The gap between you and the day

In the past few days, I have begun training once again for a triathlon. Whether or not I will take part in my first triathlon this year remains to be seen, due in part to my physical abilities in those three sports (swimming, jogging, biking) which I am confident in competing in but want to train . However, in any case, I am training to enter and take part in this year's New York City marathon and Boston's also. In the 2-3 weeks I have been back in New York City, I have thoroughly enjoyed taking long walks, bike rides throughout different parts of the city, and the occasional subway ride or two. The landscape has changed, even within the last 8 months I've been away. Sure, the city might not have lush green year round or tropical fruits growing but there's still so much here than on Maui.
I walked about 9 miles today. I didn't stop to think until I was almost at my destination, about how long I walked, didn't look back. As I headed down the subway stairs, I thought "Man, I just walked over 100 blocks, that's more than I've ever walked in the city". As I got on the train, I started feeling a little tired. Throughout this walk, I remember that I didn't once lose the feeling of energy and enthusiasm that I started with. As well, I didn't stop to look and think "I've been walking too much, maybe it's time to just take a train to where I'm going or go home instead." I just had so much momentum from the moment I left the house until I arrived where I was going. Now, this trip also included running a few errands: buying hardware supplies, food, and home decorations. Not only was I able to complete my errands but I also acquired the exact supplies I went looking for. Basically, everything I wanted to be done in a certain way was done! Can you believe that?! I was able to have this same thing happen a few days before when I was looking for a specific glass jar to make my kombucha tea in. In this case, I looked for days but without having real intention behind it, I was looking and asking without power, without energy. Finally, I set my goal and intention the day I found it by saying to myself "Today, I will not let anything come in the way of finding the exact glass jar I want! I will enjoy walking as it will energize my body and awaken wonderful feelings inside. I will spread peace throughout where I walk because peace is what I ultimately want." And I did just that and I got just what I wanted.
So, in this little story there are a few points to really share and hopefully pass along. I could've easily just passively woken up, you know, wake up, roll out of bed, go online, check Facebook, check e-mails, and keep going along in the day without really being conscious of what I am doing, without being conscious of what I really want out of the day, without setting out my desires, my goals, my plan for the day. The day will only be what you make of it and what you want of it. When you let the day take you: morning comes, you wake up... what's up next? Well, in this case, the day will get the most of you, not the other way around. If you're not in control of how you want your day to go, if you're not in control of how you want your life to go: career, relationship, finances, then the events in your life will take control of you. If you don't respond to the demands that your environment, which in my case, NYC demands a lot out of me, then you will not know how to respond when a situation comes up. So, get ready for everyday, imagine what you want to have happen, hope for it to happen, and then expect it to happen. Everyday is a gift as many of the great wisdom teachers, business entrepreneurs, even spiritual mentors teach, so take this day and make it the way you want it to be! Get the most out of it and you will have achieved so many more things than just what you want to happen. Just think, imagine, the others who may follow in your steps if you set the game out to win it and get the most out of the day. So, jump to it and set your goals, set your day, set your plans, so that for the rest of your life you will be in charge of what happens and how things happen to you!