What kind of day will today be?
Did you realize that the answer to that question is largely up to you? Assuming you keep breathing, you will have another 24 hours, but the kind of day it will be is completely in your control.
You may have heard of someone living a "successful life." Actually, there is no such thing as a successful life; or rather, every life is a success as long as the person stays alive! On the other hand, there are people who live successfully one day at a time, leading to satisfaction and accomplishment.
There are also people who do not.
The people who live one day at a time successfully are also, coincidentally, the people who live one moment at a time in a successful way.
Do you want a "successful life?"
Actually, it is very easy to choose to live successfully one moment at a time and one day at a time. Hold out your hand -- you are looking at five fingertips that represent five "tips" from people who live successfully.
Here they are.
1) The thumb stands for, "Thumbs up to the day!"
In the United States, raising one thumb is a sign of approval or agreement. It means, "Fantastic!" Being mindful of a "thumbs up" day creates a day with agreeable results. Start first thing in the morning believing this will be one fantastic day and the chances are you will be right!
Often we allow outside influences, situations and events to mold our mood, however, if our mindset is to have a fantastic day, we can look at these obstacles and ask ourselves how can I look at this differently? How can I approach this with my best self? No matter what happened yesterday, this day is new; it has never happened before.
You have an opportunity with every sunrise to make this the best day of your life. Have a thumbs-up attitude to every day!
2) Your pointer finger stands for, "Point your way down the day."
You are going to make a conscious decision about who you want to be today. Do you want to be kind? Generous? Creative? Open to new experiences?
Did you know that you can decide to be all of these things? It is not something that simply happens to you. You point your way down the day by obeying your "to-be" list, not your "to-do" list.
3) The middle finger stands for, "Flick fear in the face."
In the United States, flicking a middle finger at someone is a rude gesture. Turn that gesture into a positive by flicking the middle finger against the thumb. You just flicked fear in the face! Rather than worrying about bad things happening, control the volume on your fear and turn up the volume on your great attitude and plan.
We have nothing to fear but fear itself, and we don't even have to be afraid of fear if we choose not to!
4) The fourth finger stands for, "Take action."
There is something you can do today that is in harmony with a dream you have or a goal you have set. Your attention should be focused on going forth in some way and taking action to move yourself closer to your dream. It does not have to be a huge action, just one that takes you closer to who you want to be today. Is there someone you want to call for help? Make the call. Is there a person you can be kind to or just give a smile?
Stop thinking about it and do it!
The human spirit thrives on progress, so make some progress toward your goals. You will be surprised how good even a small amount of progress makes you feel.
5) The little finger stands for, "Remember the little things."
It is easy to get caught up in the "big picture" for good or bad, but what about the little details that make up the big picture? Think about the little things today and just live in the moment so that you can truly enjoy them.
As you drink a glass of water, concentrate on the sensation of the cool water sliding down your throat. Give thanks for clean water!
As you open the door to your home, take a moment to be grateful for a clean and warm place to stay.
Hug your child and touch their face without thinking about the next business deal or phone call.
Take a moment to marvel at the miracle of sight as you look at a flower.
Slow down and take time to enjoy the little things in life that add up to a beautiful tapestry of experience.
When you have a thumbs-up attitude, point your way down the day, flick fear in the face, go forth and take action and remember the little things, any day can be a great day!