The idea of each new day being a birth to new opportunities and a clean slate is not a new one. We often hear about the importance of seeing a new day as a fresh start; and while talking about the birth of a new day is insightful for a happy and successful life, I feel a very important piece is left out; recognizing its death.
Each day presents you with a lifetime of living. There are ups and downs, wins and losses, chances to love, to forgive, to dare, to hope, to move towards your goals and dreams, to change for the better… each day is a clean slate and each day is a lifetime.
The burden of the past…
Accumulating the weight of your yesterdays is a common source of stress. There have been countless books, movies, and sermons on the importance of letting go. I think one of the reasons we have trouble letting go is that we aren’t ever conditioned to do so; we get conditioned to moving on to the new and exciting, but we aren’t reminded to let go of the last thing. So we end up birthing many new days, many new situations, many new relationships, etc... but we never give a proper send-off to the ones that have passed.
A funeral for your day…
Rise to the incredible potential of each new day and exhaust yourself with all it has to offer. Take in all the things that can help you experience your greatest self and let the rest go. At the end of your day, have a funeral; think about the good and the bad of the day. Take the lessons and leave the drama. It’s all about closure. It only takes a few minutes but makes an incredible difference.
This process helps you wake up to a new day without the heavy burden of all your yesterdays. How would your life be different if you had a funeral for each day? What about a funeral for past relationships or situations that still weigh heavily on you? Think of how liberating it would feel to have a funeral for past drama. Take the time to look back and give the past its proper recognition. Recognize it for its impact on your life and most importantly, recognize it for what it is… gone! Let go!
Each day is a lifetime. Live it to the max. Be unapologetically enthusiastic in your drive towards your dreams and goals. Let each day be lived in such a way that you find yourself hitting the pillow each night with a peaceful sense of satisfaction that can only come from a day well lived. Then, have a funeral for your day… let go and do the same tomorrow.
Steve Maraboli
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