The Joy of Waking: A Morning Practice
How I treat each morning as a gift, not a given
Did you know that if you hit the heart ❤️ at the top or bottom of this post, it helps others discover this publication? Thank you in advance! 🙏 I’m sharing this with you today so you can prepare for tomorrow morning. The only preparation required is a decision — a decision to greet tomorrow with joy.
In his work Meditations, the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius cites fellow Stoic philosopher Epictetus, who wrote: “As you kiss your son good night, whisper to yourself, ‘He may be dead in the morning.’”
It may sound morbid, but it was a reminder of the principle of impermanence: that nothing and no one is guaranteed to us — not those we love, not the next morning, not even the next moment. (Marcus Aurelius understood this reality all too well, having lost at least eight of his children.)
Not having had to face such losses in the same way, I have nonetheless always carried this awareness with me. It was one of the principles that drew me to Stoicism.
Today, I want to share how I live this principle — through a ritual that shapes the way I wake each morning. It begins with opening my eyes with gratitude, precisely because I am waking.
1. Greet the Day
When I open my eyes, I stretch a little, I smile, I greet the day with a greeting. I really do. I’m almost giddy at the simple fact of being awake and alive. I’m genuinely thrilled. I’m here. I get another day. I listen for David’s breathing beside me — proof of his life — and I smile again.
2. Express Gratitude
And then comes the next part of my waking ritual: silently, in my head, I name ten things I’m grateful for. Sometimes they’re the same things I’ve said before — “I’m grateful to wake up,” “I’m grateful David is here with me,” “I’m grateful to be in a warm bed,” “I’m grateful Michiko is happy and safe.” I name whatever comes up, and it’s never hard to find ten. And if the list keeps going, I let it.
There’s plenty of research to support the power of gratitude — how it improves mood, lowers stress, strengthens relationships, even benefits physical health. But long before I knew any of that, I knew how it felt. It reminds me that I’m starting my day from abundance, not lack.
3. Create the Day’s Intention
Next, I create my intention for the day — how I want to show up, how I want to orient. For you, it might be a prayer. A mantra. A short meditation. For me, it’s often a familiar invocation: Put the words in my mouth, the love in my heart, and help me show up with compassion, integrity, and purpose.
Or I might invoke a line from Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations: “How to act: never under compulsion, out of selfishness, without forethought, and with misgivings.”
That’s a pretty good guide for the day (and for life).
“How to act: never under compulsion, out of selfishness, without forethought, and with misgivings.”
But I’m not done. I still have more to do before my feet even touch the floor.
4. Set the Day’s Mood
I ask myself a question that determines my day: “How do I want to feel today?”
I don’t ask, “What do I want to do today?” or “What do I want to accomplish?” Those are different questions — questions about productivity — and they belong to the to-do list I made last night, which I’m not concerned with right now. Right now, I want to decide how I want to feel.
Do I want to feel serene? Focused? Generous? Creative? Patient?
Because how I choose to feel shapes how I act, and it makes all the difference.
5. Practice Goodness
Finally, inspired by Benjamin Franklin, I ask myself, “What good will you do today?”
In his autobiography, Franklin describes a daily practice he kept for years. Each morning, he would rise and ask himself, “What good shall I do this day?” And each evening, before bed, he would reflect: “What good have I done today?”
And so I do the same.
The “good” doesn’t have to be grand. It might be:
Remembering it’s someone’s birthday and sending a thoughtful message.
Calling a family member to see how they’re doing.
Writing a note of appreciation to someone who helped me.
Arranging a surprise for my husband.
Leaving a note in a neighbor’s mailbox.
I choose one for the day — small but intentional — and I decide it before I get out of bed.
Then I rise, don my slippers and robe, and the next part of my day begins — just as powerful as what came before. But that’s for another day.
Tell me about your morning rituals, if these resonate with you, and what questions you may have.
Additional Resources
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Supporting a Joyful Life
Even with a nutrient-rich plant-based diet, we can thrive even more with thoughtful support. That’s where Complement comes in, I take Complement Essential as my daily multivitamin for B12, D3, iodine, zinc, and magnesium; Omega Complex for essential fats; and as part of my strength-training and muscle-building routine, I fuel up with their clean Organic Protein. With Complement and my nutrient-rich diet, I have everything I need to fuel my body, support my strength, and thrive so I can do my work in the world for animals — both human and non-human.
I love this! I always do "parts" of these but not all - how beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
This is a wonderful reminder to start the day with gratitude and intention. Thank you, Colleen!