I did
something like this last fall. You can see, sweat, and listen for yourself
here, here, and here.
Maybe
this’ll become an annual thing. I don’t know yet. Check back in a year.
This series
will look at three simple things that yield big, positive effects in our lives.
This essay will discuss the importance
of setting the tone for your day right away, every day.
How we
start our day is very important. Sleeping in and then scrambling out the door in
a manic race to not be late for work, class, or a meeting isn’t a good start. Chances
are that day’s going to seem like a continuous string of clusterfucks. It’s
hard to get ahead when you’re playing catch up from the moment you open your
eyes.
I used to
do that a lot. It’s probably no coincidence that I was doing it while joylessly pursuing a Career in Academic Bubble World and then working a call centre job
that I hated. I felt like I had no power to control my life. And I started each
and every day that way. It was a great recipe for getting nowhere fast.
Thankfully
that ain’t the case anymore. Long story short: I grew a pair, made some hard
decisions, changed a lot of little things, and got help from some epic friends.
I only mention them here because through those experiences I’ve gotten better
at setting a good tone for my day.
I’ve
learned to drop anchor.
For me that
goes like this:
I get out of bed around 430am every morning. I’m an early
bird by nature, but I also use that time to let the Real Me breathe. I do the
bulk of my writing first thing in the morning. What can I tell you? If
something really matters to you, you’ve got to make time to do it.
I drink a bottle of water while waiting for the kettle to
boil. Once I’ve made a cup of coffee I sit down and write my Morning Page. It’s
a habit that grew out of The Artist’s Way course that my epic friend, Clay,
guided me through a few years ago.
The Morning Pages are a good thing. I write out whatever
random thoughts are in my head after waking up. I write out things and people
in my life that I’m grateful for. And I always write out three major goals I
want to accomplish.
The Morning Pages are not literary masterpieces. Nor are they intended to be. During those opening minutes of my day, the Morning Page allows me to clear random thoughts from my mind, assume a mindset of gratitude
and appreciation, and reaffirm longer term, big picture goals.
Writing the Morning Page helps me set a good, positive tone
for the coming day.
Next I meditate for 5 to 7 minutes. I focus on deep breathing and relaxing my body. I don’t try to clear my mind. I allow it to roam, and
when it lands on a thought, I refocus on my breathing.
Meditating helps me to feel physically relaxed and mentally
focussed.
Once I’ve meditated I thump my thymus for 1 to 2 minutes. Perhaps
you don’t know what thymus thumping is. I didn’t either until my epic friend,
Small Paul, introduced me to it. And he’s worth listening to. He’s a bit of a gun.
All I can say is that thymus thumping leaves me feeling really
energized.
All this takes me no more than 20 minutes first thing in the
morning. When I’m done I feel positive, relaxed, focused and energized. I’ve
dropped anchor and am ready to do my day. More importantly, I’m looking forward
to doing my day.
Think about
it this way: you’re a boat, and your day is the sea. Unless you drop anchor
you’ll drift aimlessly at the mercy of the currents. You’ll quickly become a
lost sailor.
Do some little
things that’ll allow you to steady yourself and get your bearings. There’s no
one way to do this. Listening to music, reading, stretching, walking, drinking tea
are all great options. We’re all different and will respond to some things
better than others. Find what works for you.
Drop the
anchor right away. Doing a few good, little things for just a few minutes can
have a powerful and positive impact on the rest of your day. You’ll navigate a clearer
course and be a saint of circumstance instead.
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