Monday Makeover: Early Morning Affirmations

Image via legit-faith.com

Monday, we meet again. 

Do you ever find yourself facing Monday with a less-than-stellar attitude? On a Monday morning, it's not uncommon to overhear just about every customer grumbling to the barrista about their horrible fate... "Can you BELIEVE the weekend is over? I mean, wasn't it just Friday? My to-do list this week is killer. God help me". And if we're being honest here, many times that person is ME.

Bitching and moaning just seems like the American thing to do on a Monday, right?

But you know what? I'm tired of spreading the negativity around. I've done quite enough of that in my lifetime of Mondays. Instead, this week I'm going to make a conscious effort to wake up every morning and take a moment to thank God for giving me another day - another day to feel the cool fall breeze, taste a warm pumpkin latte (thank you, Starbucks!), smile at a stranger, learn something new, help someone who needs it and spread love to every person I encounter.

I've never been one for meditation. If you know me, you know that my mind is always working and it's hard for me to quiet that chaos down. But a month ago, my client and I did a 30-Day Meditation Challenge with Deepak Chopra and Oprah. It was 15 minutes of guided meditation each morning, focusing on building abundance in your relationship with yourself and others. 

Image via jianiteo.com

We meditated on affirmations. If you're not familiar with an affirmation, it's basically a positive declaration or belief. For example, if you are ill, your affirmation could be "I am a vibrant, healthy person who will live a long and happy life" OR if you are feeling unworthy of love, your affirmation could be "I am a beautiful and caring person, deserving of a healthy, uplifting relationship."

You may not believe the affirmation that you're meditating on, but that's beside the point. By meditating on an affirmation and constantly speaking that affirmation to yourself, you will begin to see how the affirmation slowly morphs into a belief. And when you believe something to be true, it will manifest itself in your life and influence your actions and your future.

So today, join me in a Monday Makeover. Speak an affirmation to yourself, then affirm others, knowing that you have been given another Monday for a reason.

Wishing you all a very blessed week!

5 Things: Welcoming Fall with Gratitude!

Fall has officially arrived. It came quickly in the night and sent me running into the subway station shivering because I left the house without a proper jacket. Yes, friends, it's cold in NYC!  Maybe it's just me but fall feels like the New Year (not cold, dreary January). Granted, things aren't blooming (in fact, they're mostly dying), but there's something about the crispness of the air and the way the bright blue of the sky contrasts with the changing leaves and well... it just makes me feel alive!

Today, I'd like to start a little something called "5 Things". You've probably seen it done on other blogs and maybe that makes me an "idea stealer", but hey, a good idea is sure to get stolen by someone! You and I both know that attitude is everything. IF you think you're going to fail, you'll fail. IF you concentrate on the negative, things will be negative. But in contrast, if you visualize yourself succeeding, you will. And if you find the positive (even within the negative), life will seem a bit more positive! Today, I'd like to use my 5 THINGS to focus on five things that make me thankful to be alive today!

Maybe you could steal my stolen idea and make a list yourself! It's a great reminder of all the GOOD in your life so that when the bad inevitably pops up, you'll remember to adopt a "glass half full" perspective!

Wishing everyone a wonderful day... and a very happy birthday to my bestie Sarah over at Beyond the Batter! 

My very own, always reliable, always cute alarm clock...

The taste of a chai tea latte and the way it warms your whole body as it goes down..

The beginnings of the most glorious sunset from my rooftop (and the fact that this happens almost nightly)...

Wedding invites finally finished! Designed, printed, stamped and dropped at the post office!...

...and really awesome friends like Sarah! Happy Birthday, girl!