So here we are–2019! I enjoyed finding this New Years meditation from my “Insight Timer” app titled “Intention to Live Just for Today” by Lane Holbert and wanted to share it with you. It’s a short meditation and centering prayer that teaches us to begin to focus on the present with each day of the coming year and reminds us that serenity is within our reach by accepting what is in our control.
By focusing on this, our intention is to have time dedicated to ourselves that brings about more peace and serenity in the world around us. I definitely need this reminder and I’m hopeful you’ll find it helpful as well. So let’s begin…
Yesterday is gone forever, tomorrow may never come but today is yours, so use it.
The Serenity Prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change (other people, places, things and situations–basically anything outside of myself), the courage to change the things I can (my attitude, my actions, my willingness) and the wisdom to know the difference.
So just for today, I’ll try to live through this day only–not tackle my whole life problem(s) at once.
Just for today I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said that most folks are about as happy as they make their mind out to be.
Just for today, I will adjust myself to what is and not try to adjust everything to my own desires, I’ll take my luck as it comes and fit myself to it.
Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind, I’ll study, I’ll learn something useful and I will not be a mental loafer–I’ll read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
Just for today, I’ll exercise my soul in three ways: I’ll do someone a good turn and not get found out, I’ll do at least two things I don’t want to do just for exercise, I will not show anyone my feelings are hurt (they may be hurt), but today I will not show it.
Just for today, I’ll save myself from two paths–hurry and indecision.
Just for today, I’ll take a quiet half hour all by myself just to relax. During this half hour sometime I will try to get a better perspective on my life.
Just for today, I’ll be unafraid–especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, to believe that as I give to the world, so will the world gives back to me.
Just for today, I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low, act courtiously, criticize not one bit, not find fault, not try to improve or regulate anybody except myself.
As we begin 2019, let us remember that there are two days in every week for which we should not worry–two days which we should keep free from fear and apprehension. One of these is yesterday, with all of it’s mistakes and cares and faults and blunders and aches and pains–yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. We cannot erase a single act we have performed or a single thing we have said, yesterday is gone.
But on the other hand, tomorrow is the other day that we shall not worry about with all of its possibilities for adversities, burdens or great promises. Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control. Tomorrow the sun will rise, either in splendor or behind the clouds, and until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow since it is yet unborn which leaves only today. Anyone can fight the battle for just one day. It’s only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities of yesterday and tomorrow that we will break down. It’s not the experience of today that drives people mad or full of remorse for something that happened or worrying about tomorrow–that’s not living in today. Let us therefore live but one day at a time through all of our tomorrows.
May you have a blessed and peaceful 2019!. Progress–not perfection, Warriors and let’s be gentle with ourselves along the way.