As the High Holidays conclude every year, we all seem to face this lingering question: How do I sustain my commitments to the changes that I’ve promised to make in the last 10 days, both the internal ones and in how I act in the world around me?   The reality is that we step back into the world and the busy-ness of our lives. It is one of the reasons why Shabbat is so important and why it was embedded in our Ten Commandments. Six days of connection to the outside world and –please, please, please we are asked– one day for ourselves so that we can reconnect to our internal holiness, to our families, and to study and learn.   But there are things we can do every day, little habits that keep us connected to our spiritual sides that centre us as we engage with the world around us. It might be universally available things like yoga or a run or walk in nature, or a meditation practice.   Judaism itself offers all kinds of ideas. It might be a particular morning routine, perhaps a prayer or a blessing or a little ritual; or meditation; or a Mussar practice aimed at enhancing our character traits; or Torah study or daily readings in our inboxes; or a uniquely Jewish mindfulness practice.   In the last number of years, I’ve become a big fan of various daily life courses offered by the Institute of Jewish Spirituality. Coming up next is a five-Wednesdays course called Awake: Essential Jewish Mindfulness starting on November 13.   This may or may not be your thing, or the timing may be all wrong (like it is for me this time around). But my experience has taught me that if I do nothing (spiritually) between last High Holidays and the one coming up next September, nothing will change. I’ll show up with the same list as last year. So, let’s commit to do… something?   Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Allan