Coffee me happy
As part of my desire to create better, healthier routines for my physical and mental well-being, I decided I needed to get back into the habit of enjoying my morning routine. After all, I need something to entice me out of bed in the mornings. And since the only thing I’ve consistently done every morning for the majority of my adult life is to drink a cup of coffee, I decided that I would pin my morning routine on that.
In the “olden days” (read: pre-widowhood) my morning routine was fairly well set in stone. On weekdays I would wake up and take a shower then I’d sit and enjoy my cup of coffee on my own, which had been brewed for me thanks to the automatic timer that Paul set every night before going to bed. Then on the weekends I would wake up and (maybe, maybe not) take a shower before enjoying a freshly brewed pot of French press (that’s cafetière in UK-speak) coffee with Paul.
Post-widowhood, my coffee habits changed to a cup of lesser-quality coffee, which was consumed as I got ready for the day – except on the weekend when it was consumed whilst sitting on the couch watching television in my pyjamas. I was no longer buying fresh, whole beans that were ground as-needed. Instead, I was buying standard, mass-produced, pre-ground coffee-like stuff. And I even found myself stuck in the habit of using instant coffee!
I was no longer enjoying my morning coffee as a special part of my day. Instead, I was just drinking the coffee as part of my desire to always start the day with a strong cup of brew. And even on the weekends when I’d allow myself a pot of French press coffee, it wasn’t the quality I once enjoyed, and there wasn’t the relaxing routine to go along with it. Coffee was just coffee.
But for the past five weeks, I’ve been taking back my coffee routine.
And I’ve decided to do it with the aid of a Moka pot and strong, rich, dark-roast whole beans which I grind as needed.
In the evenings, I have to spend about 10 minutes cleaning the pot and setting it up for the next morning. It then takes about six minutes to brew when I wake up, so I use the brewing time to brush my teeth and make my bed. Then I sit and enjoy my quality cup of coffee as I think about the day ahead. No computering or Facebooking allowed; coffee time is for coffee and thoughts only! Well, except on the weekends when I enjoy my coffee on the couch whilst watching television or playing on Facebook (or both). After all, the weekends don’t require the same thought processing as weekdays do.
I’ve found that it adds about 15 minutes to my morning routine, but it helps to create a calmer, happier me. And that’s well worth the extra time. I still have some work to do on my morning routine, but I’m getting there.
I still have a long way to go before I am back on track with all of the routines and disciplines I need to re-focus my life, but I feel that I’m on a positive, winning track at the moment!