Wake up now, it’s time.

The sun has risen again.

The sky shines bright blue.

Take some nice deep breaths.

The day is ready for you.

You are ready too.

Sit up slowly now.

Observe your environment,

then get out of bed.

Go to the kitchen.

Fix yourself a nice breakfast,

drink plenty water.

Get in the shower.

Try using colder water.

Hop out and dry off.

Moisturize your skin.

Brush your teeth and do your hair.

Put on clothes you like.

Find a peaceful place.

Take some time out of your day,

to sit still and breathe.

Inhale the fresh air,

and feel how your lungs expand.

Then breathe it all out.

Do this for some time,

see how good it feels to breathe.

In, out. In and out.

Carry this with you.

Throughout your whole, entire day.

Remember to breathe.

There’s nothing like being present in the moment with this view before you. Your mind is clear. You sit up perfectly straight while you take a deep breath in through your nose. You close your eyes while you exhale out your mouth, and feel the sounds around you. The birds chirping, the leaves rustling, the river flowing. As you inhale again, the most effortless smile finds its way to your face. On your next exhalation, you feel the surface beneath you. Your legs and feet rest gently on the long, green grass. You continue to let your breath flow naturally and slowly. The smell of fresh air warms your lungs, and then your whole body. You feel how every part of your body feels, and you bask in the warmth of the sunlight as it heals your discomforts. You take one more deep breath, giving attention to every sensation you can before opening your eyes and absorbing the beautiful sunset that lies before you. The mixture of purples, pinks, oranges, and yellows leaves you with an ultimate feeling of gratitude and belonging. You notice a figure approaching you. He wears a hooded robe but you can see he has a shaved head. He wears sandals on his feet and you can hear them make contact with the ground as he gets closer.

“I see somebody else has found my favorite meditation spot,” the man says, with a warm smile.

You return the smile. “Well, I suppose I have.”

He takes a seat beside you and closes his eyes.

“Before you begin your practice,” you ask, “are you a monk?”

His smile returns. “Yes, I am a monk.”

You’ve never met a monk before. “If it’s not too much to ask, what advice do you have for people like me, who have just started meditation in hopes of reaching a clearer and more present mind?”

The monk takes a deep breath. “The attitude you have on the world is your everything. A great life can be corrupted by a negative attitude, and an unlucky life can be brightened with a positive one. In today’s world, it is more important than ever to remember this. We have to understand that our reality is what we make of it. Some of the saddest people live in the biggest houses, while some of the happiest don’t have roofs over their heads. Whatever your environment may be, your brain is programmed to get used to it. Driving a sports car just feels like driving any ordinary car after some time, like how winter without a coat just feels normal after a while in the cold. So at the end of the day, when the sun sets, all that really matters is how you feel about the way you spent the day. If you spend the day doing things you don’t want to do, you will find contentment easier than you would if you spend the day doing things that you want to do. Think about it. If you get out of bed early, work out, eat healthy throughout the day and make tedious progress on your career, when you go to bed that night you will feel great. You will feel proud of the hard work you completed, and you will feel proud that you had the discipline in the first place to complete the hard work. But if you sleep in, spend the day on social media, eat junk food, and procrastinate on your deadlines, when you go to bed that night you won’t feel great. You will feel lazy and unproductive, and you will question the decisions you made. So, to some degree, we like to do things that we don’t like to do. It’s doing these difficult, challenging things in life that make us better. Nobody gets into shape by doing what they want to do. Because people want to eat junk food, watch TV, and lie around all day. People get into shape by getting out and exercising every day. Nobody wants to get up early to go to the gym, but everybody wants the results that come from doing it frequently,” The monk says. “Push yourself to meditate for longer, and continue to challenge yourself every day, no matter what you do. Only through determination and consistency can you become a better version of yourself.”

These words resonate deeply within you. “Thank you,” you say, as you bow your head to him. “Your wisdom is priceless to me.”

“You’re very welcome,” the monk says.

You share your spot on the hill with the monk, and you meditate together as the sun sets.

Now it’s time to sleep.

The day has come to an end.

The sky shines with stars.

You will need to rest.

Tomorrow is very close.

Gently close your eyes.

Let go of the day.

Now it’s a part of the past.

Focus on the now.

Now you will drift off,

and your body will repair

before you know it.

You did good today,

you will do good tomorrow.

And the next day too.

Continue to push,

to push yourself every day.

You will be better.