What I'm going to do today

It's really early in the morning right now, and I've been up just over an hour.  When I wake up, I start doing work on the website and the daily meditations and the daily quotations, usually.  I don't really see it as work, though--it's more like a hobby, one that's fun to work on and quite fulfilling overall.  At this point in the morning, I still haven't thought about what I'm going to be doing with the day that stretches out before me, since I've been focused on doing the work before me.

But eventually, I have to shift my focus from that work to the day ahead; otherwise, the transition into that day is going to be quite ineffective and often very frustrating.  And when I think of what I'm going to be doing with this particular day, I have to consider what I can contribute to it, what kinds of positive marks I can leave on it, for otherwise, what's the point?

As a teacher, I have many opportunities to contribute in positive ways.  I can encourage others--students and teachers alike, as teachers need encouragement more often than students do sometimes.  I also have the chance to build obstacles for students to overcome, since sometimes our most important lessons come from having to overcome adversity and difficulties.  I do have to be careful in doing so, for the wrong obstacle for the wrong student could lead to pretty negative effects.

So today I'm going to encourage, I'm going to spread kind words, and I'm going to look for ways to challenge my students.  But what else can I do that can be helpful?

One thing that I often neglect, but which has a power that is very real, is prayer.  I can pray for others.  It doesn't matter my religion or creed or individual beliefs--a prayer to the Creator, whatever we perceive him or her to be, can give a huge boost to someone else, even if they're never aware of our particular prayers.  We all are interconnected, and the positive thoughts that I send out to others are not simply lost in some sort of nether world--they do reach their mark in some way.  Prayer also helps me to stay centered and to remember that I'm not in this alone, no matter how isolated I may seem.

So today, I'm also going to pray, be it during a quiet alone time or as a quick positive thought sent out for the sake of someone else.

I'm also going to take care of myself.  I'm going to rest when I need to, and I'm going to eat well--not too much, but enough.  And I'm going to enjoy it.  I'm going to find time to be by myself when things are getting overwhelming, just to get a grip on things that may be getting frustrating.  That time can rejuvenate me and help me to do my work better, whereas if I don't take it, I'm going to continue to function below my abilities because of the frustration.

There are many more things I can do today.  I could list them all, but I don't want to be writing all morning.  This is a good start, and at least I have my mind focused on how I'm going to be productive in positive ways on this new day in my life--and with my mind focused in that way, it's going to be much easier to actually make these things happen!