Best ways to start the day-It is how you get up

Our lives are defined by rhythms. The rhythm of earth going around sun is the master controller of life on earth. Early morning is the beginning of the life of all the living beings. If we look around we see that birds and animals have their biological clocks close to perfection. They sound so happy in the morning and it appears that mornings are characterized by nature with happiness, peace and tranquillity. It is best to fall in line with the grand design of nature and be a part of the morning happiness and peace. Sadly we find that mornings zoom past in this break neck speed of human life. If we see human beings in remote villages whose life styles are not altered by development we find that they are also a part and parcel of waking up phenomena of living beings in terms of time to wake up.

Invariably we get up when we do not have any choice but to do it. At the sound of alarm we rush to complete the daily chores which include activities around toilet, bathroom and breakfast. It looks as if suddenly we are in a war zone. But it is the same story every day. We start the day on an anxious note and that state lingers for the rest of the day and in fact for our entire life. It is certainly not wise. We need to start the day at a very relaxed note and define the state of mind for the day before we plunge into the hum drum of our working life. We can work around the beginning of the waking up moment.

Some tips based on Eastern Practice.

1. When you open your eyes stay in that condition for a while and may consider doing the following:
   1. Be thankful to your belief system for a good sleep.
   2. Visualize your body- from toe to head in a slow scan
   3. Feel your breath – the rhythm
   4. Remember good things about the previous day
   5. Caress your face with your hands with all the affection possible

Slowly sit down on your bed and feel the floor with your feet

1. Let all the thoughts pass through your mind and observe them without being judgmental-the mindful way
2. Revisit your overall purpose in life and the purpose for the day.
3. Remember the mistakes / errors / failures and learn to be neutral to that but at the same time think about alternatives to avoid these
4. Be deliberate in your walk while performing daily chores – use Mindfulness Techniques

The above actions may define the basic state of the mind for the entire day and chances are that you will be more successful in negotiating the challenges of the day. This routine can calm you down and free you from nagging feeling of anxiety and general restlessness. Read some literature on Mindfulness and transform your life.

There is an interesting article on how to energize in the morning at oprah.com about sleep inertia and ways to energize the mornings.