🌅 Dictionary of Starting the Workday

~The first step of waking up is the beginning~
That first step out of bed in the morning,
though no one sees it,
might be the biggest step of the entire day.
Even while carrying sleepiness or anxiety,
I take a step forward toward today.
That act itself is the strength of me as a worker.
The beginning is always quiet,
but it is certainly connected to the future.

~The beginning given by the morning light~
The light streaming through the window
gently illuminates a heart that is not yet ready.
Even if the fatigue of yesterday remains,
the light gently pushes my back, saying, "It will be okay today too."
Morning light is a small reset for those who work.
Every time I touch that brightness,
I become ready to accept a new day once again.

~The beginning born during the commute~
Even though it is the same road and the same scenery,
I have slightly different realizations every time I walk it.
The scent of the season, the sounds of the city, the expressions of people passing by.
All of that quietly signals the beginning of today.
The commute is a run-up to heading to work.
It is a precious transition time
where my heart slowly switches into work mode.

~The beginning when facing the desk~
I sit in my chair and face my desk.
In that moment, a switch flips inside me.
Sometimes the continuation of yesterday is waiting,
and sometimes there is new work starting today.
Either way, the act of facing the desk
is a quiet declaration of "Let's do this today too."
The beginning is always in my own hands.

~The beginning of preparing the heart~
I take one deep breath,
and gently speak to myself for today.
"No need to rush."
"It's okay to start from what I can do."
Those words quietly calm the noise inside my heart.
Preparing the heart is an important preparation for those who work.
A morning welcomed with a prepared heart
gives me the strength to face any kind of day.

~The beginning after a long holiday~
The lingering effects of a long holiday still remain somewhere in my body,
and my heart is also slowly trying to return to reality.
The fun times, the relaxed rhythm, the stopped hands of the clock.
While gently tucking those away in my heart, I step back into daily life.

The morning after a holiday is a bit heavy and a bit anxious,
but somewhere, a quiet conviction that "I can start again" is sprouting.
It is okay if I haven't completely switched over yet.
It is okay if my stride is small.
The first step after a long holiday is a gentle run-up
to regain my own pace.

There is no need to deny the time spent until yesterday.
The heart has certainly become softer for the amount of time rested.
While holding onto that softness,
heading toward today
becomes a new beginning for me as a worker.

Finally...
~Gratitude to those who work on holidays~
Even on days when many people are enjoying their time off,
there are people who are working as usual.

The reason the city keeps moving is because someone is protecting,
supporting, and operating that place.

Working on a holiday is not something to be taken for granted.
Because of the work of each and every one of those people,
we were able to rest, laugh, spend time with family, and spend time on things we like with peace of mind.
I quietly bow my head to that invisible support.

The time of those who work on holidays
gently supports our "right to rest."
Although that work is not as conspicuous as light,
it is certainly warming the world.

To everyone who supported today,
I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.