Waking Up to Gratitude

I have a beautiful friend named Marsha, who has been married to Harry for over 40 years. Marsha says, “When I wake up in the morning and realize I am breathing, and then I hear that Harry is breathing too, then I just know it’s going to be a good day.” Since Marsha shared her morning ritual, I have taken on a similar attitude.

While still in bed, before I move a muscle, I cast a joyful anticipation of all the possibilities the day holds for me and I give thanks for the opportunity to live it. As I move myself from the covers, I say “thank you” to my body for serving me through this day. I continue to do this all day long, thanking my body, mind and soul for the ability to eat, speak, listen, laugh, cry, think, love and play.

It may sound a little simple, but it has come down to that for me. For years, earlier in my life, my happiness was attached to accomplishing something significant in the world. I had many dreams and wanted to follow them all. The best way I found to do this was through my careers. Consequently, I bounced around a lot, searching and yearning for something outside myself.

There were many lessons along the way, but a significant one came one morning when I was driving myself to a job I really disliked. Suddenly I noticed my hands wrapped around the steering wheel of my car and I realized I was the one driving me to this job. No one was forcing me. It was all me – the accumulation of all the decisions I had made up to that moment. In the blink of an eye, I decided that I would change this particular job as soon as I could, but until then, I would make it the best day of my life because I was never going to get the chance to live it again.

That day turned out to be a blast, and all because I decided to make it that way. It was the day I woke up to the power of my inner world and the power I had to change it with a new thought, belief or intention. Yep. It was that simple – a decision.

My past taught me that it is OK to search and not find. Just keep searching until you find your passion or fulfill your dream. If you really want it, you will find it. And, on the way, make each and every day the best day ever. This is the key to my inspiration. Knowing I can inspire a beautiful day within myself first is the most powerful tool I have to inspire a beautiful life – day by day.

So come join me and inspire your own beautiful day by honoring the opportunity before you with a ‘knowing’ that it’s going to be a good day just because you are here and breathing.