Daily Practices for Maintaining a Good Attitude

I had a coaching client who became frustrated in his attempts to move forward in his life. He was spinning in place, and was beginning to feel worse and worse as his rut deepened.

My client turned to me for some helpful new information.

But I knew he needed something else entirely.

My client had done the work, he had developed insight and awareness, and he had assembled all the tools. He did not need any new information to get moving again. All he needed was help refocusing on what he already knows. As we talked together, it was only a matter of moments before he was back in alignment with what matters most to him, and through that process, he automatically felt free and easy and energized all over again.

Following this session, we talked about how easy it is to forget what we already know works in our lives-how easy it is to abandon even those basic practices that have served us well in the past.

I confessed to my client that even though I submerge myself in all this positive, empowering stuff- even though I write about it, read about it, coach people every day around the subject-it still really takes an enormous amount of commitment on my part for me to walk the walk myself. I know the importance of daily practice, yet I still have to work at maintaining my daily discipline and focus so I can create the high quality life I desire and deserve.

You would think that after practicing daily for over 20 years, after declaring human empowerment to be my life's purpose and passion, it would not be so hard for me. You would think it would all be habitual for me by now.

But it's not.

Truth is, even after all this time, it is just as easy for me to slip out of positive habits as the next guy.

Bottom line: If I don't do my daily practice I can and do forget what matters most to me in my life.

So, what are my daily practices? Upon waking I . . .

1. Make a mental gratitude list for everything I am thankful for
2. Set my daily intention for the kind of day I want to have
3. Touch base with my higher power and have a moment of prayer
4. Install some kind of positive material into my consciousness: I read about, listen to or somehow access positive messages that surround me.