Think a little less about managing your problems and a little more about managing your mindset.
Remind yourself that inner peace and progress are both built through tiny recurring victories. It’s the seemingly inconsequential choices we make day to day that either break us or make us whole in the long run. Yes, the fulfillment of our lives ultimately depends on the quality of our daily thoughts and actions.
So as we move toward (and through) the impending New Year, challenge yourself…
1. When a new day begins, challenge yourself to smile genuinely and gratefully.
2. When you don’t get what you want, challenge yourself to appreciate that there are lots of people in this world who will never have what you have right now.
3. When you catch yourself thinking the grass is greener on the other side, challenge yourself to water the grass you’re standing on.
4. When you absolutely can’t control what’s happening to you, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening (in your response is your power).
5. When there seems to be little hope, challenge yourself to find some.
6. When you catch yourself overthinking things, challenge yourself to take a tiny step forward instead.
7. When you are completely uncertain about what the future will bring, challenge yourself to make the best and most positive use of the present.
8. When you have two really good options to choose from, challenge yourself to go with the one that scares you the most, because that’s likely the one that’s going to help you grow.
9. When you are going to do something — anything at all — challenge yourself to do it with your whole heart and soul.
10. When there are lots of excuses for why you can’t get it done, challenge yourself to focus on all the tiny reasons why you must make it happen.
11. When you find yourself wishing for instant gratification, challenge yourself to admit that if you could have it instantly, it would likely not be worth having (for the real value of accomplishment is in the accomplishing).
12. When mistakes are made, challenge yourself to learn from them, laugh about them, and move on.
13. When you find yourself trying to control too much, and thus enjoying too little, challenge yourself to let go and appreciate what is. (Read “Loving What Is”.)
14. When there is needless drama and negativity surrounding you, challenge yourself to walk the other way.
15. When your own negativity tries to break through, challenge yourself to recall that you are in control of the way you look at life, and then try to use your frustrations as fuel to motivate you rather than annoy you.
16. When you find yourself running in place attempting to fix and fight the past, challenge yourself to build and grow something new.
17. When doing the wrong thing is easier, challenge yourself to do the right thing, even if no one else will know (because YOU will know).
18. When everything seems confusing and chaotic, challenge yourself to take a step back so you can see things clearly again.
19. When you meet someone new, challenge yourself to be patient with them, to pay attention to them, and to remember that everyone you meet has something important to teach you.
20. When you don’t like someone, challenge yourself to identify an insecurity within yourself that they are triggering.
21. When a negative situation gets emotional, take a deep breath and challenge yourself to remember that inner peace begins the moment you decide not to let another person or event control your emotions.
22. When someone you meet is lost, challenge yourself to help them find their way.
23. When a friend falls down, challenge yourself to be the first to extend a hand.
24. When a day has come to an end, challenge yourself to appreciate that you have done your very best. (Angel and I discuss this in more detail in the Inspiration chapter of “1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently”.)
Now, it’s your turn…
Yes, it’s your turn to breathe deep, to be present, and to remind yourself that every day is a series of a million tiny miracles. So just keep doing your best to see them today, and every day for the rest of the year. See how inner strength and peace come with letting go of what you assume your journey is supposed to be like, and sincerely accepting and appreciating it for everything that it is.
But before you go, please leave Angel and me a comment below and let us know what you think of this post. Your feedback is important to us.
Which one of the points above resonated the most today?
Also, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to sign-up for our free newsletter to receive new articles like this in your inbox each week in the New Year.
Happy Holidays and an early New Year to you and yours. 🙂
