Today, I woke up to doggy diarrhea all over the place. Not quite the thing you want to clean up within the first 2 minutes of waking from much needed sleep. It got worse from there.

Yesterday, the smoke detector magically ran out of batteries at 3am. I am not sure how that timing always works that way, but no time in my life has a smoke detector run out of batteries during normal business hours.

While these things are relatively small inconveniences, when they start adding up It feels like the universe is conspiring against you, right? Now, I know it’s tempting to let that dictate the mood for your entire day, but what if you chose differently?

Here’s the truth: a bad morning doesn’t mean a bad day. Yes, things can start off rough, but each moment is a new opportunity to redirect our path and our mindset. Life throws challenges at us—some as trivial as a coffee stain, others much larger. Yet, how we respond to these moments can change everything.

You see, our lives are largely shaped not just by what happens to us, but by how we react to what happens. If we carry the frustration of a bad morning throughout the day, we’re not just spoiling that day, but possibly missing out on opportunities and joy that could have changed our day for the better.

So, what can we do? First, acknowledge the frustration. It’s okay to feel annoyed or upset. But don’t let it linger. Take a deep breath, maybe another one. This simple act has the power to reset your mind.

Then, remind yourself that you have the power to shape your day. Picture your day as a blank canvas. Each moment is a chance to paint a new stroke, add a new color, and transform the picture into something beautiful. Don’t let a single splash of unwanted color ruin the entire masterpiece you are about to create.

Let’s try to see challenges as detours, not roadblocks. A detour might take you off your planned path, but it can also lead you to discover new landscapes, new shortcuts, or even new parts of yourself. Embrace the unpredictability as part of the adventure. Reframe the narrative of your day from “Everything is going wrong” to “How can I make this right?”

And remember, you are not alone in this. We all have rough mornings; we all face challenges. What sets us apart is not the difficulties we encounter, but how we rise above them. Ignore the opposition. Those things that come at you and try to throw you off track. Pay more attention to what God is doing in your life and you will realize that there is definitely more GOOD in your life than you might feel right now.

So, no matter what the morning threw at you, decide that the rest of your day will be filled with potential and positivity. Because the quality of your day is not dictated by a single moment, or even a series of continuous moments, but by your continuous choice to look for the sunshine behind the clouds.

Choose to make today a beautiful day, no matter how it started.

Keep going. Keep building. Keep defending. Keep fighting. Do not give up.