Where you ultimately end up is greatly dependent on your daily attitude and response.
This morning one of our clients, Monica — a recovering victim 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… 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 as we move through the final stretch of the year, so we can begin to build momentum, together, as we head into the New Year 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 for the rest of the year and beyond. 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 as we transition from this year into the next…
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10.
(Note: Most of the sticky notes and quotes above are included in our newest publication with Penguin Random House, “The Good Morning Journal: Powerful Prompts & Reflections to Start Every Day”.)
Let’s make the best of the rest of the year.
We often yearn for a very small and selective range of life experiences, especially toward the end of the year — the fun times, the happy holidays, 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. For the rest of the year, 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 year, 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.
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, and happy holidays.
CSNandakumar says
Wonderful thoughts. In this time of chaos and procrastination tendencies it makes immense sense to take charge of oneself to recharge and rejuvenate. Most important accept life on a truly positive note. Happy Yuletide and Great Healthy 2024?
LEROY FULLER says
This article impacts me in many ways – especially being focused on what I can control rather than craving things I can’t. Thanks, I’ll continue reading your posts.
J. Leve says
Such a great read all the way through to reinforce the positive possibilities for the end of the year and the year ahead. I sincerely love how your reminder #1 wraps back around perfectly to reminder #10, at least for me. Those are my two favorite, but the reminders in between certainly round them out.
Thank you for your emails, book, and your live events. What you two share continuously helps me grow! Also, I attended your Think Live Better conference in Orlando last year, and I just bought a digital ticket/recording to that event for my wife and me to get a little needed refresher. It’s helped with some key perspective shifts in our lives. Cheers!
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 end the year better than it began.
Thanks for all you effort helping folks, like me, to make adjustments.
Susan says
Ur wonderful n ur still learning. Saying that is so powerful to me as I’m 67 yrs old n still learning so much everyday of my life n only hope to continue to grow .” Knowledge is Power ” I believe that in most occurrences in life. I could go on n on but have lots to do! Harold u inspired me n wishing u a Happy n Merry Holiday season. Most important is Good Health #1.. keep learning,
Susan
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! Happy holidays to all.
Moitheri Peter says
Thank you so much for your inspiring email and post today. 1 and 7 talked to me the most.
I must focus, as dwelling too much in my misfortune is taking me nowhere, and I end up neglecting people who love n care for me.
I will be reading this daily to strengthen my mind .
Marc n Angel you are the best
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!” And I’m looking forward to a better year this year.
Maggie says
Dear Marc and Angel and all commenters
Thank you all. I love all of you and you all help me by being positive and resilient and not giving up. I’m 60 and this is a new start for me as I just stopped working a few months ago and need to find new ways to make my life meaningful and satisfying. I feel positive today after reading this article and the comments. I particularly loved hearing from the 83 year old man above who lost his beloved wife. If you are reading, you inspired me by your openness to life and your willingness to accept that you are still learning. I want to be like that at 83.
Love and blessings
Diane says
Sticky note #4 speaks to me. I’ve been on a major purge project for over a year and a half to eventually downsize and there is lots more to go through so sometimes I get overwhelmed when I look at all what’s left to do.
Thank you! Your whole article has been very helpful!!
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 chose you. You are responsible for your own self worth and fulfilling your own needs. No one else can complete you but you. Do what makes you happy everyday and attract the love and light you want into your life!
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.
Thank you so much for your emails – I read them all and send you my very best wishes.
Greg Claxton says
I like this idea and will implement them.
It will help me a lot to get into the right mind set for each day in the upcoming year.
Lynda says
I enjoyed all of the sticky notes but I especially like #7. Your emails and books have been very uplifting and I’m looking forward to purchasing your newest book.
john says
Great article- the two that I love are the one about patience – yes, it is a virtue (and also one of the spiritual fruits that the apostle Paul mentions in his letter to the Galatians) and of course, self-care is always important especially at this time of year.
May you have a blessed holiday season and prosperous 2024.
Moonapa says
I love the first sticky note the most!
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, but I am hopeful next year it will be well and better.
God bless you.
Saurabh says
That was good.