Why Starting Your Day In The Right Way Will Change Your Life

I have always been what one would call an early riser, ever since I can remember.

As a kid, I would get up at the crack of dawn since there were things to be decided for the day ahead, i.e. what to wear to school, which kids to hang out with, (or which ones to ignore), which snacks to fill my rucksack with that would make me look classy and yet cool at the same time (Italians & their food obsession!), what story to entertain the whole class with (it never occurred to me they may not actually have been that entertained at all!).

It was a proper little morning mission I’d set myself up every day, even when there was no school because then there would be other things to address i.e. which presents to add to my Christmas list for the following 5 years. Ways to have my whole family move out of the house so I could be the sole queen of my little empire & obviously ways to get them back right on time for the festivities and presents exchange. Ways to turn my pocket money into some sort of Swiss bank account.

Yea that kind of stuff.

At some point I remember keeping a list under my pillow which will come out as soon as my eyes opened and which would be updated with different intentions, goals, wishes, chores (well...maybe just 2 or 3 of those) to help me in making it a great day, a great year, a great life.

Even at that age I sensed the reason we are here is to try & make it a great time for ourselves & those around and the rest is just something we’d get lost in as we go along.

Growing up, the way I’d set my intentions for the day slightly changed, & obviously boys got in the way as much as how to be popular among friends and it all became a bit difficult and more serious from there.

Different priorities, same list.

I wanted to have a good life & I sensed that it had to be decided in the morning, with the how’s, when’s, if’s to frame what I wanted that day.

Then I suddenly realized while going through the “check” and “unchecked” of my list, how most of it was fear based & how by bed time I’d be so exhausted after spending the majority of my time worrying about creating a great future that I’d just miss my whole day out.

Something had to change.

I started to meditate & got myself a very healthy morning routine which made me realize that all this thinking & planning as soon as I woke were actually depriving me of vital energy because they came from worries and self-doubts.

Sounds familiar?

Somewhere out there, I thought, someone is feeling exactly the same as me.

“If I plan my future in every detail then no bad things will happen” & again “If I decide now what has to happen in every second of my day, then surely it will go smoothly”.

Can you relate to that?

We leave no space for spontaneity, curiosity, joy for the day ahead & most of all our detailed planning hides a deep distrust in life and our own abilities to cope with whatever it is.

We think that by having it all laid out in front of us, life will spare us our daily dose of crap.

If we think hard enough and plan long enough, surely we’ll be able to stop life from happening, isn't that right?

The truth is that all this thinking keeps us anchored in the past and recreates the same dreadful scenarios in the future and then we wonder why nothing ever changes and our wishes never come true.

So my question to you is - how would you like to "feel" what you wish for? How would you then like to keep those feelings alive all day 'till your daily life becomes your beautiful creation and not just a sequence of events you are at the mercy of?

As you wake up tomorrow, become aware of your body and breathe in & out 3 times, very deeply and in no rush.

Direct your attention to those “feeling good” things in the room, perhaps the sound of the rain outside, your cat jumping on you, the light coming through the window, a photo of a loved one, anything that makes your heart feel warm.

Your mind will start its endless neurotic chatting.

Don't fight it.

Just observe it while keeping neutral.

There will be a moment when you will be able to feel the silence within your head. Stay in that silence; keep that awareness as long as you can. If it's only five seconds let it be so and welcome it. In time you'll be able to sustain that stillness much longer.

Then think of one thing you'd like to experience for the day.

Only ONE thing to start with.

"I want to be full of energy today!” you may wish.

Great!

How does "be full of energy" feel in your body?

Can you create that feeling/vibration as if you were already experiencing being on top of your game, gliding through your day with ease and excitement.

Dive into that emotion fully & completely, notice how your heart responds to it.

Where do you feel this emotion in your body? Can you locate where in your body you are responding to the new vibration? Can you increase its intensity? Perhaps give it a color?  Is your heart beating faster?

Notice whether or not your rational mind gets in the way & starts bugging you with its deceiving ways.

While watching its attempts to talk you out of your “feel good” mode ("You are overweight & always tired". "You have to much work to do, you'll have no energy left by lunch time"...you know, usual mind tricks!), just keep on focusing on the vibration of vitality & ease going through your body.

Make that vibration your wish for that day.

Smile.

Give yourself permission to be happy...no matter the worrying thoughts trying to creep into your head about what to cook on Christmas day, where to go on Holiday next year, how to make your mother in law invisible during her visits.

Then get up and make it a great day.

Thoughts are electric and emotions are magnetic, so the intensity of the feeling you have chosen will help drawing to you other vibrations and thoughts which will sustain your level of energy throughout the day and will help you ease yourself in and out of different scenarios as you go along.

Do not underestimate the simplicity of this very easy and brief morning ritual, because your soul understands ease much more than all the complex stuff we are bombarded with & which leaves us stuck and confused most of the time.

Keep on feeling your special vibration while on your way into work, at the office, dealing with the kids, and be amused about how your day unfolds.

The first 10 minutes of your morning are breakfast for your soul, so how about feeding it some lushly yummy essence to set the tone for your day?

Antonia Lyons

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