DAY 13

Starting Your Day with Love

Today you discover that how you start your morning can determine your experiences for the day. You learn how the power of positivity can change everything for the better.

Congratulations! You have made it through the first 12 lessons of this course. You have learned how to use the tool of mirror work to change your belief patterns and release unhealthy emotions. Are you beginning to feel the power of mirror work and how it can change your life?

Today you’ll learn how to use your mirror work to help heal specific areas of your life. Let’s begin with how you start your day. Did you know that the first hour of the morning is crucial? How you spend it will determine your experience of the rest of your day.

How did you start your day today? When you woke up, what were the first words that came out of your mouth? Did you complain? Did you think about what wasn’t working in your life?

How you start your day is often how you live your life.

What do you say when you first look in the bathroom mirror? What do you say when you take a shower? What do you say when you get dressed? How do you leave your house for work? Do you just run out the door, or do you say something nice first? What do you do when you get into the car? Do you slam the door and growl about going to work, or do you bless the traffic on your journey?

Too many people start off their day with “Oh, shit! It’s another day and I’ve got to get up, damn it!” If you have a lousy way of starting your day, you’re not going to have a good day—ever. It’s not possible. If you do your best to have the morning be awful, your day will be awful.

I have a little routine I’ve done for years. The moment I wake up, I snuggle my body a little deeper into my bed and thank my bed for a really good night’s sleep. I do this for a few minutes as I start my day with positive thoughts. I tell myself things like: This is a good day. This is going to be a really good day. Then I get up, use the bathroom, and thank my body for working well.

I spend a little time stretching, too. I have an exercise bar in the doorway of the bathroom that I can use to stretch my entire body. I hold the bar, bring my knees up to my chest three times, and then hang by my arms. I find that stretching my body in the morning is very good for maintaining flexibility and health.

After I do a few stretches, I make a cup of tea and take it back to bed. I love my bed. I had the headboard specially built at an angle so I can lean up against it when I read or write.

Stretching my body and mind is my morning ritual. Then I start to get up. I try to give myself two hours before I face the rest of the day. I like to be able to do things in a leisurely way. I’ve learned to take my time.

If you are a busy mom or dad who needs to get the children ready for school, or if you have to get to work early, it’s important to give yourself some time to start your day off in the right way. I would rather wake up earlier to have this extra time in the morning. Even if you give yourself only 10 or 15 minutes, this is absolutely essential. It’s your time for self-care.

When you get up, it’s important to do a ritual that feels good to you and to say something to yourself

that makes you feel good. Set in motion the best day possible for yourself. You don’t have to make these changes in your life all at once. Just pick one ritual for the morning and start there. Then once you have the ritual down, pick another one and keep practicing. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Remember: the idea is to feel good.

Let’s affirm: Today I create a wonderful new day and a wonderful new future.

Your Day 13 Mirror Work Exercise

  1. When you first wake up in the morning and open your eyes, say these affirmations to yourself: Good morning, bed. Thank you for being so comfortable. I love you. This is a blessed day. All is well. I have time for everything I need to do today.
  2. Now take a few more minutes to relax and let these affirmations flow through your mind, then feel them in your heart and throughout the rest of your body.
  3. When you’re ready to get up, go to your bathroom mirror. Look deeply into your eyes. Smile at that beautiful, happy, relaxed person looking back at you!
  4. As you’re looking in the mirror, say these affirmations: Good morning, [Name]. I love you. I really, really love you. There are great experiences coming our way today. And then say something nice to yourself like: Oh, you look wonderful today. You have the best smile. I wish you a terrific day today.

The Power Is Within You: Your Day 13 Journaling Exercise

  1. Create a morning ritual for yourself. Write down all the steps you can take to start your morning in a positive, happy, and supportive way.
  2. Write down two or three affirmations you can say for each of the steps in your morning ritual. Write affirmations for when you get dressed, when you make your breakfast, and when you get in your car and drive to work.
  3. If you would like more examples of affirmations for your daily ritual, see the affirmations in the back of You Can Create an Exceptional Life, the book I wrote with Cheryl Richardson.

Your Heart Thought for Day 13: I Open New Doors to Life

You are standing in the corridor of life, and behind you many doors have closed. The doors represent things you no longer do or say or think, experiences you no longer have. Ahead of you is an unending corridor of doors, each one opening to a new experience.

As you move forward, see yourself opening doors on wonderful experiences you would like to have. See yourself opening doors to joy, peace, healing, prosperity, and love. Doors to understanding, compassion, and forgiveness. Doors to freedom. Doors to self-worth and self-esteem. Doors to self-love. It is all here before you. Which door will you open first?

Trust that your inner guide is leading you in the ways that are best for you and that your spiritual growth is continuously expanding. No matter which door opens or which door closes, you are always safe.

Your Day 13 Meditation: Positive Affirmations for Love
(Day 13 of the audio download)

Allow these affirmations to fill your consciousness, knowing they will become true for you. Practice them often, with joy:

From time to time, I ask those I love how I can love them more.

I choose to see clearly with eyes of love. I love what I see.

I draw love and romance into my life, and I accept it now.

Love is around every corner, and joy fills my entire world.

I rejoice in the love I encounter every day.

I am comfortable looking in the mirror and saying, “I love you. I really, really love you.”

I now deserve love, romance, joy, and all the good that life has to offer me.

I am surrounded by love. All is well.

I am in a joyous, intimate relationship with someone who truly loves me.

I am beautiful, and everybody loves me.

I am greeted by love wherever I go.

I attract only healthy relationships. I am always treated well.

I am very thankful for all the love in my life. I find it everywhere.