Have a great day!
It’s a common phrase, but I don’t know the last time I thought to myself, “Wow today was great!”
Most days lately feel like a repeat cycle of the last in some way or another.
I started saying “make today great” to put the control in my own hands of how the day went, and encourage others with the phrase but after thinking about it recently, I don’t think that’s very effective either, it makes it seem like there’s a lot of work left to do to have this great day.
No one needs more to do in their lives.
Today is great, that’s pretty good.
Today is great, I am inspired for the day!
Hmm that sounds too good to be true, who says that, liar!
Can I say this and mean it? When was the last time I said this and meant it?
What if I was truly inspired every day, or even just most days?
Life would be so different in the best ways.
It’s Possible.
I was reminded it’s absolutely possible. I can say this and mean it inside the context of being awake early or rather long enough before obligations / aka life / aka the worlds pull on my attention starts. In those times, I can appreciate and reflect on the day, on life, on what’s to come.
I can literally make the day great, so the day is great before any thoughts about how the day “is” come. I can choose in this time.
The exact time needed for said reflection and life thoughts varies. The actions taken in this reflection varies from person to person. Sometimes it’s activity like running or working out, sometimes it’s non activity like meditation, devotions, reading, or just nothingness. There are themes but it works differently for each person.
Choosing
Choosing to be happy and inspired [and take the correlated actions that continue the thought] is everything, it’s the key to happiness and success!
It colors the actions and thoughts for the rest of the day. It brings hope and power and energy.
There ya go! Have a great life! You’re welcome!
Oh if it were only so easy to do with commitment, with zest, fervor, and authenticity. It’s not, but the alternative is scary.
Not Choosing
However, NOT choosing has some dire consequences.
Not choosing leaves me open to the subtle but serious dangers of mindlessly letting the day and everything around control me, like the media, work, other people, etc.
This is the day’s battle, and feels like my adult life’s battle. It might be our current time’s battle.
This control doesn’t do immediate and direct harm, it’s a slow poison, most effective after days of persistence, when my brain is numb and my body tired of “the grind”… that’s when it strikes, when I haven’t taken pre-attention-pulled time to myself in any way.
I’m already weakened, so it’s not hard to be pulled into the lesser, unhappy version of myself, veiled by the thought I just need a little reprieve, just something to feel relaxed. So…the overeating version comes out, the escape to facebook version, the buy another distraction version, the “I just need this thing and things will be better” version, the stay up later and do it all version, the insert yours here version.
This lesser version of myself is very good at negating lasting ways to be happy, be present and pursue accomplishment. Very good.
It’s good at making you forget you can choose otherwise.
I don’t even want to think of what the compounded impact of years of giving into the lesser version day after day will do to me and those I care for and love [which is what inspired this post].
It doesn’t have to be like that though.
Be Transformed
What to do? The forever reminder, to always be renewed, to continually be transformed.
Never forsake getting up early enough / before pulls on my attention begin, to reflect and do something about my attitude and how the day is going to occur for me, perspective is everything.
EVERYTHING, it’s the keys to happiness and success.
It’s that simple and that difficult, and you have a new opportunity to do it everyday.
Today is great, I am inspired…
😃
PS. It doesn’t have to be early in the morning, you can carve out this time of “choosing” anytime, but I find it near impossible for myself to do this anytime other than before the day has begun.
