Daily Practices that will change your life

  Implementing a new daily practice is simple procedure laced with some need of self discipline, yet has a powerful effect on how we live and view things. What we practice is what we master, for the good or bad. Many of us, myself included, have become masters of bad habits and know how repetition leads to acts becoming second nature.
  I would like to introduce a few new daily practices that I encourage and invite you to take on to change your life. Some people may start with one a week, depending on how much work you think it will take. How ever you decide to use these is up to you, but the goal is to eventually include all of these as a daily practice.

 1. Gratitude Awakening.   Start each day while still laying peacefully in bed thinking of things you are grateful for. Such as people in your life, good health, food, clean water, electricity, shelter.

 2. Make it rain. A slang term that implies throwing money in the air. Instead of money hand out some honest compliments each day. If a stranger handed you $20 or said some thing really great to you, which has the longer lasting value? People are bombarded with judgement, criticism, bad news, and negative thoughts on a regular basis are are very rarely given more than some positive quotes on a shared facebook photo. Can you remember the last time some one gave you a real compliment and how it made you feel?

3. Unplug/ relax/escape. This is probably the most challenging task to do for most, but it can be a gradual process. Just set a goal of time, I would suggest starting with 10 minutes. At the end of the day disconnect from all forms of technology, and sit quietly in a relaxed place. Close your eyes and imagine a place you have been or would like to be, such as a beach or in the mountains. Take a few deep breathes, and focus on what you see, smell, hear, and feel. If you are picturing a beach think of the smell of salt, the sounds of ocean waves, the way your feet feel in the sand as well as an ocean breeze. Focus on where you are, and all the sensations associated with it. It won't be long before you want to spend more than 10 minutes in that place.