“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.” ~Dalai Lama
Dear Universe,
The other day I was running errands when I came across these two t-shirts. I immediately made a connection to the message that you, Universe, were sending me.
“Coffee First”
When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I want is a cup of freshly brewed, aromatic, dark-roasted coffee. There is no exception to this rule. It’s what I want every single morning.
Then, if I had the time (well-planned mornings, weekends, holidays) I would like nothing more than to enjoy this cup of coffee in bed.
There, in the peaceful sanctuary of plush pillows and cozy comforters, I slowly begin to wake up, and be inspired to start the day.
Sometimes, I do nothing but enjoy sipping the coffee with my daily thoughts—what I’m grateful for, my intentions for the day, sending love to certain people.
Other mornings I may read or put the news on.
“Infinite Possibility”
The point is after this time—which can be anywhere from five minutes to a half hour, I feel ready to begin my day.
I feel like anything and everything is possible.
For most of us, once the day gets rolling, we are interacting with people: our significant other, our children, our colleagues, our friends, strangers… It’s rare we find ourselves alone with no one talking to us, asking of us, waiting on us to do, do, do.
We give so easily of ourselves, but we often forget to give to ourselves, which is essential and life changing. (Tweet that!)
Don’t get me wrong! I am a people person and thrive on interacting with others.
But I am also a person who enjoys time alone to reflect, regroup and rejuvenate.
I’ve discovered the simple act of gifting myself morning minutes can make a tremendous difference in how my day plays out.
When I wake up late or am in a rush to get moving, with no time to take a minute to stop and breathe deeply, to stop and choose my thoughts, those are the days that inevitably feel like a chaotic haywire of mishaps, misfortunes and maladies (however big or small they may be).
Even worse? When I haven’t taken the time to be kind to myself and compassionate towards my needs, it becomes much more difficult to give that spirit and light to others.
Creating the space for even five minutes alone—space that can look however you want it to with no judgment—isn’t an indulgent or selfish act. In fact, it’s necessary.
The importance of starting your day the way you’d like makes you feel like maybe, just maybe the rest of your day may go as planned too.
“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” ~Mother Theresa
You’ll begin your day in the spirit of serenity instead of the negative energy and stress of adrenaline-pumping- pressure.
Give yourself the time to start your day with the routine you want and then believe that anything is possible—infinitely possible—from there.
What will your five minutes look like?
With Gratitude,
A
