Where you ultimately end up greatly depends on your daily attitude and response.
This morning one of our clients, Monica — a sufferer of a fairly recent and debilitating car accident — was smiling from ear to ear the minute our FaceTime coaching session began. “What has you in such good spirits today?” I asked her. “I’m thinking better about things today — about how lucky I am to be alive,” she replied. “I thought the injuries I sustained in that accident earlier this year signified the end of life as I know it, but now I realize they signify the beginning.”
All details aside, Monica decided to begin again, in her mind first and then in her life. It’s taken her several months of healing and practice, but she has gradually let go of the “shoulda, woulda, coulda” attachments in her head about her circumstances. And she has stepped forward with grace, determination, and a healthy mindset.
Let’s follow Monica’s lead and practice thinking better starting today, so we can begin to build momentum as we move forward through the rest of March, and beyond…
Morning Reminders & Quotes on Sticky Notes
It’s all about keeping the right thoughts top of mind from the get-go every day so they’re readily available in the moments when we need them most. For Monica, that has meant deliberately reflecting on what she needs to remember. To make this practice seamless she writes important reminders on sticky notes and then puts them up where she can see them first thing in the morning (a few of her sticky notes are up on the wall in her bedroom, and she has a few more on her bathroom mirror and refrigerator).
Monica’s sticky notes keep her on track by keeping her mind inspired with positive, proactive reminders, even when she’s struggling. Through this daily practice she she has ultimately learned that inner peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, chaos, or challenges to deal with; it means being in the midst of all those things and still being capable of maintaining a healthy mindset. And I’m sure you’ve learned something similar over the years from your own life experiences. I know Angel and I surely have. But just like Monica, and you, we often forget…
Which is precisely why Angel and I have sticky notes up in our house too. So my challenge to YOU is to start practicing alongside us. To get started, steal our notes and quotes below — perhaps just the ones that resonate most — and rewrite them on physical sticky notes, so you can then stick them up where you can see them. Then pause for a few moments every morning and quietly read them to yourself. See how doing so gradually changes the way you think from day to day…
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
(Note: Most of the sticky notes and quotes above are included in “The Good Morning Journal: Powerful Prompts & Reflections to Start Every Day”.)
Let’s make the best of what’s in front of us.
We often yearn for a very small and selective range of life experiences — the fun times, the happy days, the things that make us feel comfortable. And yet the full range of our daily reality is often quite different. Life gives us an extensive array of experiences that evoke feelings ranging from sadness to uncertainty to frustration to curiosity to nervousness… to happiness to excitement and more. These feelings are all part of being alive.
So we can revolt against the wide-ranging experiences life naturally provides, or we can make the very best of them. Starting today, let’s do the latter…
This means embracing every moment with our full presence, being open and vulnerable to reality, being gentle with ourselves when times are tough, and practicing sincere gratitude whenever possible.
It means accepting life as it is, and accepting ourselves as we are.
It means not expecting the best to happen every time, but instead accepting whatever happens, and making the very best of it one step at a time.
And it won’t always be easy of course, but it’s worth working on.
YOU are worth working on, starting first thing every morning for the rest of the month, and beyond.
Now it’s your turn…
Yes, it’s your turn to get some inspiring sticky notes up on your walls. 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 sticky note or idea above resonates with you the most today?
Finally, 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.
Paul Murphy says
Number 3 all day long. You can in no way shape or form perfect control over how you feel when something unexpected happens to you. But you absolutely can learn how to react more effectively—that reaction is totally a choice. It’s not an easy skill to learn of course but once the realisation sets in that you can indeed choose a response then at that very moment you acquire a hugely powerful ability and your quality of life will begin to improve considerably. Great short reminders!
Laura says
So many. Life is a challenge right now and will be until it’s not. Thank you. I am grateful to have come across this……..there is much more good than bad…..I am safe from war, violence, hunger…..I have shelter and potable water and a full pantry and fridge…. and sticky notes:)
Lynda says
I enjoyed all of the sticky notes but I especially like #7. Your emails and books have been very uplifting to me over the past year as I’ve dealt with the loss of a loved one.
Sabrina says
I enjoy ALL of those sticky notes too, but I also especially liked number 7. Make a mistake and people will always remember what you did wrong and they will talk about it constantly. Do something great, a good deed, safe someone’s life, help make a difference, help feed the poor, do missionary work and see how they will NOT see ALL of the wonderful things that you have done.
Susan Mary Law says
3 – Calm yourself …. I have a lot to be thankful for – and from your previous posts ‘calmness is a human superpower’, ‘don’t overthink the problem’ and ‘ being positive means overcoming the negative’ (rather than ignoring it).
Had some bad news this morning that I’m wrestling with.
Thank you so much for your emails – I read them all and send you my very best wishes.
Diane says
This was a very helpful, inspiring article, thank you for sharing. Need to read these reminders often, post it notes is a great way!
Marie says
M&A, reminder number 4 above is something I used to struggle with desperately to no end. I actually found your website about three years ago when I was stuck in a bout of continuous stress. Between stressful job responsibilities, and difficult family obligations, my tank was utterly dry. In a nutshell, I was stretching myself far too thin — I was giving all of myself to the projects and people I care about and leaving zero time to nurture my own wellness. After reading your blog posts and emails, I signed up for your back to happiness course and started coaching with you. The rituals we designed na implemented for dealing with my self-neglect and balancing my time and energy so that I’m now nurturing both myself AND others, has been a an absolute life-saver.
Although it’s been awhile since I checked in here and left a public comment, I do often read your new posts and emails when they arrive in my inbox. This one—especially number 4—was such a great reminder for me as I embark on the next step at the moment that I had to leave you another quick Thank you!
William says
Thank you so much for the articles. Very good and encouraging notes. We go through storms but not easy to control or calm them and I agree we need to calm ourselves. It is not easy but storms comes and goes. Therefore, patience is also what we need. I am going through a storm with my career and businness, but I am hopeful the weeks ahead will get better.
Bless you.
Verna says
Marc&Angel,
I resonate deeply with the positive morning reminders you’ve shared here and I will start using them tomorrow when I first wake up. But I also want you to know how much I deeply connected with the way you ended this article…the challenge to accept every life situation and experience. Gosh, I really need to hear this right now because the past couple years have left me in some tough situations. Too often I find myself avoiding situations, experiences, relationships, and realities in my life that aren’t ideal nowadays. I resist the truth far more often then I even realize, and quite honestly I think many folks I know do the same exact thing. We avoid reality rather than opening ourselves to the possibility of making the very best of it.
Anyhow, I’ve been a long-time reader of your work, and my husband and I sit down together every week and use your articles, emails and excerpts from your 1,000 Things book to reflect on our lives. This article has helped us do just that today as we press forward through the rest of the year. Thank you, yet again!
Harold Tinker says
I woke up this morning in great need of what I read. I’m 81 and realize I need to accept the fact I’m getting old. It doesn’t last forever.
After over 30 years pouring concrete and being active every day, doing very little now isn’t easy for me. I guess letting myself accept the fact that life goes on regardless if I accept it all or not.Time waits for no man. Not even me. I know the rest of my life will be what I make it. If I mess it up, I can’t blame it on anyone but myself.
God said it’s not good for man to dwell alone, but I lost a amazing wife 6 years ago so I dwell alone. Easy to feel sorry for myself. But I’m focusing forward. The start to this year was a hard one, but I can see how grew a little stronger inside – I’m still learning. I sincerely believe this, and that I can make progress in the days and weeks ahead.
Thanks for all you effort helping folks, like me, to make adjustments.
Jessica says
I resonate with number 6. You must make yourself a priority, focus on what you can control, and love your life as is. You must take care of yourself and you cannot wait for others to choose you. You are responsible for your own self worth and fulfilling your own needs 90% of the time. No one else can complete you but you. Do what brings you peace and attract the love and light you want into your life.
Ann says
I really appreciate your sharing and often find a guiding kernel of wisdom that helps me.. I am a sticky note person, and I find less verbiage works best for me as a very kinesthetic person. Here are some of my fave sticky notes:
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin” Shakespeare
“That’s right May. Let all that misery slide right off you. Just let it go” Sue Monk Kid in The Secret Life of Bees
“And when you get down to it Lily that’s the only purpose grand enough for human life, not just to love but to persist in love” Sue Monk Kid again
Wisdom begins in Wonder (source unknown)
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you (source unknown, seen on a trail sign)
“Dance to the rhythm of your delight” friend Jo Vukelich
“It is the creative potential itself in human beings that is the image if God” Mary Daly
I have many more posted at work, others may think they are clutter. I think these wisdoms shine the light.
Shine on!!
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john M Hardy says
Another fabulous article. It is not by coincidence that I just got out of my weekly mindfulness meditation group over zoom. I had something on my mind for the last week that could have been not the result I wanted but it ended up being all good. Having the meditation group and spending time with my best friend (who happens to be my neighbor) today made it all good.
Dale Ann says
I’ll put the 1st half of #3 on my classroom wall.
Dale Steele Nicolov says
Thank you so much for your continued wisdom.My family and I have had unrequited stress for the last 20 years.Your sticky notes and also comments from others have made a big difference for me this morning.Hopefully we can put this advice into practise to turn over a new leaf, an enlightened step in the right direction to letting go and get the peace ,harmony and joy back into our lives.
George says
I have just stuck a few of those on my wall