Last week, my friend texted me bright and early with the link to an article from Inc.com: “57 Easy Ways to Be Happier and More Successful.” I clicked it open right away. How could I not with a title like that?
I browsed through the items. Most made a lot of sense: Don’t gossip; avoid negativity; drink more water. But one item stood out. The article advised waking up every morning with the thought, “Something wonderful is going to happen today.”
That I could easily do. Guideposts founder Norman Vincent Peale is the Father of Positive Thinking, so if it worked for him, why not me?
On my way to work, I repeated those words, even as I walked down a street in my neighborhood that’s typically lined with leaky garbage bags from nearby restaurants. “Something wonderful is going to happen today!” I told myself.
I felt like I was in some old Hollywood musical. Soon, a Fred Astaire look-alike would pop up out of nowhere, do a coordinated dance with garbage bags and convince me to escape with him to Paris.
Well, sadly, that did not happen. But many little wonderful things did happen. I had a fun editorial meeting. A delicious salad for lunch (I know, salad…I was surprised too!). A good conversation with my mom on the phone. And a restful evening.
The next morning, I repeated those words: “Something wonderful is going to happen!” I felt positively breezy as I walked into the office. My salad was delicious yet again. I made excellent progress on my work. I was even more social with my co-workers!
Nothing unusually wonderful happened on either day. But I did have an extra pep in my step and I definitely noticed the little bits of wonderfulness in my day more. To be honest, I think it was just helpful to have a reminder. That God has wonderful things in store for me.
I tend to forget that fact in the midst of a particularly difficult day or when I’m in a bit of a rut. Saying it to myself, though, worked wonders. It’s amazing what hope can do.
I’m going to continue with this little exercise. What about you? Do you have an early morning mantra that gets you ready for the day?
