Day 1

Day 1

Today is Day 1. A new day. A fresh, blank page on which to write a new chapter.

I’m sharing some thoughts on fresh starts today because it’s both the first of the month and the start of a new week but I also think it’s valuable to think of each day as Day 1. Each day, each hour, each moment even, can be an opportunity to start anew. A chance to take a breath, step away from that which does not serve, and step into new light. 

I remind myself of this frequently. It’s so easy to get stuck in disappointment when I don’t wake up early, I miss something on my to-do list, or I forget my peace and say something in anger. What a gift, then, to offer ourselves grace and try again. Part of this Day 1 mentality though, is letting go of the previous chapter. Those mistakes I made, the opportunities I missed, anything I messed up - that’s in the past. I forgive myself and I forge ahead. I set new goals or I recommit to a former goal and I try, try again.

For me, Day 1 means that I get to start over whenever I need to. I always have the opportunity to push restart on my day or on my life and make the changes I need in order to feel good. I’m a big believer in “one day at a time” and even “one breath at a time” when things feel especially challenging. At the beginning of our 30 Day Yoga With Adriene journey this year, Breath, Adriene shared the quote “With each breath, a new arrival”. Another recent meditation from Tamara Levitt on the Calm app shared the breathing pattern of “Breathing in - an arrival, breathing out - a settling”. I love both of these ideas because coming back to my breath has been such a powerful tool for me over the past few years. Our breath is always there to return to, to seek refuge in, and to guide us forward. With each new breath, there is a new opportunity to love ourselves deeper, make a new attempt, and start fresh.

With all that, I invite you to take this new month, new week, new day, and new breath. Take it as your own and write upon that blank page all that you wish to be. Maybe it’s a simple wish, a wish to find more moments of peace or drink more water. Maybe it’s a huge lifestyle change that will radically alter the course of your life forever. Whatever it may be, it’s yours for the writing. You get today, and every day hereafter to create the story of your dreams.

I’m taking this Day 1 to move further into my holistic goal of finding greater ease. I’ve been doing a lot of meditative and reflective work with how I respond to external stimuli. Whether my own glitches, the challenges of parenting, or the stresses of pandemic teaching, I am leaning into conscious pause, ongoing reflection, and careful response rather than reaction. Will I make mistakes this month, this week, today even? You better believe it! But that’s why I have another Day 1 tomorrow!

It’s Day 1 beautiful soul, what will this part of your story say?
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