Start As Soon As You Wake Up
by Jim Ryan, Murfreesboro, TN
Whether you're a morning person or a night person, your day starts as soon as you wake up. That's the perfect time to reach for the best feeling thought you can find.
Most of us live in a daily routine, pretty much doing the same things every day. Why not add something to your schedule that will get you off to a great start each day? Get in the habit of giving thanks for the gift of life as soon as you wake up!
I once heard a story that made me feel sad, happy and somewhat upset all at the same time. A young woman experiencing headaches was told, after seeing several doctors, that she had brain cancer and had only a few weeks to live. Imagine the horror of being told such a thing! How sad to have your life cut down just like that. She was, of course, devastated.
But then, after further testing, it was revealed that it was not brain cancer at all. It turns out it was only an infection that had gone to her brain as a "freaky" result of recent dental work. Her newly diagnosed condition was cured by a simple regimen of antibiotics. Can you imagine the relief she must have felt? The young woman had been given a new lease on life.
From then on, the woman began to look at her life in a whole new way. She now greets each day as if it were a miraculous gift to her. She makes an effort to live every day to its fullest - feeling happy to be alive and well.
The truly upsetting part of this story was my realization that so many people need a near-death experience to really be thankful for their lives. It takes a major crisis, like a cancer diagnosis, for them to begin welcoming each day as the precious gift it is. It's sad to think there are people who never feel the pure exhilaration of being alive like that woman now feels. I wonder how many people are just "existing" and not really valuing the miracle of life. The truth is that far too many are. But it could be different. It's simply a matter of bringing the miracle of life to mind the moment we rise to meet each day.
Tomorrow, as you awaken, take a nice deep breath and be thankful for the miraculous gift just given to you. Forget your troubles. Shake off any stress. Tell yourself, "I can face anything! I've done it before, and I can do it again." Think of a short list of things in your life that you are grateful for. My guess is that if you welcome each day with a renewed sense of excitement and appreciation, your worries will soon melt away and miracles will begin to take their place.
Thankfulness - start as soon as you wake up!
Excerpted with permission from Simple Happiness, 52 Easy Ways to Lighten Up.
Jim Ryan is the author of Simple Happiness, 52 Easy Ways to Lighten Up, which has inspired tens thousands of readers to live their best lives now. He began his speaking career in 2000 when he started teaching a course in Personal Development in his local prison system. The overwhelmingly positive response of the inmates there inspired him to take his message to the public. Jim’s empowering and uplifting message has inspired thousands in audiences all over the country.
