The Best Way to Begin Your Day

"Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have the capacity to live in a way that these twenty-four hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and others." --Thich Nhat Hanh

Do you wake up with excitement, eager to face the day? Or do you approach the day ahead with dread? 

How often do you drag yourself out of bed, wishing you could just crawl back under the covers? 

When I want to stay in bed it's often because I think I have too much to do. I can actually feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. The tension and pain in my neck and shoulders is a clear signal to me that I have taken on too much, and that I have taken myself out of the flow of grace that is always available to me if I want it. 

When I feel overwhelmed with all I have to do, it saps my energy and slows me down. My brain gets fuzzy and it's hard to focus so I end up wasting time with trivial busy work rather than accomplishing what's most important.

But when I can shift my focus from having "too much to do" to being able to "bring peace, joy, and happiness to myself and others" the burden is lifted and I have much more energy to do what I want to do. Try it! And let me know how it works for you.

"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." --Jesus