Why Wake Up with Modeh Ani

The ability to wake up "on the right side of the bed" is important because doing so properly affects the rhythm and mood for the rest of the day.  There are certain ways of going about this secularly.  I would like to approach this from a Jewish standpoint.

Upon waking up, a Jew is supposed to say the following:

 מודה אני לפניך מלך חי וקים שהחזרת בי נשמתי בחמלה, רבה אמונתך.

I offer thanks before You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great.

Why start off the morning by saying the Modeh Ani?  How does this help Jews "wake up on the right side of the bed?"


The more obvious answer is that you start off your day with a sense of gratitude.  Jewish tradition (Talmud, Menachot 43b) teaches us to say a hundred blessings a day.  The reason for this important practice is so that all we can see in our lives is blessing.  


I would like to take this step further.  In the Modeh Ani, we thank G-d for giving us another day.  Life itself is a gift.  This blessing makes us aware of that fact.  However, it begs a question: what is life?  


Human beings are different from other animals.  Our needs transcend the provision of basic physical needs.  We have free will, and we are to act upon that free will in order to bring goodness to the world.  


That becomes the raison d'être: opportunities in which we can perform good deeds.  This short, but powerful blessing reminds us that we should show appreciativeness to have another chance to make this world a better place.  


Give it a try.  I dare you.  It takes about five seconds to say, and you have nowhere else to be as you're waking up.  By saying the Modeh Ani, you get to spiritually wake up on the right side of the bed by reminding yourself who you are and what your purpose in life is.

10-23-2014 Addendum: I just came across this in-depth analysis of the Modeh Ani blessing, and it was too awesome not to share.