A friend asked me the other day, “What is it that makes you want to get up in the morning?” I thought to myself, why don’t you ask me a really hard question? I felt an inner smiling at how simple the question was and also how provocative it was. Because there is getting up. And there is wanting to get up. As I reflected on this, I realized that on the days that I really want to get up it’s because I imagine something exciting or interesting is going to happen and I’ll be part of it in some way. That is a great way to start the day.
But let’s face it. Life doesn’t promise or deliver juicy, exciting enticements each day, to lure us into the adventure of participating in a new day. Some days it does. More days than not, however, it seems that the delivery system for enticements is down, and we are faced with the simple fact that it’s now morning and time to get up. This is where the dance with our own aliveness comes in.
Wanting to Get Up
Each day really is an encounter with the unknown. The beginning of the day is similar to facing a blank piece of paper. The question is: what will I put on the open page of this day? How will I engage with life, the people I care about, and the work I’m committed to, with joy and love? Taking on this question is PART ONE of getting up in the morning. PART TWO is where it gets interesting. PART TWO is what makes the difference between getting up and wanting to get up. It’s the juicy proposition between me and my molten core. It’s looking for and responding to a creative impulse so that something can spark. It can be big or small.
Respond to the Creative Impulse
Last week it was a small thing that was oh so satisfying. I wanted to make sesame crackers and to try adding pumpkin seeds and walnuts. I had this desire to have what I imagined, be in my mouth. How would those crackers taste, with these new ingredients? I threw myself into those crackers and they were the best crackers I’ve ever eaten. But the most satisfying part of the process was responding to the impulse to create them. More than anything, I was feeding my relationship with my molten core. It then fed me with energy and enthusiasm. That’s what makes me really want to get up and take on the boldness of a new day.