Recently, for about nine months, I think, I’ve been eating the same breakfast most days: 1/3 cup hot multigrain cereal with 1 large stalk (or 2 small stalks) finely chopped kale, topped with a fried egg over easy and sprinkled with pepper and nutritional yeast, accompanied by Harney & Sons Formosa Oolong tea. The cereal mix sounds really strange to a lot of people — even if they’re on board with the egg, the kale is pretty out there (or vice versa). But I love it. The egg yolk melts into the cereal mix, and the kale and nutritional yeast add complexity, texture, and richness. The tea (which my brother introduced me to) has a great flavor, mild enough to drink without sugar or milk but still nutty and strong, and is hard to overbrew, which is perfect since I’m usually focused on timing the cereal, kale, and egg sequence.

When I sit down on the sofa with my bowl of cereal and my tea, and I break the yolk and taste that first bite before the yolk gets mixed in, hot and rich, and sip my tea, I try to enjoy it fully, and think about how lucky I am to get my favorite food and tea every morning, sitting on my couch with my cat. It sets a tone for the day of enjoying the small things, which is my favorite way to feel happier.