A good beginning makes for a good day – Five Simple Tips

The Author greeting the morning Sun at his bedroom window

Life is made up of good days and bad days. When a day was not going well, my Grandma used to say, whose inauspicious face have I seen this morning? How far this applies to other humans is a matter of study but it goes without saying that a good beginning makes for a good day. Here are five simple tips that go to make a good start, some well known and others not so well known,

1. A Cup of tea:  Just after getting up, most humans rush to the toilet; it may be for a small job or a big one. Many postpone the bigger task to after their cup of tea or coffee. However if you do not get to it until after breakfast then you need to review your diet or even see a doctor perhaps. When you enter the toilet first thing in the morning, it is a good idea to gargle your mouth, wash hands and face with fresh clean water to get rid of bacteria that may have developed during peaceful hours of sleep so as too freshen up for a cup of tea. Brushing may be left for later before a bath. Some persons begin the day with just a cup of warm water or coffee. Warm water is fine but it is better to postpone a cup of coffee for after breakfast and begin with tea instead that is gentler on the system. To make it better, there are a number of herbs and barks in dried form for example cinnamon that one may mix with tea leaves for health benefits. There are several older posts in this blog that describe many useful ones.

2. Greeting the Sun: Soon as you can in the morning, go up to a window to greet the sun Thank it and the universe for all they provide without asking. It is an excellent way to add value to yourself and your day in a simple way. Remember gifts are added to a grateful person and taken away from those who are not grateful.

3. Getting out in the Green:  After a cup of tea, it is excellent to go out for a bit into green surroundings and walk on grass unless one is in the midst of very cold winter when this is not possible. The outdoors can be a home garden or park. Look for new buds or leaves that have sprouted out today, tend to a plant that needs a bit of tending, and leave some seeds for the birds in a hanging tray. Do some exercises that one can do while standing in one place like moving arms, legs, bending etc. Younger persons could do something more energetic like push ups.  This exercise of five to ten minutes followed by a half hour walk at any convenient time of day would provide the necessary exercise that every human needs. Younger persons could do a bit of jogging instead of walking; say fifteen minutes of walking and fifteen of jogging. Unfortunately some persons in the modern world live in a city or high-rises without access to green. If you happen to be in one of them, make plans to get out of that situation ASAP unless you are satisfied with a compromised life, this time around.

4. Meditation and Prayer: After a morning bath or shower, a brief session of prayer or meditation ranging from a few minutes to up to twenty minutes is excellent. Mindful breathing or Mantra Chant described in earlier posts are great ways to do that.

5. Day’s plan: Reserve a few minutes before or after breakfast to sit down quietly and draw up the day’s plan of activities. If there are many things to do, then a do list is useful. The plan could include thoughts about your day’s meal, shopping, chores etc. besides work.

Have we packed in too much for a work day morning? Do whatever of it you can keeping the old adage in mind – early to bed and early to rise makes Jack healthy, wealthy and wise. But do remember – never think of the past in the mornings, that has gone into archives and you do not want to spoil your day by dwelling on that. One may review the past but the time for that are not early mornings but evenings. On the other hand never ever make plans for future in the evening, the time for that is not an evening, if one has to, do it during day hours between breakfast and late afternoon. Remember, today is a new day, a new beginning, a time to enjoy the magic of new beginnings to the music of the birds that sing for humans and their families every morning.