When we count the Omer, we say, היום יום ... לעומר, "Today is day... of the Omer." There is an important message in these words. It tells us to focus on "today." Tell yourself, "I want to make today good."
People feel overwhelmed when they think about improvement. The task seems too hard, almost impossible. But you can be good for one day. That seems feasible. You think you can't change for always, but you can be good for one day. Focus on today, and tomorrow, you will focus on that day. Take one day at a time, and you will see that it is possible to change.
For example, if you want to overcome anger, it is probably useless to tell yourself, "I will never become angry again." If you try that approach, you will probably become angry one day, and you will despair and not try again. Instead, tell yourself, "I won't become angry today." That is a kabbalah you might be able to keep. The next day, repeat your success. And in this manner, you will improve, one day at a time.
The same is true of tefillah. If you tell yourself, "From now on, I will always daven with kavanah," it seems overwhelming, and you won't be able to daven well, even for one day. Instead, tell yourself, "I will daven with kavanah today." This is a smaller undertaking, and your chances of success are much better. Tomorrow, tell yourself the same. Step by step, you will improve your ways.
It states (Vayikra 14:2) “ביום טהרתו,” "on the day of his purification." The Divrei Shmuel zt'l explains that if your focus is ביום, today, you will be able to improve your ways and attain purity. He writes, "Don't think about the aveiros of your past [which will cause you to lose hope], and don't think about what will be in the future [which will overwhelm you]. Focus on today. "Today, I can make a nachas ruach for Hashem with Torah and mitzvos." Focus on this day alone, and you will become tahor.
The Gemara (Sanhedrin 98) tells that Yehoshua ben Levi once found Eliyahu HaNavi standing at the entrance to Reb Shimon bar Yochai's cave. Yehoshua ben Levi asked him, "When will Moshiach come?" Eliyahu replied, "Ask Moshiach himself." Yehoshua ben Levi went to Moshiach (Eliyahu told him where to find him) and asked Moshiach, “אימתי קאתי מר,” "When will you come, sir?" Moshiach replied, “היום," - “Today." Yehoshua ben Levi returned to Eliyahu and said, "Moshiach lied to me. He said he would come today, but he didn't." Eliyahu explained, "Moshiach meant (Tehillim 95:7) “היום אם בקולו תשמעו,” “Today, if you will listen to His voice." Moshiach will come today if we will listen to Hashem's voice.
