Hajja Salesjana January-March 2021

and reading my favourite news websites. Instead of giving into this impulse, however, I have gotten in the habit of saying a Hail Mary before I do anything else—many times before I even turn on my computer. I ask Our Lady to bless my day and guide my priorities. My work day is inevitably less stressful and hurried when I start it in this way. Five Ways to Sanctify Your Day H AJJA S ALESJANA 10 We all live busy lives, rushing to work, running errands, and navigating rush hour traffic. With all the busyness, it’s hard to live a prayerful life and be mindful of God’s presence, even if we want to. But ultimately, quietness comes from within, and incorporating holy habits into our lives can help us keep recollected in the midst of all the noise and chaos of the modern world. Here are five simple ways to slow down and live a more peaceful and prayerful life. 1. Spend Time in Prayer in the Morning Trust me, I know how hard it can be to drag yourself out of bed in the morning. The feeling of grogginess can be hard to shake, but it is important to start the day with prayer. In my own experience, my day is productive and peaceful in direct proportion to my ability to get out of bed and spend time in prayer and spiritual reading. When I do this, I find myself more peaceful, more patient with others, and more recollected to God’s presence throughout the day. But when I hit the snooze button, the rest of the day, including my interactions with others, seems to suffer. I know it can be difficult to know what to do when you make time for prayer, so I will share my own morning routine in a future post. 2. Say A Hail Mary When I sit down at the computer, my first impulse is to start anxiously checking emails by Sam Guzman