Three Minutes. One Smile.
My mother died in 2023. After a long, debilitating condition and then a terminal illness, she passed away in her sleep at 83. A good way to go I suppose.
Six weeks later, while we were still arranging her funeral, my sister died. Suddenly. Unexpectedly. Out of nowhere.
I’ll never forget when and where I got the call. I fell to my knees on the kitchen floor. It was mid-morning and I just kept saying, over and over into my phone, “No, no, no, no….”. I then prayed, for days after, that the funeral director wasn’t about to offer me hat-trick deal!
Since then, I’ve started valuing life more and realising how fragile it really is. I’ve always been spiritual: spirits, angels, manifesting, tarot – no convincing needed! Once the storm of funerals and probate passed, I began a small ritual. Approximately 18 months later, I started My Morning Gratitude. And honestly? It’s changed my whole life.
So what do I do exactly? As soon as I get up, I open my shutters and look up at the sky. I say, “Morning, universe! Thank you for keeping me alive. Thank you for protecting my heart, for keeping me safe to see this day,” and I smile. Then I continue: “Thank you for letting me see the man walking his dog. Thank you for letting me see the mum walking her child to school. Thank you for the breeze in the trees.” I finish with: “Today is going to be a wonderful day! Thank you Universe” And I really feel the smile in my body, like feel an excitement in your stomach. And always thank the universe too for having your back!
It’s been proven that smiling produces happy hormones: dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which all boost your mood and mindset. Simply observing a few things outside your window helps you feel grateful. It brings you into the moment. That bit of mindfulness grounds you. I do all this gratitude in about three minutes. That’s all it takes.
The real magic happens when you believe. You should expect something good will happen today, no matter how big or small. A kind message from a friend. A long-awaited email. Or maybe something really exciting. It doesn’t matter what it is – positive is positive! Since starting this daily ritual, my morning gratitude has never let me down.
When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. – Paulo Coelho
Listen, I’m not saying every single day is unicorns farting glitter over you! Life still throws manure! Some days I forget to do it and the day feels fine but a bit… meh. Or other days, I get sad news or feel disappointed about something. That’s just life and we can’t avoid the hard stuff. But what I’ve found is that starting the day with a real positive intention shifts my mindset completely. It makes it easier to hold onto the good, happy things in your day. To notice them and often, that’s enough to stop the bad from taking over your emotions.
Let me give you an example. A few days ago, I woke up with tears in my eyes. I’d had an upsetting dream and I just felt heavy with sadness. I didn’t want to get out of bed but I forced myself. I did my morning gratitudes. I smiled and felt the shift in my body. The happy hormones kicked in, just a little.
Later that morning, I got some frustrating news that spiked my anxiety. I remembered my ritual earlier and thought, “The day isn’t over. The universe is still looking after me.”
By mid-afternoon, everything changed. I got a message from someone. They said how much they admire my strength and bravery. They also mentioned that they’re always there for me. Honestly? It brought a tear to my eye. That message drowned out my earlier anxiety. It filled me with love and the feeling that I’m not as alone as I sometimes feel I am.It really was a wonderful day. And yes I know… it doesn’t take much to make me happy clearly! Love and friendship are everything to me. The universe came through. It always does.
And that’s what I mean. Whether it’s a beautiful message or some huge grand gesture. Positive is Positive and thanking the universe creates positive energy in your life.
Why don’t you try this for a week and see what happens for you?
If your mornings are rushed and stressful you can do this ritual at night. Just word it differently. Instead of saying “today is going to be a great day!” you can say “tomorrow is going to be a great day! Thank you universe.”. Feel the happy hormones and go to sleep.
Remember, Positive is Positive.
It doesn’t matter if you get all green lights driving to work. Perhaps you see that guy you fancy in the sandwich shop, and he smiles at you. Or you land a job interview or win the lottery.
Positive is Positive. Focus on that.
Another thing that works is writing it down. I’ve only tried this a few times, but it works.
Get a clean scrap of paper, a napkin, or a post-it note. Write the date at the top. Say something like “Today is going to be a great day! Thank you universe”. Now fold it up. Put it away in your desk drawer, in your pocket, or in your bra if you have to. Keep your focus: Positive is Positive. It will come back to you!
We all have doubts and negativity and when life is hard and draining and upsetting, being positive is like trying to blow on your arm to keep cool when you have no air con!! But just try. You might feel ridiculous when you first try it. You might laugh (that’s GOOD!) but just try it anyway.
Try it for 7 days. Seriously.
And if something shifts for you — even a little — message me. I’d love to hear what happened.
And remember: Positive is Positive!
Leave a comment