When you first got up this morning, how did you start your day?
Did you mumble something about having to get up and go to work, or about having to take care of the kids ? Did you mentally start to list all of the things you didn’t want to do, or dreaded having to do today?
Did you immediately focus on the latest negative news?
Come on… be honest with yourself. Where did you choose to let your mind take you? Would you classify your thoughts this morning (and most mornings) as positive and optimistic, or are they negative and pessimistic?
Are you even aware of how you mentally started your day?
What impact do you think your thoughts have on the kind of day you are going to have, and ultimately on your happiness and success?
The simple truth is, we always move toward our current dominant thoughts. How we start our day has a huge impact on how the rest of our day is going to be.
Imagine that when you first wake up, you are presented with a menu for the day. On one side of the menu there is a BIG smiley face and the words, “GREAT DAY“. On the other side of the menu is a sad face with the words “BAD DAY”.
What choice would you make? What choice do you make?
Pause and think about how much better your day would be if, when you woke up, your thoughts were about how grateful you are for another day. Or take a deep breath and reflect on all of the wonderful things you do have in your life (an attitude of gratitude).
Fake It Until You Make It
So what do you do if you don’t feel all that excited about another day, and all you can think about are all the challenges you have, or are going to have throughout the day?
You should realize that dwelling on the negative is not going to make things better. As a matter of fact, it is only going to make things worse.
Instead, you need to be aware of your negative thoughts and attitude, and literally say, “Cancel.” Then, immediately replace those negative thoughts with positive, empowering thoughts and affirmations on how you want your day and life to be.
Peter McCormick wrote in his best selling book, “Do It”, the following paragraph that I believe sums this all up in a very direct and simple way. He wrote:
“Our lives are a combination of good and bad; positive and negative. It is the best of times, and it is the worst of times; all the time. When we choose to focus on the good that is already present, our lives get better. If not, they don’t. Either way, life goes on.”
Bottom line… The “choice” is yours!
Remember… every day is a gift, and the quality of your life is your gift to yourself.