Today is   very special. Besides being your "un-birthday",  it's the
 first day of the rest of your life.

  We've all heard that one.  We acknowledge the wisdom and  move on ---
checking our watches and calendars to see how long before the "good stuff" starts happening.
Our impatience and anxiety prevent us from focusing our awareness on  "now".  As a  result we never discover it's full potential or give ourselves permission to enjoy it.  We recognize many important holidays on the  calendar;  Christmas, New Years etc...and these are the times when we have permission  to celebrate.
Surprisingly, many people report having "depression" around the holidays. Could it be that our enjoyment muscles have grown flabby or that we've been driving ourselves nuts to get there.

Just as we don't have permission to enjoy "now", we also don't have
permission to enjoy "here".  We can't wait to go on vacations to visit  the "good places"
We're certainly not allowed to enjoy our jobs. We want to move on so that we  get to be with the "smart  people".
Within any given day, certain places and times are more important than others: --- getting to work --- and once we're there --- getting home.  Meal times are "biggies" --- important events. Is it any wonder that many of us have weight problems.

Where am I going with this?  We shouldn't go to work?  We shouldn't eat?
No.  Go ahead and do all those things. You'll do them much better when you learn to slow down and connect. The difference is that you'll feel better about things.

Connect to what?
To "here" and "now": Our immediate experience separated from what the Zen masters call "the monkey mind" --- our obsessive conceptualizing and
labeling of things.

The ability to practice "non-thinking" and focus on immediate experience is called "mindfulness".  In other words, when you're washing the dishes,  you're washing the dishes.
Non-thinking is not easy. It's a habit which has to be learned. The key  is attention to our breathing. It provides  something on which to focus.
Starting your day with a daily "non-thinking" exercise or meditation is
the best thing you can do if you want to connect.  It provides a  fresh
image of what it feels like to relax.  You can accomplish this in as
little as ten minutes or even less once you're used to it.

Just find a comfortable spot and  relax.   Clear your mind of all thoughts
---  even the one's you think are important. Pay attention to your
breathing. Don't force it. Your body knows how to breathe without you
telling it to. Just go along for the ride. But, breathe through your nose.
For some reason it helps. If thoughts intrude (and they will!), simply redirect your attention to your breathing.
If you're unsure about how long you should do this, just set an egg timer
 for ten or fifteen minutes.
If you'd like   more detailed instructions and some good  tips, try Christopher Calder's excellent site, The Meditation Handbook, ('http://home.att.net/~meditation/MeditationHandbook.html').

 
 Many schools of thought hold that what you are connecting to when you
meditate is much , much, more than just relaxation. I tend to agree. But,  expectations can be very distracting when you're getting started. It's important that while you're meditating you feel whatever it is you feel.
Not, what someone tells you you're going to feel.
 Once you get the hang of it, you'll have a wonderful way to start your
day. You'll also learn   eventually how to   "re-connect" throughout
your day ---  take little "vacations" --- any time you want. They won't
cost a dime and you'll feel better about things.