The first one to five minutes after we wake up can frame our entire day. There are two thoughts that we have for every action. The first one is the decision whether or not to do a ‘thing’ that we know we have to get done. But the second often overlooked thought process is our attitude about the ‘the thing’ that has to get done. The attitude about getting something done can make the task miserable or joyful. But to control that you have to always be working on the conscious attitudes about what you are getting ready to do. The most important time that you need control your attitudes (or “meta thoughts”) are when you open your eyes in the morning.

Here are some suggested thoughts for when you open your eyes each day.

“Holy cow. I’m alive for another day.” “There is a roof over my head. I am very grateful for that.” “Somebody else in the world loves me enough to want to share my bed with me. Oh cool. Look at that. She/He is right there. “ “I need to get this body hydrated and moving. If I don’t take care of it, it will fall apart on me. A well-maintained pain-free body will allow me to accomplish my dreams and goals faster.” “Am I up early? Time to get a jump on the competition. Those suckers are still in bed. (Unless they are reading the same blog post I read on StopDoingNothing.com about morning thoughts)” “I am thankful that I have a smart kid who is not in jail or addicted to any substance.” “How can I use my time today to improve the life of the other people in this house?” “How can I best use my time today to improve the life of another person outside of this house?” “Who can I learn from today who knows more than me and can boost my intelligence?” “Do not get involved in petty arguments on or offline. They zap energy, make me defensive, are rarely productive, and they take time away from living my dreams.”

I’d love to hear what you think about when you wake up. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.