There’s Power in Performing Your Daily Ritual

One of the many benefits of spending decades immersing myself in personal development is developing my foundation of a consistent daily ritual.

I know, when I commit and follow through on the habits I’ve chosen to start each day, I set myself up for optimal productivity and exciting outcomes. So, let me share with you some of the key pieces of the routine, why they matter, and how you can adopt them too.

Gratitude

Quite simply, gratitude is a giving of thanks for anything positive in your life. Extensive research has been done on the impact of gratitude in a variety of areas in our life. Don’t overthink this step; you might be grateful for the advice a friend gave you, a new sales technique you learned in training, or even the cup of coffee you’re holding in your hand.

I like to make a list of ten things I’m grateful for each morning. If that seems overwhelming, then start with three.

Affirmations

Affirmations serve two purposes. First they help us convince ourselves of what’s possible and that we can achieve our desires. Second, they replace and/or squeeze out the negative thoughts we’ve carried in from our past. I believe so strongly in the power of affirmations that I dedicated an entire section in my book, Next Level Living: Today’s Guide for Tomorrow’s Abundant Life to them.

Here are six steps to creating powerful affirmations:

1. Stated in the present tense. Use “I am” instead of “I will.”
2. Positive. Encouraging rather than avoiding.”I enjoy maintaining my ideal weight of ###” rather than “I will lose ## pounds.”
3. Short and specific.
4. Using action words.
5. About you, not someone else. You can’t will a change onto your spouse, child, friend or colleague.
6. Open-ended and limitless. If referring to a financial amount, add “or more” on it: “I am thrilled to be earning $100,000 a year or more consistently and effortlessly.”

Motivation

Each morning, I enjoy time spent in study, whether it’s diving into my devotional or returning to a classic like Think and Grow Rich. What do you read, watch, or listen to that lifts you up or fires you up? Are there podcasts you like to plug in while out on your morning run? YouTube videos you can catch from the treadmill at the gym?

Plan on at least ten minutes of dedicated time, whatever your medium.

Intention

Set an intention for the most important items to accomplish today. In our book, “My Gratitude Journal”, we have you select one business and one personal goal each day. Last month, we talked about the power of one word, and you may have taken that on for the year.

You may also choose to take on a daily focus word. This clarity of what you want to accomplish will guide better choices throughout the day.

There are certainly other items you may include in your morning ritual, such as exercise or that beloved mug of coffee. Design your morning ritual and commit to at least 30 days of follow-through. You’ll be ecstatic with the results!

Get yourself on track with a powerful daily ritual by practicing gratitude – pick up a copy of My Gratitude Journal and commit to using it daily for 30 days!