Hello, day.
This is how I start the day. Among my morning practices, it’s not even slightly the weirdest.
But probably the one I’ve stuck with for the longest period of time.
Each morning I take one sheet of paper and write about seven things. And then I stick it in the Revue binder.
It’s a little bit like a Very Personal Ad but for my day, and it looks like this.
Hello, day! What I’d like from today.
Balance, trust, peace of mind.
To take things in stride, with a smile if possible, because that would be cool. Grace under pressure. Or no pressure at all. To find the secret doors and hidden windows.
I’d also like some really great shivanautical realizations, and to do something about them.
And (possibly related) I’d like a perfect, simple solution to the situation with X.
The qualities and the essence for today.
Strength. Courage. Flow. Clarity. Spaciousness.
Something nice I’d like to do for my body today.
A loooooong forward bend, using the wall for support. Much yawning and stretching.
Some old Turkish lady yoga.
Bath, if there’s time.
Slightly Future Me says:
Lots of water. Replenish. Wash off. Shake it off.
Keep asking for help. Call E.
Make your choices today based on how you want to feel.
Transitions are everything. Take more time than you think you’ll need. Breathe into things.
Pretend that [scary project] is a diorama. Think about it in terms of objects, elements and placing. That will help.
You’re doing great.
VPA for today. A mini-Very-Personal-Ad.
To meet everything with grace and curiosity.
Ideas flowing. A sense of progress.
Allies, resources, support?
Doing the noticing thing. Rituals in the transitions.
My imaginary penguin brigade.
What today could be like.
One step at a time. I appreciate things I wouldn’t normally notice.
I get better at releasing expectations. Everything flows, and when it doesn’t, I find my way back. I plant gwishes. And acknowledge pain. I stay in my force field.
That’s it.
Seven things:
Hello, day. What I want from today…
- The qualities/essence
- Something nice I want to do for my body
- Slightly Future Me says
- VPA for today
- Allies, resources, support
- What today could be like
These mostly stay the same for me, but sometimes I change them. Sometimes the answer to one will prompt me to add another (like “How could that happen?” or “What if that is impossible?”
My favorite thing about this practice is how centering it is. It whooshes fog away.
My second favorite thing is flipping through the binder and discovering how surprisingly often I have been able to actually experience the things I wrote about.
Last week my VPA for the day was “to release the frazzled”. It seemed like Extreme Wishful Thinking at the time, but the next day it turned out that I had. Nice!
Play!
If you’d like to try this, you are welcome.
And of course you could replace any or all of the format I use with your own questions or other stones to skip.
You can share here in the comments. You can do it just for you. Write them down or whisper them into a well. It all counts.
As always, we all have our stuff. We’re all working on our stuff. It’s a process.
We let other people have their stuff, and we don’t give each other unsolicited advice (if someone asks, go for it).
Wishing you a sweet day.
Follow
I love it and i am joining the PLAY!!
Hello, day. What I want from today…
The qualities/essence
flow and JOY
Something nice I want to do for my body
a nice glass of wine and some dancing on the platform to my dance-it-out-ipod-mix!
Slightly Future Me says
you will remember tonight and it will be great
mini-VPA for today
Joy, lightness and zero stress about it
Allies, resources, support
My awesome lil sis and my awesome friends. Writing. Inspiration future writing & a conversation with far-away-future me?
What today could be like
A party of fulfillment
Qualities/essence
Alertness, peace, flow, fun, connection, trust in the future.
Ze body
Circles with shoulders, evening of Zumba, bed by 10pm
Slightly Future Me
Remember to breathe. Drink water my love. You’re alllllright I promise you!
Mini VPA
To feel safe to be me
To remember that I AM already safe to be me
In a nutshell: Trust & comfort
Allies resources support
meditation
My online friends
My self care practises
Including = especially getting to bed early – in good time
Today could be like…
I’m not sure yet…maybe more noticing, more ease, more peace, more joy & almost definitely more chances to practise kindness to myself and others!
Thank you Havi!
x
# Something nice I want to do for my body
# Slightly Future Me says
# VPA for today
# Allies, resources, support
# What today could be like
I love it. I’ve been getting little hints that I should start writing a daily journal again. I think I might also incorporate a “Good Bye Day” At the end of the day and make it a 10 minute session bookending my day.
It’s a little late in the day for me here (2:20pm for me to feel like a “Hello Day” is appropriate, but you know – why not?
Hello Day!
It was a beautiful morning here, though the rain caught me a little by surprise, so I was glad you let me be indoors for that and gave me time to warn my husband to bring in the clothes from the line.
What I want from today:
Honestly – to dance and sing because i never do. so i want to dance and sing and feel loopy.
–>Qualities and Essence for today (like the theme ooh I like this already):
Play. I need more play. Silliness. Did get some stillness at work today.
–>Something nice I want to do for my body:
Ride my bicycle at the river. If that doesn’t work I would like to go to the bodypump class at the gym.
Eat all the fruit I have at the office.
–>Slightly Future Me says:
relax – whatever happens will happen. Also, that journalling with two hands thing to talk to your monsters is good. go talk to the little green frog again about that email you can’t seem to write.
drink water and eat an apple before your bike ride (or trip to the gym)
Also, be nice to Steven. he probably needs it, he’s just as lost as you.
–>VPA for today:
This already kind of got answered by just thinking about it, my coworker came over and gave me more work. (it’s slow here) *yay* thank you day.
Second one because the first got answered – time to journal tonight.
–>Allies, resources, support
Havi’s awesome website.
Sark’s book and email thingy.
steven – he’s always awesome and like planning things
–> What today could be like
Today could be a beautiful day, with biking along without it being too hot or too cold and like full of awesomeness.
ooh i like it will add to my morning pages …
Doing this for tomorrow, since today is over and it feels like a good nighttime ritual, too.
Hello, day. What I want from tomorrow…
* The qualities/essence: effort and grace.
* Something nice I want to do for my body: gargle with salt water if the throat is sore, pack a lunch that involves tofu and citrus, cold water and yoga.
* Slightly Future Me says: pay your taxes on Friday, then you are done! Then pay your quarterly taxes, too.
* VPA for today: I would like more perfect clients. Engaged. And health.
* Allies, resources, support: My team, my teacher, remembering to buy ziplocs for the CSA veggies.
* What today could be like: restorative coming out of the illness/allergies. Productive. Helpful. Graceful.
Don’t you mean review, not revue?
I’m working on creating a morning routine that sets me off on the right foot and eases into the rest of the day. I will definitely add a practice like this!
What an amazing idea, I look forward to Monday morning’s VPA so much but it never occurred to me that there’s nothing stopping me doing a mini-VPA every day. Brilliant.
•The qualities/essence
Flow. Peace. Safety.
•Something nice I want to do for my body
It is frightening that I stared at this for about 20 minutes without knowing what to say. Today I will not drink any more coffee after lunch.
•Slightly Future Me says
Don’t wish today away, learn something from it. There will never be another day like today. Oh and don’t listen to the monster screaming that your writing is terrible & embarassing. You will get better.
•VPA for today
I gwish that my therapy appointment is good tonight, the past few weeks it’s been a little bit too raw and painful for me and I’m not ready. I gwish for the courage to actually (omg!) TELL my therapist that I’m not happy.
•Allies, resources, support
Me, myself and I today. That’s okay.
•What today could be like
It could be powerful and creative and I could learn even more about myself.
Thank you Havi x
Oh, and Terri, there is a blog post about the Revue/Review thing here:
http://fluentself.com//blog/stuff/not-so-much-a-performance-review-as-a-performance-revue/
Essence:
Acceptance, centeredness
Nice for my body:
Long warm shower
Slightly Furtur me says:
You have come through this big transition and you were always ready.
VPA for today:
Patience and sovereignty in the consistently difficult regular meeting. This nasty cold and general gunkiness to dissipate.
Allies/resources:
ADman, this site & sweet commenter mice, music man, yoga, shivanata,
How it could look today:
My headache could go away- the shower could help. I could try one more person on the sub list. I could remeber that this too will pass so I can either be present or not, but if I am there will be learning to be had.
Ignoring the fact I forgot to set my alarm so slept til 11:30am and thus half the day is gone..
This looks like a brilliant day plan 🙂
Hello, day. What I want from this afternoon is…
The qualities/essence
– clarity
– peace
– space and time for yoga
– for my other half to be rested, happier
– strength to help him through this rough patch
Something nice I want to do for my body
– healthy food
– shivanata
– yoga on the Wii fit?
– wear socks. (i keep forgetting and my feet get cold)
Slightly Future Me says
– Take a breath. have faith. light some incense. you’re in the space.
VPA for today
– may i get a good solid draft of this dissertation introduction done
Allies, resources, support
– tea
– escape to the country is on at 3pm [restful break]
– fresh fruit & vegetables
– last nights shivanata epiphany. and the day befores!
– the wolf
– terrapin
What today could be like
– gentle
– a force field? i’d like one -adds to allies-
– i’m in the zone and i’m capable 🙂
– lots of writing with easy connections and
flow.
may all your days flow as smoothly as these plans 🙂 Time to put some socks on and cut up an apple.
“imaginary penguin brigade”? Not even hyperlinked or explained?! You leave me hanging! 🙂
This is a good reminder. i used to do more centering journaling stuff, but haven’t made time for it. i’m in dire need of it lately.
Today, I want to take care of my body. It’s totally out of sync due to foot injury. I want to stretch and center and check in regularly.
Today, I am going to treat myself to lunch out. I plan on getting out of the office and enjoying the nice weather. Journaling while I’m out, too.
Today, I want to be focused on my work. Not fret if I don’t get it right away. Just stay focused and be open to what I need to learn.
Oh! I’m in.
Hello sweet day!
The qualities:
Trust,love, joy, flow.
Something nice I want to do for my body:
Eat a juicy mango and go to bed early.
Slightly Future Me says
Well done! Thanks for doing this for us. Just take a break today and stretch… and get some sleep, the world is not ending 🙂
VPA for today:
Progress on those phone calls, courage and creativity all over the place.
Allies, resources, support:
Call my sister.
What today could be like:
Gentle enough to get me out of the stuck..
Thanks Havi for this ritual, I needed it. As of today is part of my morning routine. This feels good.
xoxo
Hello, day. Oh, day. Here is what I would like:
–to find ways to show and tell the people I love how much I love them
–to complete the this stage of my current Big Project, so I can send it off for feedback
–to feel peaceful and grounded and whole in myself
Essences:
–kindness
–clarity
–peace
–creative play
Something nice I’d like to do for my body:
–Ask for, and receive, a neck rub
–Frequent stretches
–Use some lip balm
Slightly Future Me says:
–It’s going to be okay.
–You are loved.
VPA for today:
–I want to complete and send this draft of the dissertation proposal today, without needing to make freakouts and exhaustion part of the process. Let it be surprisingly easy. Let me be able to say, “Good enough for now,” and send it on its way.
Allies, resources, support:
–The lovely people who hang out on this website. We are all in this together.
–My family.
–The me who feels stronger and happier than the me who is typing these words. She is also me, and she knows it.
–May I have a penguin?
What today could be like:
–It could keep on getting better from here. The unfortunate things that happened over breakfast could be forgiven and released. This has probably already happened.
–I could defy gravity.
Ah! Aha! Ah ha ha ha!
You are so brilliant, and spooky at posting these things just when I need to read them. Woo!
My little wish I’ve been holding cupped in my hands like a fluffy little chick for I-don’t-even-want-to-admit-how-long has been about reviving my morning practice. But without it coming back to life as a zombie. (Shambling, lifeless, kinda stinky, and slowing down and falling apart after a few days.) Er, sorry. Anyway, that’s what I didn’t want it to be like. Wanted to avoid that.
(So of course, the zombie fear was one of the things keeping me from doing anything at all.)
Part that I wanted to revive (rejuvenate?)… I used to have a little poem-prayer-thing that I said to set my intention for the day, recommit to doing some embodied practice, call upon the virtues I was cultivating, remember some of my tools and resources and allies, and make some little requests. At some point the language of the poem-prayer thingy no longer fit. Like an old but beloved sweater, I held onto it for a bit too long, trying to wear it but feeling a little more self-conscious and uncomfortable every time. I finally let it go… but hadn’t really gotten over it enough to look for a replacement.
This! made me realize that This Part Doesn’t Have To Be Liturgical. It doesn’t have to be a Thing with the same words every day. I can create a structure and intention, and fill this container with what is true for that day. (Irony: I once taught this in classes all the time. Ha!)
So YES, totally swiping this idea and dancing with it. Thank you!
This is awesomely lovely and amazingly helpful.
Playing and dancing intention into the ritual of my mornings.
And I have had some very sweet days :-).
Havi, thank you so much for this. As well as for “Into the Pot”.
I’ve been trying this Hello, Day thing out and gosh it is exactly what my morning brain needed. I do it a little more free-form, but it changes how I get out of bed!
I’ve been starting with: little touchstones of what I did yesterday, to remind me of what I’m bringing with me into the new day, at some level. I write a sentence on what I know will come today, to help me think about the right clothes to wear for it, or things to bring with me. And then I write about the qualities I want, descriptions of how I’d like it to go, and little wishes about finding solutions to tiny impossible conflicts that I know might lie ahead.
I use the notebook function of my phone, because I can’t quite finagle to use both hands for a pen and paper, on account of the little llama who sleeps next to me, but it’s still so helpful.
Thank you Havi 🙂 It’s been what I needed to get me off to a good start during a difficult week.
I want to play!
Hello, day.
What I want from today…
A sense of progress – in the form of loosening the tightness – increased spaciousness
Lots of smiles and laughs and joyful moments
To feel loved
To start making peace with “enough”
The qualities/essence
Peace. Centeredness. Comfort.
Something nice I want to do for my body
Pilates after work. Going to bed at a reasonable hour. Drinking lots of water.
Slightly Future Me says
Relax, enjoy it. You can’t get this wrong.
VPA for today
Refreshing moments of stillness
Allies, resources, support
My sweet baboo. Echo the Wondercat. Various incarnations of myself, if I just remember to ask.
What today could be like
Today could be joyful, in the flow, with glowing and sparkles.
Thank you for this 🙂
Hello Tomorrow
What I’d like from tomorrow:
To show kindness to myself and every living thing I encounter, a really fabulous date in which I feel ravishing and am ravished
Qualities and Essence for tomorrow:
Grace and ease, playfulness, safety
Something nice I’d like to do for my body tomorrow:
Run
Slightly future me says:
You are enough, all will be well
VPA for today:
Hope, joy and confidence
Allies, resources, support
BFF, Prayer, Meditation
What tomorrow could be like:
Happy
I missed this the first time around, but today is just the right day to find it. Thank you!
I have such a hard time coming up with nice things to do for my body! It scares me. Am I mean to my body all the time? Do we even speak to each other? I don’t know what it would like!