"The successful person is the individual who forms the habit of doing what the failing person doesn't like to do" -- Donald Riggs
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"The successful person is the individual who forms the habit of doing what the failing person doesn't like to do" -- Donald Riggs |
         
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Alive & Well ArchivesJanuary 2004**************************************************** TODAY'S QUOTE: “Before
everything else, getting ready is the secret of success.” **************************************************** TODAY'S TOPIC: Start Your Day Off Right How
do you start your day? We
all have rituals we go through in the morning.
For some, that ritual is hearing the alarm, hitting snooze many times and
finally getting up. The ritual
continues by eating breakfast and maybe drinking some coffee while complaining
about having to go to work. Then
most people get in their cars and sit in traffic.
Does this sound familiar to you? What
you do in the morning has the ability to set the tone for your whole day.
With some simple rituals, you can ensure you have an outstanding day or
at least start off your day feeling empowered.
In only a few minutes, you can prepare yourself to take on the day and
drive yourself toward your goals. Let
me give you an example. My 13-year
old nephew is a typical teenager. He
is not a happy camper when he has to get up for school.
He stumbles around a bit and stares into space as he tries to get ready.
But before he walks out the door, he uses a morning ritual to empower
himself quickly. On his wall, he
has a sign with affirmations that make him feel very powerful and unstoppable.
He plays music that inspires him as he stands in front of his sign.
He yells out his affirmations and uses his entire body to move and get
pumped up. I
asked him how this ritual makes him feel. He
said he can take on anything after he does this ritual.
He is ready to take on the day! This
ritual takes only 2 ˝ minutes, but it’s so strong that he is ready for
whatever he might face throughout the day in school.
Not only does the ritual affect his ability to take on the day, it also
affects how he interacts with his classmates.
On the days when he does his ritual, his interactions go smoothly.
On the rare occasion that he misses his ritual, he finds there are more
“misunderstandings” with his classmates.
I
have a ritual too. I start the day
at the gym. While I exercise, I
first think of everything I’m grateful for that day.
This immediately shifts my focus to how grateful I am for my life, even
when things are tough. This reminds
me I have a lot going for me in life, and I am blessed.
After
thinking about my gratitude list, I set my intention for the day.
Some days, my intention is to generate new coaching business.
Other days, my intention may be on preparing a workshop or delivering a
speech. Some days, I intend to
focus on a feeling. For example,
one day I set the intention to be patient.
Throughout the day, many things happened that could have easily tried my
patience. But I had set the
intention to be patient, so I stayed patient throughout the day.
Regardless of what it is, my intention sets my focus for the day. After
I set my intention for the day, I say affirmations while I exercise.
I say each one over and over and really feel it in my body.
You
see, I direct the focus for my day right from the start.
Before anything can go right or wrong, I put myself in an empowered,
blessed space. That makes me much
more excited and ready to take on the day.
Some days, I even add music to the ritual to get pumped up and excited. My
ritual takes a while, because I spend a lot of time on each element.
However, most rituals can be done in just a few minutes.
For example, I have a client who writes down her goals for the day every
morning. This sets her intention
for the day, and she has achieved her goals.
I have another client who meditates in the morning.
This, too, sets the tone for the day.
She starts the day off feeling calm, relaxed and at peace, and it
doesn’t take a lot of time. How
about you? What is your morning
ritual? Do you set the tone of your
day by empowering yourself? Or do
you hit the snooze button repeatedly and stumble your way to work?
If you aren’t starting out empowered, here are some suggestions for
you. Try any one of these and see
how your days change. Of course,
feel free to try them all: ***
Set an intention for the day. Decide
what is most important for you to focus on that day. ***
In your mind, list everything you’re grateful for in life and what excites
you. Think of the people you love
and the people who love you. What
can you be happy about that day? ***
Meditate. Take a few minutes to
breathe deeply and go inside to feel rejuvenated and at peace. ***
Say affirmations that empower you and excite you to take on the day and whatever
you want to accomplish. ***
Write your goals. This gets your
brain to unconsciously figure out ways to achieve them. ***
Read and say new empowering beliefs. You
can even do this in the car. ***
Exercise. Exercising is a fantastic
way to start your day and get the energy flowing. ***
Listen to music that inspires you or calms you. Go ahead. Give it a try and watch your life transform. By adding only a few minutes to your morning ritual, you can accomplish what you desire. ***************************************************** Coaching Challenge ***************************************************** Pick
a morning ritual and start your day off in an empowered and powerful way! |