Over the next week, I’ll be sharing my personal mindset principles and practices that have increased not only my bank account but my faith in what’s possible while also reducing anxiety, stress and fear of the unknown. I perform these three practices daily and over the last year have noticed considerable changes in my personal and professional lives.
I’ve overcome heartache, relationship worries, business stress, personal pitfalls, and reached new levels of financial success all from these three practices! I kid you not when I say that they have transformed my life and my hope is that they can do the same for you.
The First Mindset Principle is a Simple Thank You
I’ve written before about how a gratitude practice has changed my life for the better, yet I can’t say enough how much this practice has transformed my inner dialogue. Stress, heartache and unhappiness plagued me this past year and it wasn’t until I took Bob Proctor’s advice to heart that I noticed the emotional pay-off.
The thing about gratitude is that it is so simple! The power of our thoughts – and where we put our attention – is a game changer for both personal and professional success. If you are struggling to find a silver lining, then gratitude is where you need to start.
This practice sets the foundation for the next two steps in my mindset practice. Without this daily action of giving gratitude you cannot successfully fulfill the next two steps. Each small action is a stepping stone for the next!
Abundance vs. Lack
The most simple explanation for why a gratitude practice works is because it helps direct your attention to the abundance in your life instead of what’s lacking.
The problem for most of us lies in being present with feeling good for what we already have (or sometimes what we don’t even have yet!) instead of focusing on what’s missing. This attention to what’s already available to us fosters feelings of abundance, gratitude and joy. When we focus on what’s missing we experience the opposite emotions: discouragement, fear, anxiety and sometimes overwhelm.
When we focus on what is missing we often want to give up before we even begin. Focusing on what we already have – no matter how small – is an example of just how powerful our thoughts and emotions are!
How To Create Your Own Gratitude Practice
This practice takes less than 10 minutes and should be done everyday. Aim for 10 items on your list and if you get stuck, think simple!
Step 1: Write in present tense
What’s most important is to write in the present tense. Even if you don’t already have what you desire (which I’ll cover below), you’ll still want to write as if you already have it. For example, “I am so grateful for my workout today…” or “I am eternally thankful for the fresh, clean water I am drinking right now…”
Step 2: Follow up with your why
Once you’ve established what you are grateful for make sure you include why you are thankful. You want to attach meaning to what it is that you feel so grateful for two reasons: 1) to root into the feelings associated with whatever is on your list and 2) to foster more of those feel-good feelings in the future. Using the examples above, “I am so grateful for my workout today because I have full use of my amazing body that does so much for me daily,” or “I am eternally thankful for the fresh, clean water I am drinking right now because it keeps me hydrated and healthy.”
Step 3: Get specific
When writing your list, you want to avoid anything too general such as “good health” or “good job.” Get very specific about what you are grateful for, down to the last detail. This creates clarity and allows you to find a multitude of things to be grateful for.
Step 4: Use your imagination
Your gratitude practice should be rooted in what you already have, but there’s no reason to exclude what you desire as well. In fact, I knew a client who wanted to reach a certain professional rank within a short time period. She would wake up every day and really feel into the gratitude she had for making the rank, though she hadn’t reached it yet. Low and behold, she succeeded a few weeks later! Including and envisioning what you are grateful for, even if you haven’t received it yet, puts you in the feeling place that makes your dreams a possibility!
Your turn: what 10 things are you grateful for? Using the steps above, share your gratitude list below!
