I woke up this morning with my mind spinning on repeat: pray, meditate,exercise, read, study, write, taking my son to school, meals, cleaning, …. All the things I want or need to do today. Over and over. I knew I was overwhelmed by this day. So I planned it out.
And now I know, exactly when I am doing all my other tasks. And which nagging little activities don’t really need to get done today. The best part of planning the day is that I am not wasting time any longer with anxiety about when I will get it all done, ’cause I already know.
After some time, say more than a year by repeating and repeating every single day it turn into my routine the following habit – habit that fill me up for the rest of the day:
At the beginning of each day, I ask myself :
What are my goals for today?
What are the five most important things that I need to do today and what is their order of priority?
What new knowledge do I plan to gain today?
What acts of kindness can I do?
What one trait would I like to excel today?
What positive change am I resolute to make today?
If today were my last day, what would I make certain to do?
How can I gain by looking at today as the first day of the rest of my life?
What is important for me to remember today?
***
Dear friends, at the beginning of each day, you too can ask Yourself these questions and see what can you do. Step by step.
I can reassure you that the work of self-improvement cannot be faked. At the moment when the your kid or a partner starts teasing you nervously about something – how do you react? Can you properly control your reactions? I know very well that it’s not easy at all.
I red that one of our Sages said that ‘repairing one bad character trait is more difficult than learning the entire Talmud‘. ‘Translated’ it would mean that achieving practical results requires constant awareness and effort. That’s the fact of life, but it is also worth it. Because no matter what persona we may cultivate on social networks, self-satisfaction is wholly defined by integrity of character.
Good character – “measure for measure. ‘God deals with us in the precise manner we treat others. If we act with compassion toward others, God responds to us, measure for measure. A meritorious act below awakens the corresponding force above’.
Leviticus 19:18: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Our actions toward others – “Love your neighbour” – is of paramount importance.
