It’s March 23rd, and it’s snowing, hailing, and thundering. It’s a strange, strange day, not just weather-wise but life-wise for me.

1. I started my day with a money-saving tour of Whole Foods. This was planned through my 40 Days program. Previous tour participants chose 1 free item from the store to take home, but our tour guide offered no such freebie. For a second, I was bummed out, but I realized it presented me the chance to practice asamsakti, non-attachment.

I also learned you can get anything from the produce, meat or cheese department in just the amount you want. They will cut you half of a watermelon cheese! I will never be stuck with an entire bunch of cilantro or scallions again!

2. I finished my taxes when I got home and faced the reality of paying the federal government a large sum of money. I never understood when people had to do this. I always wondered why they didn’t just get the correct amount taken out to begin with. Well, that only works when all of your income is taxed. Bummer. But on the bright side, I did my own taxes!

3. I went to yoga and someone accidentally walked off with my Uggs. Seems sad, but this person is going to be sorely disappointed when they realize they got my 10-year-old niece’s hand-me-down Uggs.

4. Driving home from yoga, I turned onto my icy street, and my carve swerved all over the road. I thought I was going to hit the lamp post, but instead, I bumped the curb and ricocheted right off. I couldn’t turn my wheel to the left and there was some damage to my left bumper and fender. I know nothing about cars, but it seems like axle or power steering repairs cost a pretty penny. On the bright side, I am in my warm apartment waiting for the tow truck while it snows outside in March.

5. I watched an Oprah episode about happy people. I would tell you to take the quiz on the website, but my hunch is that if you have to take a Happiness Quiz, you are not very happy. Anyway, there was a woman who worked in a toll booth on the Pennsylvania Turnpike who was filled with happiness. She loves working at the booth because it gives her a chance to spread her happiness to people when they pass through her booth for just 15 seconds. My honest-to-goodness goal in life is to radiate more shine than the sun.

I really think there is something to being able to find the positive in a situation. I am not delusional. I realize the money I am paying to have my car fixed could have been used for other things like a very much-needed trip to the dentist, but there is nothing I can do about it. I am also not a naturally optimistic person (is it nature or nurture that makes you optimistic?).

One of my yoga teacher’s says, “You can choose to be happy or you can choose to be miserable; both take the same amount of energy.” She got it from a book. I am choosing to see the positive and be happy despite this crazy day.