Day 306 of #LiveWell2017

Me: What do you want to do today?
Him: THIS.

What do you think about when you are snuggled in bed during those pre-dawn moments before you are fully awake and not quite ready to get up and get on with the day? If you are like me, you are plotting, planning, listing, thinking. Your mind is immediately cluttered with scenes, thoughts, ideas, plans, and projects.

We have been conditioned by our culture and society to be doers, and some of us have those personalities that drive us to be “on” all the time. So, when the first strings of morning wakefulness pull at our consciousness, the dance of thoughts begins to swirl through our minds. When I asked my husband in the quiet, sacred, stillness of the morning what he wanted to do today, his softly spoken, one-word answer – THIS – extinguished all my churning thoughts like throwing a wet blanket on a fire.

I was suddenly, quietly present. I giggled. I looked out the window and noticed the dawn light beginning to peek through the trees. I listened to my breath and his. We were here, now, alive and healthy, warm and content, this moment. THIS. Right now. Here.

I thanked him for helping me remember what is important. THIS is what we are doing right now. THIS is the moment that matters. THIS is where we are, who we are with, how we are feeling. THIS is now.

I got to thinking about what might happen if I gave myself a “THIS” test every few hours throughout the day? What if THIS guided my actions all day long? How would my day change? Could it help me do more good in the world? Could it help me to #LiveWell, to be more present, to make better use of my time, to #CreateGoodness, to help others more?

What do I want to do today? THIS

What can I do to help someone else today? THIS

What will bring joy to me and to others? THIS

What will move me toward my goals? THIS

What can I do to maintain or improve my health? THIS

What can I do to live sustainably on the planet? THIS

What can I do to improve the lives of others? THIS

What can I do to show someone I care? THIS

If I am doing the things that allow me to answer those questions with THIS, then I am surely using my time well, working toward improving myself and the lives of others, and making the most of every moment in my day. Aren’t I?

What do you think of the THIS test?