We are privileged just to be ALIVE

So, there I was this morning, sitting in my favorite cozy corner of the house with my cold cup of coffee in hand, feeling half asleep and a little groggy. You know how some mornings just take a little extra push to get going? Yeah, it was one of those. But then, as I scrolled through my phone to find some motivation (aka procrastinate on starting the day), I stumbled upon this quote by Marcus Aurelius on X:

“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love…”

Boom. Something about it just hit me in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Maybe it was the simplicity of the message, or the fact that it was just what I needed to hear at that exact moment, but it totally reframed my morning. Instead of feeling like the day ahead was just a list of to-dos, I suddenly felt… lighter. More excited, even.

It got me thinking how often do we wake up and immediately dive into everything we have to do? Check the phone, glance at emails, mentally go over all the errands, meetings, or work stuff. The weight of responsibility just drops onto our shoulders before we’ve even properly stretched out of bed. And don’t even get me started on those early morning alarms!

But this quote—this reminder that waking up in itself is a privilege—well, it was like hitting the pause button on that usual rush. The privilege to simply be here, to think, to feel, to love. It’s something we all take for granted, isn’t it? We get so caught up in the grind, the goals, the constant “what’s next” that we forget to appreciate the tiny miracles in front of us.

I sat there with my coffee and decided, just for today, to really lean into that sense of privilege. To treat the day as a gift rather than a chore. Not in some forced “I’m going to have the best day ever!” way (because let’s be real, we all have stuff to handle), but more of a subtle shift in perspective. Like, instead of dreading that work call, I saw it as a chance to connect with someone. Instead of rushing through lunch, I actually savored each bite. Even the annoying things—the traffic, the waiting in line—felt a bit more bearable when I thought of it as just another experience of being alive.

And then there’s the love part. How often do we really feel grateful for the people we care about? I mean, we say it, sure. We know it deep down. But do we pause and let that feeling really sink in? Today, I sent my girlfriend a random text just to tell her I was thinking about her, and the response was pure joy. It’s funny how the smallest gestures can make the biggest impact when they come from a place of genuine appreciation.

So, yeah. Today’s been a little different. And I’m kind of loving it. Tomorrow, I’ll probably be back to hitting snooze three times and dragging myself out of bed. But maybe, just maybe, I’ll remember this feeling and take a second to breathe in the privilege of simply being here. Of thinking, of enjoying, of loving.

Because honestly? That’s a pretty amazing way to start the day.