Are you happy with the way you’re living right now?
I heard this saying once, when this person asked someone else; “If you continued to live your life, the same way you’re living it right now, would you be happy with the way you lived?”
This statement was one that was simple yet profound for me. It is a thought provoking question. Would I be content with the way I’m living now? To say the very least, I wouldn’t. Living in a continuous cycle of doing the same thing over and over again, school year after school year, can be quite exhausting mentally and physically. Although breaking that loop can be challenging, it is within reach.
For me, overcoming my feelings of exhaustion is best accomplished at the start of the day. Not everyone is an early riser and the most difficult part of starting your morning routine can even just be getting out of bed. I struggle with this a lot, with multiple alarms to wake me up, yet constantly snoozing through all of them. This definitely is a challenging start to the day. However, the boost of motivation you use to get out of bed can really make a difference in your day. From putting your alarm in a place where it’s not in arm’s reach, to turning on some of your favourite tunes, the possibilities for a pleasant start are endless. Finding that one push that will get you out of bed puts you one step closer to a better day. Following this routine, the excitement will begin.
By getting up earlier than your usual time of awakening, you have many more opportunities to exercise a bit of freedom and independence before heading to school or any place. Having the chance to work on my mental and physical health to be the best version of myself is very motivating for me, to be quite frank. Being able to take a shower five minutes longer or having time to meditate and workout are the little things that can change your mindset going into the day, and make you more grateful for those small moments in your morning. Further, eating a hearty breakfast and drinking a warm cup of coffee or tea without rushing is undoubtedly a good feeling and something that most people will look forward to doing every morning.
Making small changes in your day to day routine can be challenging to start with, but by taking baby steps to ameliorate that feeling of dread in the morning, these new habits can flourish. Make a difference in who you are and blossom into a better version of yourself each and every day.
“If you continued to live your life, the same way you’re living it right now, would you be happy with the way you lived?”
Your answer might still be no, but your new routine can help you get one step closer to that satisfaction. We all start somewhere.