to stop their relentless yowling, but doing things like answering emails or shellacking patio furniture is way too much like work. Engage only in mindless, low-level activities such as watching squirrel videos or reading Dead Rooster.
4. Stay Away From The News
Trust me, if the world was vaporized by a runaway asteroid, someone would have told you.
5. Do Something Nice For A Random Person
Look for an opportunity to do something nice for someone. This is not only one of the most uplifting things you can do for yourself, but it might even cause a chain-reaction brightening the days of dozens of people you’ll never even meet. Give it a try and see how good it makes you feel.
Being happy first thing in the morning is important because it sets the tone for your entire day. Work on the morning and, I promise you, the rest of your day will have a much better chance of turning out great.
Need a laugh to get you started? Read some of my best received humor pieces:
Dead Rooster Survives Bug Attack on Universal Mummy Coaster
The Spastic Dance of the Black Widow Spider Slayer
I Scream, You Scream, But No One Screamed like the Ice Cream Man
Photo credit: Scarleth White
Dead Rooster is the online home of 
Great post… I cant not get up before the alarm goes off
And i only have cats @ my moms house 
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William McCamment
reply on July 10th, 2009 4:08 am:
Thanks Paw!
It is really tough to teach yourself to get up before the alarm goes off. Maybe in the near future I’ll write a post detailing how to do that. Thanks for reading!
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Good post and thanks for the gentle reminders of the little things we can do for self-improvement. Just reading your post reminded me to be happy — It’s Friday after all.
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William McCamment
reply on July 10th, 2009 9:37 am:
Thanks, Cindy! Have a happy Friday!
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This is great advice and to a large degree it describes my mornings. I love being up earlier than necessary and I revel in my hour of “deck” time. Like you during that time
I engage only in mindless, low-level activities. Mine include watching the birds eat at my bird feeders, the does and their fawns peaking out of the underbrush, and mama wild turkey sitting on the rockery edge along the driveway flapping her wings, while her 6 chicks mimic her earnestly learning to fly.
When my coffee is done I enter the house and do low level tasks like answering email while listening to music. I avoid being exposed to any news until later in the day.
Most of all while I’m enjoying my deck time I give thanks for being loved and for having the opportunity to love and for being blessed in the many ways that I am. I find that just recounting to myself how much I have to be happy about sets the mood for getting the most from my day.
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William McCamment
reply on July 10th, 2009 9:40 am:
Your morning is nearly identical to a lot of mornings I had in Wisconsin (when it wasn’t 40-bellow zero). I really miss seeing the wildlife and enjoying the peace and quiet.
Thanks, TT!
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A good morning for me is not having anyone step on my head. It’s all downhill from there. I need a zillion cups of coffee before I can even pretend to be awake.
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William McCamment
reply on July 10th, 2009 1:52 pm:
A zillion cups of coffee will fix anything.
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2. Learn To Get Up Before The Alarm Goes Off
——————
haha .. I’m the exact opposite. Actually, I set my cell phone alarm to wake me up about 5 hours after I go to sleep, but if that turns out to be e.g. 4am .. while my cell phone is set for 9am .. I still set my alarm clocks for something ridiculous, like 6:30am. Sure, there is the odd time I hear it, turn it off and get back to work .. (and be grumpy) but most of the time .. there’s something about wondering how the world lived on with a raging alarm clock between the hours of 6:30am and 7:30am while I was oblivous to the noise and fast sound asleep. Yep! Kind of takes away the grumpy feelings wondering and puts a smile on my face. I’m strange like that.
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William McCamment
reply on July 12th, 2009 4:27 am:
Wanna hear something sick? If I sleep in until 5 a.m. I have overslept. Usually, I’m up at 4 (when you might be just going to bed). LOL
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Some nice advice here. I’m not the best as a morning person but compared to some people I know…they rise up in the morning like the cold rotting living dead. It just aint pretty.
Cheers!
Stephen
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William McCamment
reply on July 12th, 2009 4:28 am:
Cold and rotting is the WORST kind of dead.
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It definitely feels much better to do something “out of the routine”. Most of the time i wake up with the same bad mood and hurry to my class. but i guess i can make some changes to find some extra time in the morning.
stumbling.
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William McCamment
reply on July 12th, 2009 4:38 am:
The hard part is going to bed a little earlier. You have to think of it as trading an hour at night for an extra hour in the morning, otherwise it seems like you’re giving up an hour of your free time.
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Great suggestions!!!!
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very nice blog.. I like the design, its cool:-)
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William McCamment
reply on August 13th, 2009 4:30 am:
Thank you very much! I appreciate that.
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Smoke wiid would have summed this up in one word as to how to wake up happy
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William McCamment
reply on October 22nd, 2009 10:23 am:
“Smoke wiid” is two words (sort of).
Note: Dave’s not here.
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