It’s like having a split personality really.
Every day I wake up, sometimes full of energy and sometimes not as much. My thoughts quickly flow back to what I accomplished or didn’t get done the day before.
And I remember all of the things I did that I said I wasn’t going to do anymore.
Everything seems so much easier first thing in the morning. I wake up full of resolve, ready to get things done, eat healthy foods, be proactive and responsible and completely focused on what I need to do.
Then sometime in the afternoon, I find myself not quite as enthusiastic as when I first set out that day.
In the morning we feel ready to conquer the world. We know who we want to be, what we want to do, and what we need to do better.
And then life happens.
Why does it seem so much easier to vibrate in a positive, productive manner in the morning and then by evening to feel like the world is squashing the very life out of you?
We say we need more willpower, that we are weak and can’t control ourselves. I think it is more than that.
There is something that happens as we go through the day that strips us of our resolve and the ability to make good decisions. We lose our power and can devolve into the lowest form of ourselves.
Then we get upset and vow that tomorrow will be different. We will start the diet, go to the gym, finish the projects we know we need to do, and then life will be a new level of amazing.
The best intentions are set in the morning. They just don’t go the distance to the evening.
There is a heaviness to the energy of the world and it can be difficult to shield ourselves from it. If you have to spend commuting, whether on public transit or sitting in traffic, then first thing in the morning the energy begins to weigh you down.
Then you might have to deal closely with other people, and their energy has an impact on you. You know this and feel it every day. There are people who walk through a room and lift the energy up, and there are those who suck the life out of it and everyone who is nearby.
It is no wonder that by the time you get home, you have little energy left to do anything productive. You survived another day and that is all you feel you can do.
Is there a way to carry the energy and good intentions of the morning through the entire day?
It isn’t easy at first, but it is possible. The best defence you have against being drawn into the negativity is to stay in the present moment. Find an anchor that takes you out of the habitual treadmill of negative thoughts that run through your mind, something that can snap you back to this moment.
It is only in this moment that you have the ability to change the direction you are going. When you are lost in thought, your habits will run the show.
Through repetition we can develop the skill of mindfulness. Begin by noticing the breath. This is the easiest way to bring yourself into the moment. If you are aware of the breath moving in and out of your lungs, then you are fully in the present.
You will be surprised at how rarely you are in the moment when you begin to do this. Just notice that you have drifted away, and bring your attention back to now.
This is where you can make the decisions that support the direction you want to travel in. This is where you can choose to have the salad instead of the hamburger, to finish the project instead of turning the TV on, and to think of what you want instead of worrying about what you don’t want.
In the morning we wake up and are present, and that is why we feel optimistic and make plans to live a better day.
Then we get out of bed and the heaviness of the world puts us to sleep again.
Be one of the ones who stays awake. Focus on the breath and allow it to be your guide.