Every day is a reason for us to be grateful. We wake up from our deep slumber, warm in our bed. Streaks of sunlight beaming through the gaps of the window blind. The birds are chirping and a new day has arrive. But, are we ready to embrace the start of a new day?
If we don’t look forward to the start of the day, question ourselves. Life is full of little mishaps and mysteries, and by acknowledging them we can sidestep and move on to a more fulfilling life.
Do we wake up naturally? Do we jump out of the bed looking forward to the challenges ahead? Do we start the day with a spring on our steps as we prepare the toast and make the coffee?
Or do we dread the beginning of another day, dragging your feet out of bed and moving gingerly to the washroom to brush up? There is nothing exciting in this monotonous boring routine that is slowing becoming a norm.
If for whatever reason we are chained to the latter, due to commitments to attend to or personal reasons, it’s understandable. If we are not, then do something about it. This kind of feeling is intoxicating. It’s slowing eating us up from the inside. Eventually, what’s left of us will just be an empty shell with little desire to strive towards the better.
If we belong to the former, we are in good ship. Continue staying in this ship, and never compromise on the principles that will otherwise steer us to different direction. If we have to fight, we fight. Because some things in life are worth fighting for.
When I think of the struggles, I look towards the sky for inspiration. Towards the far horizon I recall the Japanese words “Ikigai”. It’s a reason for existence. For Okinawan, it’s also the reason for getting up in the morning, the reason to live. Greeting each day with a sense of purpose is a wonderful and liberating feeling. It’s not just good for the soul, it’s terrific for the body as well.
Life is short and everything we do, we should do it with appreciation and thought. We wouldn’t know when, or if, we will ever get the chance to do it again. Every day we wake up is a gift we shouldn’t take for granted or thrown away easily.
Steve Jobs left a great impression on me. He came across to me not just as a tech wizard or a visionary, a top salesman, an uncompromising leader or a marvellous speaker. It’s his values that touched me. Something particularly stood out from his speech:
…I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Listen to your heart, it will reveal the deeper meaning for you. Life is too short to be doing the boring things.