Today is Eternal
It is, if you take the time to recognize it.
A new day dawns.
We head mechanically towards our routine.
We’ll have our coffee.
Open our newspaper.
Head to work.
Talk to our colleagues.
Work out.
Eat our lunch.
Watch a show.
Sleep.
Another day added to the list of days lived on autopilot.
In this day, we’ll use moments to regret the past and moments to be anxious about the future.
We’ll do things that don’t serve us today, let alone tomorrow.
We’ll experience life when we should be living it.
The concept I wanted to share with you today is Ichigo Ichie.
It’s hard to translate the term exactly, but it would be something like: “once in a lifetime”, with a slight variation: “one chance in a lifetime”…
The concept shares with us that every moment of our lives is unique.
There won’t be a second
June 27, 2023.
There’s only today.
When you’re caught up in the storm that is life, it’s sometimes hard to live for today.
Stuck in the past or afraid of the future.
Every moment carries a tinge of fear.
Ichigo Ichie wants to free us from this.
But let’s be honest, we can’t “forget” our problems.
Tell ourselves : “YOLO”, we’re going to enjoy the moment.
That’s true, but …
We can remember this principle in every interaction of our lives.
When you go for your coffee this morning.
We can breathe slowly, smell it, enjoy the aromas, look around, take our time to enjoy it.
When we’re with a loved one.
We can be present in the moment.
Turn off the phone.
Give them a hug.
Tell them you love them.
Don’t talk about problems, only optimistic things.
Make this conversation an eternal memory.
When you go to sleep.
You can make up the bed.
Prepare nice sheets.
A good pillow.
A good smell.
A good soothing drink beforehand.
The routine can even go as far as doing a workout so you’re happy to go to bed.
Every day, we can add little things to our calendar to make the day unforgettable.
Write down the important events of the day in a notebook.
Ink the most important memories of the day so you never forget them.
Ritualize many of life’s moments.
Live them, rather than pass through them.
How can we make each day memorable?
How can we set ourselves small daily challenges to get out of our comfort zone?
Ask yourself.
Get off autopilot and take control.
One day everything will stop.
We’ll look back.
For some, the only thing left will be regret.
Regret at not having allowed themselves to be happy.
Regret at not having lived life to the full.
Every day is a unique treasure.
And human beings only realize the value of things… when they’ve lost them.
Let’s not wait until it’s too late.
Thank you for reading.
Have a great day.