What does your ideal day look like?
An ideal day would be the one when I am fueled with purpose and have the energy to carry on as if nothing could stop me from achieving whatever I want to achieve. usually, such days start with rising before the alarm goes off. Then followed by a meditation where I experience the divine peacefulness rather than trying to bring back my attention to the breath from the ever worrying thoughts.
On such days I take myself on a morning walk because walking remains the best form of meditation even now. I could see people gathering near the driving school, sleepy kids on the way to their tuition classes, old couples trying to walk behind one another because the sidewalk is too narrow to walk side by side, vegetable shops stocking up, tea shop vendors lighting up their stoves, youngsters sprinting ahead of me or cycling through the roads vigorously, the road slowly getting awakened by the honking vehicles and I carry on walking as a mere observer. The major part of my attention is dedicated to the innumerable flowers that peep outside of the houses. I live in a pretty old neighbourhood where the plants and flowers remind me of my childhood. Many of those are becoming extinct because people tend to move towards fancier plants available through the nurseries. So I get to see and smell the flowers of my childhood is an indescribable joy.
If I have planned the time of the morning walk properly, the sun would be rising after I cross the bridge towards the beach. I will start walking towards home at this point. I can see the sunrise clearly from above the bridge and I stand there quietly for some time. Some days the sunrise would be accompanied by the music of a running train below the bridge. By this time, the road will be busier and I walk hastily so that I can reach home before it gets too crowded.
At home, I sit down to write my morning pages. I bleed through the pages and after half an hour of writing my head is clearer and I feel light. I sip my morning tea and read something that brings me joy. Then I do my workout routine and get ready for the day. This is the way to start a perfect day for me — Twenty minutes of meditation, an hour of walking, morning pages and working out to make sure that I get rid of all the negative emotions in the morning itself. It sets my day towards success.
When my days start like this, it is easier to concentrate on the tasks that are important. I will be productive and finish off things quickly. I also get to experience the flow state in such days. That makes me extra happy and my mood will be jovial. This also makes the interactions with others joyful. I will sip my favourite teas throughout the days and if I feel like rewarding myself, I would have a scoop of my favourite ice cream as well.
In the evening, I will tend to my plants. If I see that there are new shoots and buds, I will be delighted. If any plants need extra care, I would spend time on that as well. It grounds me.
In the evening, I like to curl up with a book. The happiest days are the days on which I can get an hour of uninterrupted reading before falling asleep. And of course, less time spent looking at the phone also brings me a sense of fulfilment these days. A good night’s sleep is all I need to wind up my perfect day.
While writing this down, it occurred to me that all these can be achievable on any day. There is nothing fancy that I need to buy for creating my ideal day. Everything is there and I only need to make time for the things that bring me joy.
