How do you awaken each morning? What are the first thoughts or first words out of your mouth? What do you typically feel when you first open your eyes?
Do you think, "Oh, no, another day of same-old, same-old"? Do you leap ahead with feelings of dread to an event that's coming up later that day? Do you place a black cloud firmly over your head (that most likely will stay in place all day)?
Or do you say, "Ah, another new day. I'm grateful to be here to experience it"? And do you truly feel grateful to be alive for yet another day?
Perhaps you blend your gratitude with realism—and say, "I'm so glad for another day of life ... even though I confess to anxiety about the meeting I have this afternoon with my boss."
You might face each new day with curiosity about what's ahead—and thus resonate with author and poet Maya Angelou who said, "This is a wonderful day. I've never seen this one before."
The way in which you start your day sets the tone for your whole day. If you begin in a bad mood, complaining about the day and what's ahead, you will have to work hard and be pretty intentional to turn it around into a good day. But if you begin by being thankful for the day and for the good things in your life, you have set a positive tone for what follows. It's worthwhile to think about this when you wake up: What kind of day do I want this to be? If I'm tempted to start out complaining, might I be able instead to think of blessings for which I'm grateful? Might I start my day with a smile on my face and "Thank you" on my lips? Try it tomorrow. See what a difference awareness, intention and a positive attitude can make.
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