So… how do you start your morning?
With irritation at the alarm clock? With a hot shower you never want to leave? With a cup of coffee you slurp down before hitting the road?
With a smile?
Probably not, right?
And almost definitely not the way Ron Alston and his three-year-old daughter, Aliyah, start their mornings everyday.
In a Facebook video that has gone viral (to the tune of over 13 million shares!), Alston and his adorable child are simply standing in front of a mirror.
But then you need to see what happens next:
As you can see above, daddy is holding up daughter and smiling over her shoulder.
He’s then making her repeat a handful of affirmations in order to instill in Aliyah a combination of self-confidence, respect and humility.
I am strong, he says first, asking his young daughter to then follow suit.
I am smart.
I work hard.
I am beautiful.
I am respectful.
I’m not better than anyone.
Nobody is better than me.
I am amazing.
"What are you?" father then asked toddler, to which she replied:
"I am blessed."
The loved ones then conclude their ritual with the following lines:
"Thank you God for making me the greatest. There’s nobody better than me."
A high-five and a kiss follows and then it’s time to really start their day.
Pretty amazing, right? The sort of thing we could all learn from, no?
You don’t need to go through this daily routine, of course.
But perhaps keep these words and these messages in mind on a regular basis and see how they improve your outlook on life.
In an interview with Babble, Alston explained:
"I want her to understand and experience the world from her perspective and then learn to cope with the feelings that come with each interaction.
"I feel that the most important thing I do is encourage her to try."
Why did he film this and share it online?
"I was inspired to film the moment between Aliya and I just so that she can see it later in her life when she is older.
"This is something we do everyday in the morning before we leave the house, no matter what, although the affirmations do change and the pep talk in the beginning may change depending on what is happening or has happened."
Sorry, all other dads around the world.
You’re just playing for second place now in the Father of the Year contest.