Love Life by George Tolentino Gabriel [SAMPLE]

WIN YOUR MORNINGS

SAY “PINK ELEPHANT” 10 TIMES OUT LOUD. GO.

(Finished?)

What are you thinking of? My guess is a pink elephant.

I’ve got a secret for you. One that I couldn’t share for the longest time...

I used to be very unhappy.

Every time someone would ask me how I was doing, my standard reply would be, “I’m stressed.”

But not anymore.

Today, at any time, no matter what I’m going through, if you ask me how I am, my immediate response will be, “I’m awesome. I’m great. Life is wonderful.”

Why the sudden change?

Focus.

I used to be so caught up in what wasn’t going right. I focused on the negative. And the more I confessed it, the more I said it out loud and heard myself say it, the more I focused on it.

Because your mind focuses on what you say to yourself.

Just like the pink elephant.

And what you focus on grows.

Ever since I learned to confess my blessings in the morning, my days have turned around.

Some things I say to myself over and over every day:

Thank You, God, for this morning.

What a beautiful day.

I have a great family.

I have awesome friends.

Thank You, Lord, for food on the table.

I love my work.

I’m creative.

I am valuable to my company.

I have great experiences.

I have lots to share.

I’m being used for God’s good work.

I love blessing people.

I love to learn.

I love God.

God loves me.

I’m His child.

Life is absolutely wonderful.

And because I’ve gotten into this habit, even if I’m overloaded with work and have a gazillion things to do, I’m still able to say, “I’m awesome! Life is great!”

In the end, I realized that stress is a decision. I can be overwhelmed and overworked, but it’s up to me to choose to be stressed or not.

The mind can only focus on so much. As I fill my thoughts with good things, I focus less and less on the negative. It doesn’t mean I blind myself to the work that has to be done. Neither do I pretend that nothing is going wrong. But since I’m so caught up in the great things around me, I’m more fired up and positive, so when I have to deal with the not-so-great stuff, I don’t have to be stressed out.

Try it out.

Tomorrow, when you wake up, enumerate five blessings out loud. Let yourself hear it. Say them over and over again a couple of times.

The next day, add a few more. Then let the list run on without even thinking of a limit.

Do this every morning.

And smile throughout your day.