Have you ever woke up and started your day with some kind of frustration, and then everything seemed to go downhill from there? Then by late in the day, the only thing you want is for it to be over?
Have you noticed a pattern where how your day starts tends to be related to how your day goes?
It might not always be that way, but it often is. Your earliest thoughts and actions are powerful factors that influence the direction of your day.
So here’s a simple tip to increase the odds that your days will go better.
At the beginning of each day, take a pen and paper and write down at least three things that you are thankful for. More than three is better. But write down at least three things. Some examples of how you could start your sentences would be:
“I appreciate…”
“I am grateful that…”
“I am thankful for…”
Just start a sentence like this and finish it with whatever positive thing you can. Be honest with yourself and give it a minute if nothing comes to mind quickly. Eventually, you can always come up with positive things to be thankful for.
Very important point
The things you list don’t have to be big things. If you’ve been feeling particularly frustrated and you think there’s nothing positive you can come up with, then just be thankful for some basic things like…
“I appreciate that I have a place to sleep at night.”
“I am glad it’s sunny outside.”
“Thank you for a fresh new day.”
Write them down
Be sure to write them down. Don’t let it be just a quick mental thought that passes through your mind in half a second, and gone the next. Take that extra couple minutes and write them out. The fact that you are writing them down on paper dramatically increases your focus on what you are thinking. And more importantly, writing magnifies the feelings that the thoughts are producing. So be alert and observe yourself while you write. Notice whether or not your gut reaction is positive, relaxing and uplifting, or if the thought causes you to cringe or feel bad to any degree. If the latter, cross that one out and think of something else to write.
And don’t type these into a computer. Write them down by hand. We’ll discuss why writing is so beneficial in another article. But for now, just understand that writing things by hand is more impactful on your mind and inner-being than typing them into a computer.
Why do this?
This simple little technique works powerfully because no matter how you start your day, positively or negatively, those earliest activities will begin to build momentum in your day. There’s a saying, “What goes around comes around.” Whether positive or negative, good or bad, the momentum starts to build and it creates an emotional cycle upward or downward.
You may have encountered someone in the past and thought, “Boy, they sure got up on the wrong side of bed this morning.”
You can see it in others when they are radiating negative vibes into the universe. And what they’re putting out is usually coming back in one way or another. It’s karma. It’s a cycle that feeds on itself and creates a downward spiral.
You don’t want to be radiating negativity. Because it will inevitably be coming back to you.
Instead, if you start your day with feelings of gratefulness and appreciation, you are increasing the likelihood of momentum building around those positive feelings. And positive momentum is what you want coming into your daily experience.
Even if you’ve been simmering in negativity for a long time, if you do this each and every day – even though it may take a while – you will begin to feel better and notice a change in the direction in your life.
Prove it to yourself. Do this simple exercise for 60 days and enjoy the results.