Just before sunrise. 1/13/10

How do you start your day?

Certainly there are an infinite number of potential responses to that question.

So let’s see if we can create a couple categories into which all potential responses could be separated.

Do you start your day DELIBERATELY?

Or NOT? (Best I could come up with  in the moment.)

While there’s not a right or wrong way between the two, I think there’s a better way.

Each day when you wake up, you start with a fresh slate. What you created in your life up to that point does not matter. What you struggled with the previous day or for the last couple decades is irrelevant.

The only thing that matters on this new day are the thoughts you choose because the thoughts you choose today determine what you create tomorrow.

When you take that in, I think that’s really awesome news, right?

Of course, taking advantage of this clean slate requires something of you. It requires you to deliberately focus your thoughts. It requires you to actively put your attention on that which you truly desire to create. While this process is not very difficult, it’s a habit. And it’s a habit most people do not practice.

Most of the time we wake up and let our thoughts go where they may. We follow our thoughts rather than consciously leading them.  Again, we begin each day with a fresh slate, but if we mindlessly connect to the same worries and concerns we had the day before, we give up that terrific opportunity to create something better in our lives. In short, we give up our power.

This is why how you start your day is so important. Begin your day by deliberatively guiding your thoughts to places that feel good, and you will attract more of that throughout your day.

Roll out of bed and let the headlines  (or your e-mail) decide where your attention goes, and well, you get what you get.

The practice of directing your thoughts to start the day is not hard.

Before you get out of bed, allow yourself five minutes. Allow yourself to connect to feelings of appreciation. The objects of your appreciation do not matter. Make it easy. Appreciate your bed. Your pillow. The warmth under the covers. Maybe you can appreciate the person next to you or cat who’s hogging all the bed space.

Do not try to solve any problems. Do not try to fix anything that’s awaiting you during your day.

Just appreciate. Just connect from one good feeling thought to another.

Next, perhaps you can allow yourself to think about your day and imagine things going well for you. See your day and feel it flowing they way you wish it to be.

When you feel good, get up and move about your day.

You are now ready to bring in the good stuff.

And yes, you can go pee now, too.