Daily Mindfulness Mantra:
"To feel the Sun, be the Sun"
As we begin this New Year of 2022 with some gloom and doom, and Hope's flame seeming to dwindle to the point of non-existence, I beg of you all, do not lose sight that humanity has time and time again, brought back to life the flames of greatness from depths of despair. We shall work on our patience this new year, of honing ourselves to Be the Sun for ourselves and others, and below is a roadmap of how I feel we can each individually make this happen.
Every day - practice these mindfulness exercises, perhaps at the beginning of your day while you're either still in bed and staring at the ceiling or brushing your teeth looking at a wayward strand of hair or your tired unforgiving eyes, think to yourself these following things:
Who or what am I Grateful for today?
We shall begin the day by being thankful - thankful that we may have some privileges and comforts that others do not have. We have security in certain areas of our lives that others do not. Despite what you may believe, many of us often have in our possession something, someone, some skill, some character, some talent, etc. that someone else might not. You will begin your day by acknowledging this.
What is one thing that I will Forgive today?
Forgiveness is a powerful tool. Rather than holding on the negative energy of grudges, envy, regret, despair, guilt, spite, dislikes or hatred, we begin our day with forgiveness. To forgive does not mean to forget - it means that we remember the issue that may require our forgiveness, we acknowledge our discomfort with what had happened, we then forgive this (meaning, we let the negative energy surrounding that memory go), we consider what we've learned from the experience, and then we open a door in our mind to move on to a beautiful new and empty life canvas for which we will paint our next experience. The burdens of the negative energy, lifted off your shoulders, is quite the freeing experience.
What is my Purpose for today?
Although the term "purpose" may sound like "duty" to some, I want to allow you the freedom to define it to anything you think this can be. Your purpose could be simply to get up and present yourself to the world. It could be something you've been thinking about doing, but today is the day you will make this your purpose. You will begin a process, or you will complete a process. Your purpose is always open to definition by you. Remember, your purpose is what propels you to live your life, and for some, we must consider this day-by-day. Although this ties into some people's idea of long-term goals, plans or achievements, I suggest you package it small, and make just one do-able purpose for each day. Fulfilling your daily purpose that you set for yourself will allow you to build self-awareness, self-confidence, and a sturdy sense of self-achievement over time.
What is one thing in my life that brings me Joy?
Despite what some may believe - that perhaps there is no joy in their life - I would like everyone to reconsider that perhaps, there is one small daily thing that actually does bring you joy. You must focus on this one small thing until you can rekindle your joy through meaningful life moments and purpose. I suggest that you do not depend on other people for your joy especially if you tend to seek validation from others, but start from things such as... the small flower on the windowsill, a book you've recently read, a quote or meme that resonated with you, the taste of a sweet fruit, a fluttering majestic flag in your neighbor's yard, a butterfly that flew past you on your way out the door. Of course, if a major accomplishment brought you joy, bask in that sunshine - you totally deserve it!
Find Joy within yourself and your moments of life... by being mindful of your surroundings, your senses, and all your lived experiences.
What is one thing I can Help others with today?
Many forget that most of us are integrated into society one way or another. Human beings are social beings and even if you are strongly averse to society, at some point you interact with society. Your help doesn't need to be grandiose or change the world. It could be as simple as holding a door for others, or making sure to share a kind word. It could be watching out for your co-workers or friends and asking on their well-being. Anything thoughtful is an exercise in compassion to others which is a vital part of how society can be vibrant and whole. Your small act of kindness, which is a kind of light that only you can make: think about what this could be, each and every day.
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If we can ask ourselves to run through these thoughts every day at the beginning of each day - even if our responses haven't changed in a while - it can help us reset our outlook to begin to take on each day with a light of positivity where everything otherwise had seemed dark and never-ending.
Often, when one begins to feel the positivity, they begin to shine and shed the positive warmth onto others. We often lose sight of how to do this when stressed, worn out, shaken to our core with a major life event, or losses of any kind. Re-center yourself so that you can feel that warmth again, and it's a healing one for you... and to those around you.
This is why -
To be able to feel the Sun, you must be the Sun.