It’s not what you say to everyone else that determines your
life; it’s what you whisper to yourself that has the greatest power.
Adopted and adapted from an article by Angel Chernoff
The best lessons we learn in life are the lessons we learn
over and over again. The human mind needs lots of reminders — lots of practice
— to operate effectively. For example, deep down we know it’s OK to…
- Say
“no”
- Speak
up
- Tell
the truth
- Believe
differently
- Change
our mind
- Prioritize
our needs
- Learn
from our mistakes
- Embrace
our imperfections
- Forgive
and seek forgiveness
- Begin
again, with grace and gratitude
Yet, we often do the exact opposite when life gets stressful
and we’re under pressure. We do the wrong things even when we know better.
Because the human mind has weaknesses. It becomes forgetful and insensible when
it’s stressed. And the only way to conquer these weaknesses is to practice
conquering them. Yes, the mind is like a muscle, and just like every muscle in
the human body it needs to be exercised to gain and maintain strength. It needs
to be trained daily to grow and develop gradually over time.
The easiest strategy to practice strengthening the mind?
Empowering Reminders on Sticky Notes
It’s all about keeping the right thoughts front and center
every day, so they’re readily available in those moments when you need them
most. For Marc and me, that means pausing as often as necessary and reflecting
on precisely what we need to remember. To make this practice seamless we write
ourselves important reminders on sticky notes, like the ones digitally
represented below, and then we put them up where we can quickly see and read
them throughout the day.
These sticky notes keep us on track by keeping our minds
empowered with the right perspective. While you can’t always control your outer
world, you can always choose to fill your inner world with strength, faith,
gratitude, and love. And I’m sure you’ve learned something similar over the
years from your own life experiences. But just like anyone else, you often
forget. Which is why you want to have your sticky notes up where you can see
them.
Here are a few examples to get started. Add your own or
borrow the examples that resonate most — and rewrite them on physical sticky
notes, so you can then stick them up where you will regularly see and read
them. Whenever you catch yourself feeling overwhelmed or off-center throughout
the day, pause for a moment and quietly read them to yourself. See how doing so
gradually changes the way you respond to life…
- I will
practice letting go gradually. I will remind myself that I don’t need to
attend every argument or drama circle I’m invited to. I will give myself
space to value my time, genuine relationships and peace of mind above all.
Because little else will matter in the long run.
- The
ultimate measure of my wisdom and strength is how calm I am when facing
any given situation. Calmness is indeed a superpower. The ability to not
overreact or take things personally keeps my mind clear and my heart at
peace, which instantly gives me the upper hand.
- The
most powerful and practical life changes happen when I decide to take
control of what I do have power over, instead of constantly craving
control over what I don’t. I will remember, I can’t calm life’s storms.
What I can do is calm myself and the storms will gradually pass.
- I
won’t fall back into old patterns of living because they’re more
comfortable or easier to do. I left certain habits and situations behind
for a reason: To improve my life. And I can’t move forward if I keep going
back.
- Gradually,
I will end up where I need to be, doing the right things, alongside the
right people. Patience is the key and patience is not about waiting; It is
the ability to maintain a positive outlook while working hard for what I
believe in.
- I will
give myself a break today. Instead of dwelling on the people who have let
me down, I will refocus my energy on appreciating those who lift me up. I
can’t control the impolite things some people say and do to me, but I can
decide not to be distracted by them right now.
- Peace
does not mean to be in a place where there is no chaos, trouble or hard
realities to deal with. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things
and still remain mentally, emotionally and physically centered.
- Too
often we take for granted and ‘wait’ away the vast majority of our lives.
Truly, some people wait all day for 5pm, all week for Friday, all year for
a holiday, all their lives for happiness. I won’t be one of them.
- I will
forget popularity. I will just do my thing with passion, humility and
honesty. I will do what I do, not for applause but because it’s what’s
right. I will pursue it a little bit each day, no matter what anyone else
thinks. That’s how dreams are achieved.
- I will
keep reminding myself that there’s a time and place for everything, and
that every step is necessary. I will just keep doing my best today and not
force what’s not yet supposed to fit into my life. It will happen when
it’s time.
- I did
not go to sleep hungry last night. I had a choice of what to wear today. I
have access to clean drinking water. I have access to the internet. I can
read. The secret to being grateful is no secret. I choose to be grateful
for what I have, even the little things.
- It’s
funny how I outgrow what I once thought I couldn’t live without and fall
in love with what I didn’t even know I wanted. Life will keep leading me
on journeys that I would never go on if it were up to just me. I won’t be
afraid. I will have faith. I will find the lessons. I will trust the
journey.
Written sticky notes like these are powerful but merely
scratch the surface of possibilities for beneficial visual reminders.
Think of moments when you are most likely to give in to
impulses that keep you stuck or take you farther away from your best
intentions. Then use written sticky notes and empowering visual reminders to
interrupt those negative impulses, so you can keep yourself on track in a
positive state of mind. To give you freedom.