Ka lā hiki ola is the Hawaiian saying meaning that each day brings new life and possibility. This saying encourages us to look forward with optimism. No matter what challenges, failures, mistakes, or struggles we face today, we have an opportunity to grow and change with each new day. 

Ka lā literally translates to “the day.”

Hiki means – the possibility, can, may, able to 

Ola* means – life, health, well-being, and alive. 

*On a deeper level, ola can also mean recover, heal, survive, and thrive. 

So ka lā hiki ola literally means the possibility of life, wellbeing, and health in each day. How amazing does that sound? Don’t we all want goodness in our lives every day?

How do we embrace each day as an opportunity to for wellbeing, life, and goodness? 

Learning from the Sunrise and Sunset 

Have you ever seen the sun rise over the horizon, or the sun set over the ocean? With beautiful pastel colors painting the sky like a rainbow, and the reflection on the sparkling water, sunrises and sunsets are breathtaking. 

But what’s more hopeful about sunrises and sunsets are the promises they bring. With each new sunrise, there is the promise of another bright day, another opportunity to try. 

With each new sunset, there is the promise of closure, of rest, of reflection. It also promises that the sun will rise tomorrow. 

Each day is a gift full of promises, and when we recognize our life as a gift, it changes everything. 

We want to do more, be more, and see more. Our desires turn to serving others and becoming a force of good in the world.

We want every person to feel the promises of a new day for themselves.

It’s suddenly plain to see that we are not made for endings, but for beautiful beginnings. 

Each day is brand new. 

Here are more ways to live this value.

Ka lā hiki ola means to look for the positives 

Our lives are full of heartache and trials, but when we live by this saying, we look for the positives. We look for reasons to smile and rejoice. 

We rejoice for others too. Even though we all fail at times, we’re just happy to be here. 

I’m an optimist. I see the hard things in life, but I choose to focus on the good. When we focus on gratitude, the things we can control, and the goodness that happens every day in our lives, we attract more good things.

Treat each day as an opportunity to heal 

Too many people get wrapped up in the humdrum of life, stuck in old beliefs passed down from generations before, or beliefs that we created ourselves.

What if we took time each day to heal these emotional wounds? Healing takes time, but when we focus energy on it, we can free ourselves of the burdens placed on us, and that we’ve been carrying for a long time. 

For me, the promise of a new day inspires me because of Jesus Christ. Having gone through poverty, abuse, and hunger, I looked to the sun everyday in excitement because of Him. Healing didn’t come instantly, but it came. And with each new day, I began to thrive. 

This talk has really inspired me to find purpose and joy in my life because of Jesus Christ:

Finding Joy in Life

Visualize your life with the hope of ka lā hiki ola

It’s easy to think that this Hawaiian saying won’t do any good. Besides, we all know that each day is brand new. But would it change your perspective if we said that each day is a brand new opportunity for more happiness? Or more peace? Or more abundance? How does that change things? 

Take the time to visualize your “brand new day,” and get excited for it! We only have one shot at this life so let’s take advantage of the time we have here. 

Ka lā hiki ola. Each day is brand new. Every day is beautiful, inspiring, and exciting. It promises possibilities, a thriving life, and more. 

So let’s go live! 

With joy and aloha, 

Leialoha 

A similar value to ka lā hiki ola is ho’ohana, which is the value of doing meaningful work. Ho’ohana helps us find purpose in our everyday lives. After reading through this, consider reviewing ho’ohana to help you look forward to each new day, in addition to the value of ka lā hiki ola.

Let’s hear from you!

What helps you look forward to each new day of life? Let me know in the comments below!

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