“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust

How many of us wake up and start each day by looking at our phone… desperately trying to see what we’ve missed in the last 12 hours?   All the while, our significant other, husband, wife lays next to us or our child plays quietly in the next room.  Do we stop to look into their eyes to see what we’ve missed in the last 12 hours?  What about stopping to look into our own eyes to see what we’ve  missed?  I wonder what the news headlines would be if everybody spent as much time looking into each other as we spend looking into our phone screens.

4 things you can do to start your day in the present in the moment:

1. Make a decision.

First you have to decide that you would like to be more aware of and enjoy the moment you’re in.  Yes?  Did you decide?  Ok Good!

2.  Do nothing (kinda).

When you first open your eyes, BEFORE  you move,  take 7 deep breaths and allow your mind to focus on your body.  Feel the bed underneath you.

Feel the sheets over you and listen to the sounds around you including your own breathing.  Give thanks for the miracle that is your body.  Do this for about 5 minutes.

3.   Say a short thank you speech (silently or out loud).

I’d just like to say thank you to blah blah blah for blah blah blah and I’m just so happy to be here!… etc.

4.   Share your appreciation.

Perhaps your loved one is laying next to you.  A kiss, a hug, or caress can mean so much and is an amazing way to start your day. Maybe you’d like to tell them you love them or maybe even how proud and grateful you are to have them in your life.  This goes for the kiddos too.  Call them into your room or go find them!  This is one of the  most important lessons you’ll ever teach them.

Try these on for size tomorrow.  See how you feel.  Maybe you’ll like it.  Maybe you’ll do it more than once!  It’s all about the little things that add up to big shifts in our thinking and being.