Upon awakening, one the first words a Jew says in bed – even before washing hands – are

“Modeh (Modah / for female) ‘ani le·fanei·cha melech h’ai ve·kayam she·heh’ezarta vi nish·mati ve·h’emlah, raba ’emu·natecha”

It translates as:

I am grateful before You, Living & Eternal King, that You returned my soul to me with grace. Great is Your faith [in me.]

We start the day with thanks to our Creator for allowing our soul to return to us another day.

We start the day with a positive praise. With appreciation of G-d and Appreciation of G-d’s gift to us – our soul.*

Many walk around with a grudge on their back – why did this happen or that. Why the holocaust? Why did I lose my money? Why did I lose my job.

We can always ask questions to keep us down.

But G-d wants to bring us up. So we start the day by looking at the positive. “I am alive!” Isn’t life the greatest gift. So we thank G-d.

We say in Modeh ani: “Great is your faith.”

One way to interpret that phrase in Hebrew is “great is your trustworthiness” that you restored my soul.

Another way to interpret it is “great is your faith” in me. That you believe in me. You endowed me with such abilities to be able to fulfill any Mitzvah and overcome any challange.

G-d believes in you.

If G-d, Knower of all, knows He can rely on us, We too can believe in ourselves.

The Morning Blessings that we recite also give us greater appreciatiation for the things we may take for granted – Giving us a better appreciation of life.

Start the day right.

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*The Modeh Ani & Morning Blessings are found in Our “My Mini-Siddur” – A Free Jewish Prayer Book.