1. Morning Prayer / Know G‑d

One beautiful and easy way to bring our recognition of G‑d to the fore is to give thanks and show our gratitude every day. When we make it as routine as brushing our teeth, it becomes second nature. Each morning, when you awake, open your eyes and say:

I thank You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me. Great is Your faithfulness.

2. Evening Prayer / Speak Well

Make it a nightly ritual to declare the oneness of G‑d. Prayer isn’t to inform G‑d of anything; He already knows. Prayer is to connect with him, to remind us who we are and what matters—the truth we forget in the rush of the day. To pray is to speak well, to cultivate a holy posture for the mouth and for the mind.

When you lie down to sleep at night, close your eyes and say:

You, G‑d, have enlightened us to know that the L-rd is G‑d. There is none else besides Him.

If you wish, you can continue in an undertone:

Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and all time. Love the L-rd your G‑d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

3. Take Stock / Choose Life

There’s a beautiful little “drill” hidden in Psalm 34. It asks:

Who is the man who desires life . . . ?
Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

Notice the steps:

  1. Tongue work—stop using your mouth for harm.
  2. Behavioral work—turn from evil, do good.
  3. Relational work—actively seek and chase peace.

Make this a routine practice. Perhaps at the end of each week, or even at the end of each day. Repeat the words of this psalm and then ask yourself three questions:

  1. “Did I use my tongue for violence today?”
  2. “Did I choose not to act when I could have done something good?”
  3. “Did I escalate instead of seeking peace?”

4. Eat Intentionally / Act Compassionately

Imagine if everyone took a moment before eating to simply say: “Thank You, G‑d, for this food.” Imagine if we paused to think about where the food we are about to eat comes from.

Our own lives are nurtured by plant life, by animal life, by human labor, and ultimately by the Divine life that inheres in everything. To eat is to enter into a relationship with other life forms and merge them into our own lives. Eating is a spiritual transaction, and acknowledging this can be transformative.

So here are four steps to intentional eating:

  1. Put the food in front of you, but don’t eat yet.
  2. Take one gentle, conscious breath.
  3. Say, preferably out loud, even if quietly, the appropriate blessing: “Blessed are You, G‑d our L-rd, Sovereign of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.” [Click here for blessings to recite when eating fruit, wine, and other foods.]
  4. As you take the first few bites, let one simple thought rise: This food is not “mine.” It comes by the grace of G‑d.

5. Give Daily / Live Honestly

Giving to the needy is not merely generosity or philanthropy; it’s the fulfillment of a Divine commandment that goodness and justice form the basis of a civilized society.

Nothing in this world belongs to us; it ultimately belongs to G‑d, Who entrusts us with goodness so we can share it with others. You can’t live honestly with a clenched fist. That’s why it’s so vital to train yourself to live open-handedly, with a daily habit of giving.

  • Schedule a time to give each day, whether before you eat breakfast, before you eat dinner, or before you go to sleep.
  • Think about a person or family who needs help, a local cause that you want to support, or larger social or global needs that your donation could help.
  • More than how much you give, what’s important is the consistency.

6. Set Sacred Boundaries / Love Faithfully

In an era when intimate and faithful love is increasingly replaced with the confusion of hookup culture and the impersonal, transactional dating apps, the need to cultivate a more intentional and holy approach comes all the more sharply into focus.

Human sexuality is powerful, and the intimate union of a man and a woman makes human beings literal partners with G‑d in creating new life. Such a sacred partnership should not be treated casually. To protect it is to protect the sanctity of life itself. Our morals are not just our own; we’re aligning with something higher.

Here’s an exercise to try, whether you're single or in a relationship:

Take a journal and divide a page into two columns, labeled: Sacred “No” and Sacred “Yes.”

Under Sacred “No,” write:

  • Times you felt used, pressured, misaligned, or violated.
  • Situations you never want to repeat, bad habits or patterns that you need to break, emotional entanglements that might lead you astray.
  • Ask: “Where did I cross my own values? Where did I let someone else cross them? Did I cross G‑d’s values?”
  • Write out and finish the following sentence: “To cultivate faithful love, I will set the following boundaries . . .”

Under Sacred “Yes,” write:

  • Moments when intimacy felt safe, mutual, joyful, and respectful.
  • Qualities that make intimacy feel holy to you (e.g., partnership, safety, exclusivity, kindness, laughter, commitment, emotional presence, spiritual alignment).
  • Write out and finish the following sentence: “The kind of love I want is . . .”

Remember: This isn’t about shame or blame, but about honor—honoring your body, your future children, your partner, your own soul, and the G‑d who gave you all of them.

7. Show Up / Create a Just Society

Justice is sacred, not simply a mechanism for self-preservation or social order, but the way we bring the transcendence of Divine presence into our lives, into our homes, and into society in the broadest sense. Simply put, being a good citizen is holy work.

Civilization doesn’t happen by accident. It requires aspiration, legislation, and participation in the work of institutions that transcend ourselves. Like a garden, communities and institutions require constant tending in order to flourish. It isn’t enough to pay lip service to justice, or even to donate to just causes financially. We need to show up and participate in person.

Here’s an exercise that can help you turn “showing up” into a regular habit:

Map your institutions: Identify three “gardens” in your life that require tending—it might be your local school board, neighborhood association, or a community volunteer group.

Assess where you can most effectively assist: Ask yourself: “Where is the ‘forgotten corner’ of this institution?” or “Who isn't being heard?” Remember, this isn’t simply about you, but more about the role you can play in the success of society.

Make yourself a “show up” schedule: Consistency is more important than the scale of the task. Commit to becoming a recurring presence in one of your mapped institutions—whether it is attending one meeting a month, volunteering for a specific shift, or simply being the person who checks in on a vulnerable neighbor each week. By putting your time on the calendar, you transition from someone who merely agrees with justice to someone who sustains it through personal participation.