You get to start new EVERY DAY.
We all have people, events, and attitudes, that seem to follow us around throughout our days. For lack of a better term, I call it the ‘STUFF of life’. Stuff from yesterday, stuff that pops up in the present when we least expect it, and stuff for tomorrow that is trying to hijack our attention before it even arrives!
Take ‘stuff’ from yesterday, for instance. We all have things from our past that keep cropping up over and over and trying to pull us back into that space, from appointments or dates we made, paying for (or benefitting from!) the food and exercise choices or habits we have formed, to the people in our lives: family, friends, or co-workers; some we want to keep, and some we don’t!
Then there is the ‘today stuff’. Things crop up in our lives that we don’t plan for and can’t predict. This is everything from an unexpected thunderstorm or one of the kids getting sick all over the back of the car on the way to school, to your neighbor stopping by with extra produce from the garden.
And, of course, there is the ‘tomorrow stuff’. These are the things we can and do plan for, and may also cause us to worry! Things like having to go to jury duty, or a work meeting, ourselves or a loved one having a planned surgery, or a child’s band concert, game, or dance recital.
All of these things crowd in on our present moment and threaten to knock us out of our goal: to live a more peaceful and serene life, and we can fall back into our old habits of dealing with them. But that doesn’t have to happen. Just because it happened yesterday, doesn’t mean it has to happen today. Today is NEW. You woke up to a brand new day. You may have some yesterday things to clear, and some today things to deal with, and some tomorrow stuff to plan for. Chances are good you have a lot! Taking care of your ‘stuff’ will help you be so much calmer and feel so much more serene. You can add more peace to each new day, and here are 7 ways to start:
- Before you go to bed, make a few notes about what went well and what didn’t during the day, and write a few notes about how you can solve any problems that came up. Write down how you want to show up tomorrow, and ideas you have about tomorrow’s tasks.
- Sleep for 8 hours. This really is an essential step to feeling one hundred percent more serene. You are allowed to sleep, and your mental and physical health are worth taking the time for.
- When you wake up, before you do anything else, take a few deep breaths and flex your ankles back and forth, pointing your toes up toward our head and then away from you. I know! But it starts your blood flowing and the muscles in your legs getting ready to hold you up for the day!
- Drink a glass of water. Re-hydrating will help your brain and organs to re-energize and begin to flush out everything your body collected to get rid of during your slumber.
- Write down FIVE things you are thankful for.
- Check your notes from the night before, and make any changes and jot down any ideas that came to you while you slept.
- Enjoy every minute of the NEW day you get to live and be as present as you can!
Peace and Serenity to you.
Love, Carie
