Do you ever wake up just knowing it is going to be a good day? I do a lot of the times. And then sometimes I wake up on the "wrong side of the bed," stomp downstairs, snarl at the coffee-maker and glare resentfully at the squawking and yapping fur-ball at my feet who wants me to know that it is time for her breakfast and I'm not moving fast enough. On these kinds of mornings I have a choice. I can be frustrated and annoyed for the rest of the day with my knickers all in a twist, or I can start over fresh and watch the day unfold in a more pleasant way.
In order to do this I use the Law of Attraction that says what you dwell upon you receive. Yep, you get it. If I stay grumpy and have nasty little grumpy thoughts all morning I am going to attract less than stellar experiences for the day. But how in the heck do you start the day over if you are already grumpy, tired, sad, frustrated, (fill in the blank)?
This is how I do it. I stop myself, literally. As soon as I realize that I am heading down the path of "not happy at all," I stop myself verbally, "Stop Carol. You have a choice to have a better day. Change your thinking now." I usually don't say this out loud unless I am alone, lest those around me think I've gone loopy, but I say it out loud when I can because it is an audible anchor in my mind that says, "You are going to change your attitude and change your day."
Once I have decided that I want to have a better day I stop what I am doing for a few moments, close my eyes, and start imagining my day in the way I would like for it to unfold. And, as I imagine each good part of the day I say, verbally if possible but in my mind if not, "Thank you that I was able to finish . . . Thank you that I was able to complete all of the tasks I had planned for today with ease and grace. Thank you for . . .” And I keep thanking as if all of the good things I was imagining had already happened, and I was feeling satisfied and pleased with the results. Then I open my eyes and go about my day.
You'd be amazed at how quickly this can turn around even the yuckiest and most miserable of days. It may not have you dancing the Snoopy happy dance, but it can put you in a frame of mind that allows your day to flow much more smoothly. And the best part is that you can do it at any time, and anywhere, as soon as you recognize that things suck and you want to change them. I've started my day over in the late afternoon and even in the evening, in my car, at work, in a bathroom at a convention, wherever I could find a quiet moment to concentrate.
One tool I used frequently when I was learning this technique was an amulet I called my "happy magnet." It was really just a piece of amethyst that had a tiny bubble of water in it, but I assigned it the job of being my reminder and facilitator of redirection, ease, grace, peace, joy and laughter. It is our own energy that makes such tools work for us, our own focus and intention. So, I suggest that if you have a bit of difficulty redirecting your day that you make something, or choose some item that is special to you, to use as your own "happy magnet" amulet. Sit with it in your hands while you fill your mind with all of the most positive feelings you can, and then imagine them all flowing into the amulet to be at your disposal at any time of the day or night. Give the amulet a tight squeeze and say, "Thank You." Your amulet becomes your personal anchor to those good feelings you generated and a reminder that you can have any kind of day you choose to have.
If you want to learn more about making a personal amulet check out Chapter 6 of Crafting a Magical Life. You can keep it as simple as a stone or object that is special to you or you can get as complex and detailed with its construction as you want. The important thing is that you fill it with your most positive energy and focused intention.
