Rise and Shine

I usually wake my son up in the morning with an energetic and fairly loud "Rise and Shine" in the hopes that he will jump out of bed enthusiastically ready for the day. What usually happens is that he rolls over slowly, peeks from under the covers with a squinty-eyed scowl and asks if he can sleep at least five more minutes. How do you wake up in the morning? Is it Rise and Shine or Rise and Whine?

As adults, our wake up routine can be far more calculated than the wake up routine of a child. How can we get from rising to shining? I offer to you that personal vectoring can help tremendously. What is personal vectoring? Personal vectoring is self dialogue intended to carry you in a specific direction. A few years ago, I started a practice of saying a daily silent prayer or statement of intention prior to opening my eyes. It goes something like this:

Thank you for allowing me to rise and see another day. Thank you for the blessings you have granted me throughout my life. Thank you for the opportunities this day will offer. Help me to say positive things to people. Help me to smile and acknowledge people. Help me to be productive and open to learning. Help me to listen better and to be energetic. Help me to be progressive - to be part of solutions. Help me let go of negativity. Help me to stay focused. Now Rise and Shine Bhakti!

This self dialogue can go on for one to three minutes. Then I open my eyes and go about my day. Does it help you might ask? It certainly cannot hurt. My days don't always go as planned but often this self dialogue follows me throughout the day as I interact with others and choose my reactions to my dynamic environment. While my actions are not always perfect, I have become more aware of my surroundings and my reactions and I find it easier to identify where improvement is warranted.

I believe that starting the day with statements of intention is an fruitful examination and acknowledgement of self. Acknowledgement of our existence and associated gratitude as well as recognition of areas requiring improvement is healthy. It doesn't have to be out loud. Next time you wake up, try these five simple steps:

1. Recite a personal statement.
2. Recite at least 3 statements of intention.
3. Smile.
4. Rise and SHINE!
5. Be your best self. (action beats intention)