I have always known I'm priviledged; I have a lucky star and the bumps in the road are nothing compared to all the good stuff that happened along the way.
But knowing your luck and expressing gratitude are two completely different things and when I started expressing it I started aknowledging everything around me. From the biggest to the tiniest. From "I'm grateful that I was born in my time and place" to "I'm grateful it stopped raining just as I had to step out".
At some point I started a daily routine of expressing gratitude as soon as I woke up. Starting your day by finding things that you're grateful for makes you realize that there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. "I'm grateful I'm healthy" You feel sick? "I'm grateful for the sunny weather" It's raining? "I'm grateful I have a house/car/umbrella, whatever protects me from the rain". Well, you see my point.
A little while later I discovered the Go-Kai-No-Sho, the 5 Reiki principles and started using them as my daily routine. There are various versions of it but it goes something like that :
- Today and just for today, no anger.
- Today and just for today, no stress.
- Today and just for today, be grateful for all blessings.
- Today and just for today, work honestly.
- Today and just for today, be kind to all living being.
After a while I realized I had rephrased it and put it in a certain order because I was going from the less positive to the most positive. I love ending up with the gratitude because it is a great way to start the day. I also realized I didn't really like the "no anger" and "no stress" part because it has a negative side. I don't want to not be something, I want to be.
So here goes the latest version of my daily routine :
Todays and just today, I am present and centered.
Today and just today, I am authentic and humble.
Today and just today, I act with integrity and work honestly.
Today and just today, I act with integrity and work honestly.
Today and just today, I am loving and compassionate.
Today and just today, I am grateful and thankful for Life.
I think if you are present and centered you cannot feel stressed, because anxiety is in the future. And if you are really loving and compassionate you cannot feel anger because you know people causing you pain or trouble do it out of fear and/or pain. I'm not saying I'm there yet, but I'm on my way.
I don't say it word for word like a prayer, it's just five points I try to assess one after the other at the start of my day (or later on if I forget in the morning!).
I kept the "today and just today" because I like the fact that you stay in the moment, you don't make unrealistic promises to be perfect forever, you just try to be your best today.
I can't recommend enough to try and do something similar. Don't take my words and use them as they are. Try to find who and what YOU want to be, the direction you want your day and your life to take. Make it simple and just start your day by remembering that. You cannot imagine the changes it's gonna make in your life.
In the end just Be positive.
Live, Love, Laugh, Learn. Be yourself and do your best.
