How did your day start? Did you pop up with an eagerness or drag yourself out of bed with a groan? The key is to understand the start of your day has everything to do with having a positive or stressful one.
Consider this quote from the Dalai Lama: "Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." *
From the Self Improvement Daily's podcast,** the idea that 'one positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.' ** In essence, it acts as a mental anchor, releasing neurotransmitters like serotonin that help reduce stress and prime your brain to handle whatever challenges come your way.
Try This: Try A Positive Thought to Start Every Morning
The key is to try to make the simple shift in focus first thing in the morning, because it can completely alter the momentum of your day. Here are a few ideas to help you harness positive energy:
- Start with Gratitude: Before checking your phone, think of one thing you are grateful for.
- Reframe Challenges: When an obstacle appears, mentally swap out "I have to deal with this" for "I have the opportunity to solve this."
- Set an Intention: Choose a single word (e.g., calm, focus, or kindness) to guide your actions. I'm using "Magic" for my Word of the Year, so that’s a good one for me!
When doing these simple exercises, I love how a positive thought that takes only seconds can set up my entire day to be more upbeat. Hope it helps your day be filled with more smiles.
* Dalai Lama, azquotes.com/quote/670543
** Self Improvement Daily, https://www.selfimprovementdailytips.com/podcast/one-small-positive-thought-in-the-morning-can-change-your-whole-day