Live Every Day Like It’s A New Day

Live like there’s no tomorrow.

Live each day as if it was your last day.

Live life every day like it’s a new day.

All of them apparently mean the same thing but I prefer the last one. I feel the other two have a negative connotation. If there were no tomorrow, and today was my last day, well, why would I do anything? But then, that’s me…

“If you have one eye on yesterday, and one eye on tomorrow, you’re going to be cockeyed today.”  ~Author Unknown

Now, if every day was a new day with no strings attached to either the past or the future, how would that be?

Well, to begin with you won’t have to wonder what day of the week it is as soon as you wake up. No Monday blues and no Thank God it’s Friday either. 

There won’t be any need to fill up your head with all kinds of (usually unnecessary) information and facts. Which means, you don’t have to read the newspaper or browse the internet as much.

Or remember the list of things to do for tomorrow, or the day after or the coming week – and get stressed out in the process.

“Would you keep a chive on your tooth just because you enjoyed last night’s potato?”  ~From the television show Boston Common

No regrets, no guilt, no grievances or grudges, no unpleasant memories or feelings. No worries about the future. Just live each day as it comes along, doing and being your best.

All this means that we would free up a whole lot of energy and time. We would feel much lighter, happier and freer. Which in turn would unlock our creativity and spontaneity. Our performance levels at work and at home would peak and be like never before. We would love more and be more authentic.

Wouldn’t that be super cool?

“Having spent the better part of my life trying either to relive the past or experience the future before it arrives, I have come to believe that in between these two extremes is peace.”  ~Author Unknown

Now, most importantly, how easy is it to live every day as if it’s a new day?

Live life every day like it’s a new day. Sounds very simple, doesn’t it? In life, some of the simplest things are sometimes the hardest to accomplish – given human nature, the fast-paced lives that we lead and a rapidly changing world.

But then, it’s certainly not impossible and with a few tips and tricks, backed up with persistence and practice should help you get started. And who knows,  you might even crack it and become a pro like Phil Connors in the movie Groundhog Day.

Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is a self-centered (not to mention cynical and arrogant) TV weatherman. He is sent out to Punxatawny to cover Groundhog Day and is accompanied by his producer, Rita (Andie McDowell), and cameraman, Larry (Chris Elliott).

For those of you who are wondering about Groundhog Day (source: wikipedia): Groundhog Day falls on February 2. On this day, according to folklore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter would soon end. If it’s sunny, the groundhog would see its shadow and supposedly retreat back into its burrow, which means that winter would continue for six more weeks.

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. This annual tradition received world wide recognition thanks to the movie Groundhog Day.

“There is no way this winter is ever going to end, as long as this groundhog keeps seeing his shadow. I don’t see any other way out. He’s got to be stopped. And I have to stop him.” ~Phil Connors in Groundhog Day

Coming back to Phil – boredom written all over his face, an arrogant Phil covers the event listlessly feeling the task is much beneath him.

One gets to see that Phil has a romantic interest in Rita but she doesn’t care for him, having put up with his tantrums, surliness and bad manners long enough.

On his way back to Pittsburgh, Phil is caught in a monster blizzard and is forced to stay in a small town inn an extra day. Things get worse when the next day he wakes up and finds that it is Groundhog Day all over again. Every morning he wakes up to the alarm only to find out it is Groundhog Day again…and again…and yet again…

The day won’t change until Phil does, and therein lies the story with a wonderful spiritual message.

“Old times” never come back and I suppose it’s just as well.  What comes back is a new morning every day in the year, and that’s better.”  ~George E. Woodberry

Act as if. At first, Phil Connors is frustrated and confused beyond words as he goes through each day. He realizes that he’s quite helpless in the matter because “I wake up every day, right here, right in Punxsutawney, and it’s always February 2nd, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Phil has an advantage – nobody but him seems to remember that the day is repeating. He tries to take advantage of the situation hoping the time-loop would end if he behaved outrageously and wrongfully. After many failed attempts, a despondent Phil realizes that nothing has changed. His attempts to impress Rita and get closer to her are equally futile.

When he confides in Rita and shares his predicament, she advises him to make use of the opportunity and improve himself. Having no choice, he acts as if every day is a new day, a different day, and sets about to experience the time-loop.

As they say, fake it till you make it. Pretend it’s a new day every day. Go about the day like yesterday never happened and tomorrow doesn’t exist.

“If you really want to judge the character of a man, look not at his great performances. Every fool may become a hero at one time or another. Watch a man do his most common actions; these are indeed the things which will tell you the real character of a great man.” ~Swami Vivekananda

Perform your tasks and duties with equipoise. It isn’t easy. Phil revisits his priorities and examines his life. He sees the error of his ways. He builds his knowledge and experience little by little and uses it to correct himself. As day follows day, Phil’s behavior improves gradually.

In new and unusual ways, he sets about helping others and making a difference in their lives – thus making a difference in his own life.  He discovers that no task, big or small, is beneath him. With each passing day, he is more and more relaxed and poised.

Leverage your experience and knowledge from the past but do not lug emotional baggage from the past. Perform the day’s tasks and duties without any worries about the results. Do not worry about tomorrow or the future. Be your best and do your best. No task is small or big. Put your heart and soul into whatever you do and who you are. Work for the welfare of others, and you’ll discover meaning, fulfillment and joy.

“Seize from every moment its unique novelty, and do not prepare your joys.”  ~André Gide, Nourritures Terrestres

Seize the opportunity and live every moment. Little by little, Phil transforms the day into one of fun, love, giving, sharing and caring. He breaks free from frustration, cynicism and boredom and truly starts living.

He seizes each moment to do something useful and helpful. He befriends people. He nurtures relationships. He saves lives. He learns the piano. He learns to ice-sculpt. He learns French. 

The time-loop only ends for Phil Connors when Phil is perfectly happy enjoying every moment and putting it to good use.

At the end of it, he succeeds in making Rita like him – she is surprised to see a caring and inspiring Phil. Remember, she is not aware of the time-loop.

He also produces an eloquent report on the Groundhog Day and succeeds in wowing his viewers.

Seize every opportunity to learn, to be helpful and to serve. Enjoy every single moment of today. Be your authentic self. No masks, no pretences. No need to impress anyone. Nurture your relationships with family, friends and colleagues. Love more. Share and give more. Consider it an opportunity to grow and improve. Experience the magic of life…

“When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.” ~Phil Connors in Groundhog Day

 WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Success & Self-Mastery Coach Prasanna Gunturi publishes the ‘The Energy Perpective’ weekly ezine. If you’re ready to live and lead your life energetically and successfully always and in all ways, get your free tips now at http://www.energysoulutionsallways.com/.