The late, great Michael Jackson once said, “if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself then make a change.” Regardless of who you are,
I used to roll out of bed sometimes dreading the day ahead at my dead end job. I was tired, and it wasn’t just because it was 5am! I was tired of being overworked with no reward. Tired of dealing with the same bullshit on the daily. Tired of my spirit dying. As I wiped my eyes, I was faced with a list of 30 reminders I wrote down to ensure I had a positive day. Despite all of my shortcomings, I read aloud…
- SMILE
- Think positive thoughts
- Avoid unhealthy debates/arguments
- Remain judgment-free
- Forgive, forget (don’t dwell on the bad, see the lesson learned and move on)
- Plant your seeds and focus on them (ideas/business)
- Take yourself seriously; believe in your vision
- Remember that you know nothing
- Stick to your word
- Stay humble
- Control your emotions and anger
- Read
- THINK before speaking
- Make mistakes, but learn from them
- Create
- Write in a journal
- Break a sweat
- Pray and/or meditate
- Conscious eating & drinking (lots of water)
- Aim to UNDERSTAND
- Have a filter (respect)
- Practice what you preach
- Let your actions speak for you
- Ignore fear
- Examine EVERYTHING
- Wait your turn to speak
- Preach what you practice
- STAY ORGANIZED
- Take care of the environment that you live in
- Remember that no one is better than YOU!
After I read my list aloud, the negative energy running through my body was replaced with positive expectations for myself. Suddenly, it didn’t matter that I kept getting passed up for a promotion because I realized that the right opportunity was waiting for me and would come in due time. I spend time after work making sure I do things that would get me closer to my goals and make me the person I strive to be. Even when I forget to act on a few, my conscious speaks to me and replays the crackly voice I had when I read the reminders aloud that morning.
Customize, recite, and make the list yours. I challenge you to come up with 30, 50 or however many reminders you need. Tape it somewhere that you’ll see it and assure yourself that nothing will stop you from being the positive person you want to be! Let your list be the first and last thing you read EVERYDAY. Let me know how the list helped you take your positivity back in the comments below!
Shauna Respass is a Life in a Pile contributor who believes in “giving the people what they need and uplifting [them] while chasing dreams.”
