Every Morning is a New Beginning

By Julie Isphording

How I love the silence of early mornings before the rest of the world rises. There’s this gentle hum of stillness before the world demands that you move — fast and furiously — for everyone and everything! On quiet mornings like this, it’s as if anything is possible, and you can embrace the possibility of what could be. 

In the quiet stillness, there’s so much space to think about what wonderful things will happen to you throughout the day. There’s even more space to wish, hope and think that “Today is your beautiful day. Today is your best day.” 

Even if today brings just one small miracle, that’s an “excellentish’ day. 

How I love these mornings when you don’t try to understand everything or everyone. You don’t try to figure out yesterday’s conversations or tomorrow’s issues — sometimes all these things are not meant to be understood, just accepted with a grateful heart. 

It’s such a peaceful time — even for a moment. It’s a place where you can simply be — a place where you don’t have to worry. A place where peace, kindness, love and joy find you.

It’s a moment where you forget to look at the time, and you don’t think of the future. After all, the future is unknown, but in some unexpectedly beautiful way, it may surprise you.

I hope today is the kind of day that you see the light in everyone and everything.

What are some short rules for a good life?

• Focus on what you can control.
• Forgive, forgive, forgive.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• Ask yourself, “Is this essential?”
• Don’t judge other people.
• Value your time more than your money and possessions.
• Say no.
• Don’t talk about it, be about it. 
• Practice the things you want to get good at.
• You have the power to have NO opinion.
• Make the morning your own. 
• Don’t suffer imagined troubles.
• Try to see the good in people.
• Never be overheard complaining — even to yourself.
• There is always something you can do.
• Don’t compare yourself to others.
• Be strict with yourself and understanding with others.
• Learn something from everyone.
• Focus and enjoy the process, without worrying about the outcomes.
• Define what success means to you — just YOU.
• Seek out challenges.
• Every person is an opportunity for kindness.
• Make a little progress each day.
• Journal.
• Prepare for life’s inevitable setbacks.
• Associate with people that make you better.
• Don’t make your problems worse by bemoaning them.

How can you sleep great every night — according to science? 

• The best purchase for a deeper sleep. 

If you want improved sleep, make your bedroom darker. Too much light hurts sleep quality. For this reason, invest in 100% blackout shades or a good sleep mask, one that’s large enough to prevent light seeping in around the edges.

• Avoid the most common sleep killer. 

The biggest sleep killer is using electronics just before bed — 90% of Americans do it. The bright blue light from screens stimulates your brain, affecting your body’s natural sleep rhythm and making it harder to get deep, restful sleep. It can also fill your mind with all kinds of thoughts and stresses that make it harder to sleep.

• Create a pre-bed routine to relax you. 

Even after a crazy and stressful day a nighttime routine helps you mentally “switch off” before bed. Pick activities that relax you physically and mentally — writing in a gratitude journal, meditating, reading a relaxing book or listening to soft music.

• Tweak your lights to fall asleep faster. 

Too much light before bedtime blocks the amount of melatonin — a sleep-promoting hormone your body releases. You could turn off or dim the lights in your home to create a peaceful setting. 

• How to sleep with a clear mind. 

Sometimes, just as you lay down to sleep, you suddenly remember something you must do the next day, or you have a million thoughts in your head. Leave a notepad next to your bed so you can write your tasks, worries or random thoughts so they don’t take up space in your brain.  

• Your bedtime isn’t as important as your waketime. 

Ideally, you should wake up at the same time every day—your body will start building the circadian rhythm and you’ll naturally start to wake up at that time, even without an alarm.

• Create the right environment for sleep. 

Make your bedroom your sleeping sanctuary. No television. No phones. No eating or working.

Keep your bedroom a little colder, which helps with sleep. Also, keep your bedroom quiet — too much noise hurts your rest. If you live on a noisy street, invest in earplugs.

• Avoid certain foods and drinks. 

Certain foods and drinks can stay in your body and bloodstream for hours and can devastate your sleep quality — too much caffeine, refined sugar and alcohol are some examples. Also, if you have a bad night of sleep, keep track of what you ate that day. Your body may not process various spices, meats, and vegetables. Eliminating those culprits can revolutionize your sleep quality. 

How can we be more decisive?

Life is a series of decisions — each one can transform our lives and lead us down tremendously different paths — but if we’re delaying them, we won’t be able to move forward. That’s why it’s important to learn how to become decisive. 

To do so, we must start! It’s that simple. We must value action instead of endless deliberation. We must be okay with the opportunity cost — the value of what you must give up choosing something else vs. being wrong and embracing change. 

The gift is that we’ll move forward in life while everyone else is still wondering what they should do. “The way to develop decisiveness is to start right where you are, with the very next question you face.” — Napoleon Hill.

Why should you say “no” more often?

It’s powerful to say “no.” It can help your mental and emotional health by creating boundaries with people or avoiding situations that bring you down. 

Saying “no” also protects your time. We live in a world where it’s a badge of honor to always be “busy”— how often do you ask someone, “How are you?” and they reply, “Busy! I’ve got so much to do!” But while some may praise that, it can show someone who might be overcommitted and miserable. 

The most successful people in the world are extremely protective of their time because they know their time is all they have. Yes, there are moments when you should work hard, but if you’re always doing that, it’s no fun. Instead, learn how to say “no” and you’ll find that your quality of life increases in proportion to the boundaries you set.

What is the difference between achieving success and being successful?

Achieving success and being successful are two different things. Our society portrays success as something that you achieve. It’s about pursuing something that will happen in the future. Achieving success is a destination. However, being successful is a state of mind. It’s about appreciating what you have and what you are doing in the present. Being successful is about enjoying the journey.

Dale Carnegie said: “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” If you are always looking to get more, you will never have time to enjoy what you have today.

Can you train your brain to get smarter?

The brain is a muscle. Here’s how to give it a workout.

• Keep intelligent company

Jim Rohn said that you are the average of five people you surround yourself with. Think about what that means for your IQ. Being in the company of intelligent people will indirectly make you want to continue developing your own intelligence.

• Rest

“The brain requires plenty of energy to function,” says Dr. Bill Barrett from the Barrett Cancer Center at UC. “The lack of sleep and excessive stress can diminish your brain’s capacity, and you won’t have the ability to learn and improve.”

• Eat well

“High nutrition foods work well to power up your brain,” says Barrett. “Walnuts are a reliable source of brain food, so is fish. Tuna, mackerel and salmon contain rich, fatty acids that have been proven to help neuron’s function.”

• Read

“Well-read people aren’t just articulate, they also have a vast pool of knowledge and an always-evolving mind,” said Alvin Roehr, CEO of the Roehr Agency. “Reading improves your vocabulary, expands your communication skills and develops your analytical abilities.”

• Play ‘brainy’ games

Your brain needs to face challenges to make progress. Once the brain realizes it’s good at something, it stops trying, just like any one of us. Try memory games, Sudoku, word puzzles and problem-solving games. These games will increase your pattern recognition, logic and ability to process thoughts quickly. 

• Keep a journal

Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Thomas Jefferson were all diary keepers. Taking notes and writing down things or ideas creates an extension of your mind. Your thoughts will be recorded, and the routine of writing them down will enable you to think more thoroughly and improve your way of thinking.

Why is asking for advice more effective than asking for feedback?

Feedback has a negative connotation and is often associated with evaluation. At school, we receive feedback with letter grades. When we enter the workforce, we receive feedback with our performance evaluations. 

“Because of this link between feedback and evaluation, when people are asked to provide feedback, they often focus on judging others’ performance,” says John Barrett, CEO of Western & Southern. 

“In contrast, when asked to provide advice, people focus less on evaluation and more on possible future actions,” says Barrett. “While the past is unchangeable, the future is full of possibilities. So, if you ask someone for advice, they will be more likely to focus on future opportunities to improve.”  

What is the only metric of success that really matters? 

When all is said and done, it’s the people around you that make the difference. We need each other. Regardless of one’s gender, country or culture of origin, age or economic background, social connection is crucial to human development, health, survival and joy. Even Warren Buffet says that his measure of success comes down to one question: “Do the people you care about love you back?”

What is the most important trait of people who wake up happy every morning?

They start the day with gratitude. A thankful heart shifts your focus from what’s missing to the abundance that’s already present in your life. It’s not a tough habit to pick up. Try jotting down three things you’re grateful for every morning and see how it changes your mood. Just remember to be genuine about it – authenticity is key when practicing gratitude.

Olympian Julie Isphording is the director of the Western & Southern Thanksgiving Day Race, an author, and keynote speaker. Her speeches—on stage, in a classroom, or at a luncheon– include Olympic videos, unforgettable props, lots of laughter, and a few tears. If you need a keynote, find her at julie.isphording@gmail.com.