Today is not over yet.

It was a glum, soggy, heart-sagging kind of Saturday.

I slept in way too late–and would have slept even longer if my then-boyfriend hadn’t rustled me awake.

After a long, tedious drive home through the rain, battling traffic the entire time, I was completely exhausted.

I looked at my clock. Nearly 3 p.m.

“Day’s practically over,” I thought to myself.

My bed was looking pretty damn good. A Netflix marathon… maybe pizza for dinner. Sure. Why not.

“It’s not like I’m going to accomplish anything today, at this point,” I thought, shambling my way over to bed. “Might as well just flop.”

But then, quite suddenly and dramatically, I heard five words in my mind:

Today is not over yet.

I glanced at my bed one more time. Heard it again.

Today is not over yet.

“OK,” I thought. “New plan.”

This is what happened next:

I hauled myself to yoga. Arrived early (for the first time… maybe ever). Had a beautiful conversation with my teacher. Smiled. Laughed. Finished class. Rang the local community wellness center. Could they slide me in for a last-minute massage? Miraculously, they could. Got the best massage of my life. Soaked in a jacuzzi by starlight–with raindrops splashing on my face. Went home. Discovered a new public radio program. Made a nourishing dinner. Wrote letters to friends. Had a brilliant idea for a new class I’d like to teach one day. Wrote it down. Called my mom and had a meaningful talk about love, life, and all the things.

This dreary, lazy, forgettable day became the most beautiful, enriching, and memorable day of my entire month.

It turned on a dime–because of one split-second decision. A simple statement of fact:

Today is not over yet.

So you overslept and missed your morning run?

Today is not over yet.

So you had a Diet Coke, two cigarettes, and four donuts for lunch?

Today is not over yet.

So you frittered away your time on Facebook, spent mindless hours loitering in your inbox, and procrastinated with smartphone games instead of working on your novel?

Today is not over yet.

If your heart is beating, if your lungs are breathing, if you are still alive… then it is not too late to do something kind, creative, generous, satisfying, and courageous. Today.

It is not too late to behave like the person you want to be–instead of continuing in a cycle of behavior that you will regret.

You might feel tired. It might be tough. It could seem preferable to just sit this one out.

But…

Today is not over yet.