Today I Choose to be Upbeat – The Comedy of Daily Choosing

It’s 6:15 AM and I’m staring at my coffee, willing it to make me Upbeat. I wrote ‘Today I choose to be Upbeat’ in my planner. My planner laughed. I swear I heard it.

But here’s the thing about choosing to be Upbeat at 61: it’s not a one-time decision. It’s like choosing to diet while living in a bakery. You have to keep choosing it, even when everything smells like croissants and your willpower has the structural integrity of wet tissue paper.. Learning how to be upbeat in challenging situations can feel much like this struggle.

This morning alone, I’ve had to choose energetic seventeen times. Once when I woke up (failed). Once when I looked in the mirror (definitely failed). Once when I opened my email (spectacular failure). But I’m still choosing. That’s the journey part nobody mentions – it’s less “journey to a destination” and more “circular journey around the same block hoping something changes.”

The Reality of Being Upbeat for Thirty Seconds at a Time

Yesterday I managed to be peppy for exactly thirty-seven seconds. I counted. It was during a commercial break. The moment the show came back on, I lost it. But those thirty-seven seconds? Pure Upbeat. I was magnificent.

This is what the self-help books don’t tell you: transformation at this age is measured in seconds, not days. I can be peppy while my coffee brews. I can be vibrant at red lights (sometimes). I can be dynamic in the bathroom, which is really just hiding, but I’m counting it.

My friend Susan claims she’s Upbeat all day long. Susan also claims she loves kale and understands cryptocurrency. Susan is a liar.

The Small Daily Practices That Sort of Work

Here’s how I practice being Upbeat throughout the day:

Morning: I choose to be Upbeat for the three minutes it takes to make coffee. This is sacred Upbeat time. Do not disturb.

Midday: I attempt Upbeat while eating lunch. Usually works until I check my phone and see the news. Then peppy goes out the window along with my faith in humanity.

Afternoon: I practice Upbeat by not saying what I’m really thinking during phone calls. This is advanced Upbeat. I deserve a medal.

Evening: I embody Upbeat by not throwing things at the TV during pharmaceutical commercials. This counts as growth.

The Upbeat Support Group Nobody Talks About

We should have support groups for this stuff. “Hi, I’m Susie, and I’ve been trying to be Upbeat for three days. I’ve succeeded for a total of four minutes. Applause please.”

Because here’s the truth: we’re all struggling with this. Every single one of us. Even the people who seem naturally Upbeat. They’re probably just better at faking it. Or they’re on something. Or they’re robots.

The woman who cuts my hair told me she’s been trying to be more energetic. “How’s it going?” I asked. “Well,” she said, “I haven’t stabbed anyone with scissors, so… progress?” That’s the kind of honesty we need more of.

What Being Upbeat Actually Means at This Age

At 61, being peppy doesn’t mean becoming a different person. It means finding tiny ways to express this quality in my existing chaos.

Maybe it’s being Upbeat for one conversation. Maybe it’s bringing dynamic energy to making dinner (even if dinner is cereal). Maybe it’s choosing vibrant thoughts for the duration of one dog walk.

These aren’t transformative moments. They’re barely noticeable. But they add up. Like coins in a jar, eventually you have enough for something. Maybe not a vacation, but at least a fancy coffee.

The Permission to Be Bad at This

You’re allowed to be terrible at being Upbeat. You’re allowed to succeed for three seconds and call it a win. You’re allowed to forget you were trying to be Upbeat and remember at 9 PM and try again tomorrow.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about practice. And practice means doing it wrong repeatedly until you accidentally do it right. Then doing it wrong again because you got cocky.

Today’s Small Victory

This afternoon, I was Upbeat for one entire phone call with my insurance company. Granted, I was on hold for most of it, but still. When the representative finally answered, I maintained my Upbeat energy for the full three minutes it took to resolve my issue.

Did I celebrate? You bet I did. Did I immediately lose all Upbeat when I couldn’t open a jar of pickles? Absolutely. But for those three minutes on the phone, I was gloriously, magnificently Upbeat.

The Journey Continues (Whether We Like It or Not)

Tomorrow I’ll wake up and choose to be Upbeat again. I’ll probably fail by 6:30 AM. But I’ll try again at 7. And 8. And throughout the day in tiny, imperfect ways.

Because that’s what this journey really is – not a straight line to transformation, but a wobbly, circular, sometimes backwards path of small daily choices.

Today I choose to be Upbeat. For the next five minutes. Maybe ten if I’m feeling ambitious. After that, all bets are off.

But those five minutes? They count. They matter. They’re part of the journey.

And that’s enough. More than enough.

That’s everything.