You Are Here To Thrive, Not Just Survive

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In the rush of the morning, when we hit snooze 10 times, rush to take our showers, change our outfits 20 times, are stuck in traffic…we don’t take the time to realize the little things.

The sun has risen, as it always has. Largely ignored by most of us who lament about not being morning people and need coffee to function. We forget that the sun is not our enemy, but our ally. As long as we see it again, we know we have been given the opportunity to fight another day. To get things right. To make amends. The second and third chance we’ve asked for.

We forget to take a moment to revel in something as major as us having a new day and new beginning. We want to rush the day along like a wayward child and crave the night, with the comfort of darkness, hiding our inequities and wrapping ourselves in a blanket of gratitude that the day has ended. And what have we accomplished? Another day on the grind? Another survival through traffic? We have learned to survive the day and not thrive in it. We have learned to accept the bare minimum of our existence, and to forget the small victories such as the privilege of our breath and the promise that the day brings. Time is only our enemy if we allow it to be.

So maybe you have to go to work, our school. Maybe you’re exhausted from the thoughts of another day to get through. But take a minute to breathe – take the deepest breath you may take all day and allow your heart to stretch for just a moment. Allow your body to open up and you may find yourself opening up your mind to the possibility that this life is not to be sloshed through or rushed along, but to be lived fully and wholeheartedly.

When we lose the privilege of breath, we cannot take our earthly comforts with us. We are stripped to the light that is our souls. Take a moment and ask yourself when is the last time you have nourished your soul? When is the last time you have put energy into your mind and heart? We notice the imperfections of our bodies – when have you explored the holes in our hearts?

You woke up this morning – the greatest accomplishment of all. Take a moment of gratitude that you are here and that you have another chance to make things right with yourself. Then, go forward in your day knowing that no matter what happens in your day, you got to live in it. Revel in the sun that has risen with gratitude so that when the comfort of the night comes, you look forward to the next day with clarity and hope.

Let’s not just remember the end of the day – let’s remember the end of our lives. Let’s not grind ourselves to the bare minimum of our existence, but let us allow ourselves to live to our fullest potential. Let us not just nourish our bodies, but give our souls the time and attention it deserves.

Because THAT is the definition of living your best life.