Gratitude doesn’t start with a relationship, a vacation, a job, or money. It starts with your thinking and what you tell yourself daily.
The best lessons we learn in life are the lessons we learn over and over again.
The human mind needs lots of reminders — lots of practice — to operate effectively.
For example, deep down we know it’s OK to…
- Say “no”
- Speak up
- Tell the truth
- Believe differently
- Change our mind
- Prioritize our needs
- Learn from our mistakes
- Embrace our imperfections
- Forgive and seek forgiveness
- Begin again, with grace and gratitude
Yet, we often do the exact opposite when life gets stressful and we’re under pressure.
We do the wrong things even when we know better.
Because the human mind has weaknesses. It becomes forgetful and insensible when it’s stressed. And the only way to conquer these weaknesses is to practice conquering them. Yes, the mind is like a muscle, and just like every muscle in the human body it needs to be exercised to gain and maintain strength. It needs to be trained daily to grow and develop gradually over time.
The easiest strategy to practice strengthening the mind?
Empowering Reminders & Quotes on Sticky Notes
It’s all about keeping the right thoughts front and center every day, so they’re readily available in those moments when you need them most. For Marc and me, that means pausing as often as necessary and reflecting on precisely what we need to remember. To make this practice seamless we write ourselves important reminders on sticky notes, like the ones digitally represented below, and then we put them up where we can quickly see and read them throughout the day (most of my sticky notes are up on the wall in my home office, and then I have a couple on my bathroom mirror and refrigerator too).
These sticky notes keep us on track by keeping our minds empowered with the right perspective. Through this daily practice Marc and I have ultimately learned that while you can’t always control your outer world, you can always choose to fill your inner world with strength, faith, gratitude, and love.
And I’m sure you’ve learned something similar over the years from your own life experiences. But just like us, you often forget. Which is precisely why we have our sticky notes up where we can see them. 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. Whenever you catch yourself feeling overwhelmed, ungrateful, or off-center throughout the day, pause for a moment and quietly read them to yourself. See how doing so gradually changes the way you respond to life…
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(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”.)
You can use different forms of visual notes too.
Written sticky notes like the ones we’re encouraging you to create are powerful, but they merely scratch the surface of possibilities for beneficial visual reminders. For instance, my phone, tablet, and laptop all have their backgrounds set to photos of my family, both because I love looking at them and because, when work gets really tough, these photos remind me of the people I am ultimately working for and the fact that I am grateful to have them in my life. It’s simple but it helps (you could even set one of the sticky note images above as your background).
I also know dozens of other people who successfully use similar visual reminders on a daily basis. A coaching client of ours who has paid off over $100K of debt in the past five years has a copy of her credit card balance taped to her work computer’s monitor; it serves as a daily reminder of both the progress she is grateful to have made, and debt she still wants to pay off. Another one keeps a photo of herself when she was 90 pounds heavier on her refrigerator as a reminder of the unhealthy lifestyle she never wants to go back to, and the gratitude she has the changes she has made in her life.
Think of moments when you are most likely to give in to impulses that keep you stuck or take you farther away from your best intentions. Then use written sticky notes and empowering visual reminders to interrupt those negative impulses, so you can keep yourself on track in a positive state of mind.
Now, it’s your turn…
Yes, it’s your turn to get some empowering notes up on your walls, so you can empower yourself with a little extra inner strength and gratitude when you need it most. But before you go, please leave Marc 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.
Sharon Hill says
You’ve reminded me that sticky notes are great to bring positive thoughts to mind. It’s time to be grateful for so much that we take for granted! Great idea!!
Sabine says
Nr.5!! Live saver 🙂
Sha says
I used to do the same thing with index cards (a habit I learned from Norman Vincent Peale). Your post here was a fine reminder to get me back on track. Thank you!
Priscilla Obeng says
Your notes are really encouraging
number nine hits home
Thanks for the good work
Keep it up
Susan says
It seems to me so much wisdom circles back to the Prayer of Serenity. I got caught up in a misunderstanding of “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change” and kept “waiting” for the serenity/peace to come over me before I took action. I finally had enough and decided I needed to push through and “accept the things I could not change.” And that’s when I finally had peace.
rk says
I hadn’t received one of these in a while and/or I hadn’t opened the emails to read fully in a while. Today, I opened it and several of these notes, especially #9 hit the mark! My mind was stuck in the gutter this morning, but a little perspective and gratitude goes a long way. Thanks for all the wisdom you share!
Linda says
Hi, same here! I sent my daughter #9 of the sticky notes and commented “every step is necessary” as the important note to ourselves. I never thought of it that way, but it sure is important to move forward
Marianne says
How timely! I just finished a text to a friend about using sticky notes as one of the tools to sell her house and stay vigilant in her positive thinking. Florida to NY state! Visualize it fellow manifesters. 🙂 Thanks.
William says
I have found so much inspiration from your emails. I am hoping to be in one of your live events in in the future too. As a pastor, I may request permission to use your materials in our church. I will email you about this.
Ps. William (South Africa)
Diana says
I started changing my life with “sticky notes” when I visited a friend who was going through some bad times. She had them plastered on mirrors, walls, the bathroom, etc. It helped her and soon she had me collecting quotes, notes, etc. It would be nice if you two wonderful people could have a product line (like the old page a day calendars or daily diaries, or t-shirts) that had your quotes that we could cut out or save. I am constantly receiving such great benefits from all your positive and inspiring advice. Just a thought. Keep up the good work.
Sharon C says
I love these sticky note ideas. I’m gonna make one and get it up right now. The first one really hits home with me today. Thank you for sharing.
D says
M&A, your teachings continue to help me find hope and direction as I navigate some very tough transitions right now.
The advice here is a solid reinforcement for me, because lately, based on Angel’s recommendation via your course awhile back, I’ve been pretty much doing exactly this–I read a part of one of your emails, posts, or a page of your 1,000 Little Things or 1,000 Habits books almost every day before I leave my home in the morning. This daily ritual keeps so many things in perspective and creates a sense of subtle awareness that somehow encourages me to face the tough parts of my life more effectively. As you’ve said, the right thoughts are sitting closer to the top of my mind these days. Thanks for continuing to be a light in my life.
Kim says
Thank you both so much for your inspiring emails. They are such a wonderfully positive start to my day and constantly remind me of the direction and mindset I need to tackle the road blocks ahead.
Kathleen Wiggins says
I really enjoyed your Sticky Note message today. Each one spoke to different areas of my journey.
All of will bring value and help me through my various challenges with family, health, and spiritual growth this season.
Thank you for sharing your insights and what God has entrusted in your care.
Richard F. says
Thank you again for your inspiring and helpful thoughts. No. 3 is very important today when there is so much negative around in the world. thank you.
JooChing Chng says
Hi Marc & Angel,
Thanks for the “Sticky Notes” encouragements and reminders. Without saying too much they are packed with dynamite to help us out along each day. Thanks for letting me copy so I could send short note to encourage someone everyday.
JooChing
Sue says
Thank you – I nearly missed this email – so glad I found it…
I like #8
But then they are all excellent and relevant – so thankful for them..
All good wishes to everyone…
Sue says
Thank you – I nearly missed this email – so glad I found it…
I like #8
But then they are all excellent and relevant – so thankful for them..
All good wishes to everyone…
Terenna says
Great idea and very much needed! Each one is an answer to where I am right now in my life.
Vandyman99 says
My sticky note this week is to “Close the gap.” The gap is that space between the current iteration of me and “me prime,” the best iteration of me in the moments that comprise today. “Me prime” is not perfection, just a goal to be better today professionally, emotionally, physically, and financially. It’s not reasonable to be perfect. It is reasonable to close the gap, even a little.
Jay says
I had not made the time to see the last to articles you had written till today as my turkey cooks for thanksgiving, life has been full of horrible surprises lately in the past months and I could hardly keep my head above water. I felt like I was dying. This is the second article I read immediately after reading the one before. I can’t thank you enough for your words and ideas. There’s not much I’m holding onto at this point in my life and its part of what I do have. Thank you again, perfect to read on Thanksgiving day when trying to remind myself of what there is to still be thankful for.
Mikel O'Leary says
I work with men at a residential/ detox center who are involved in the legal system. It is difficult to get them to embrace their “good”, to understand the power and grace of gratitude. I try to come up with different ways for them to see the good in themselves. One technique I use is:
I Am______
I Can______
I Will______
This is a mind-blowing exercise. I have guys who come up to me in tears when they have done this practice for a bit and they reveal how it’s changing their life. I know that practicing gratitude can make a huge difference in life- having my own daily practice of being grateful has saved my own life. I was deep in addiction for a long time. One of the things that got me sober was having a daily practice of gratitude. It’s worked for me as I have over 17 years of sobriety. LOVE THIS POST! Thanks!!!