Category: Monthly Challenge

Researchers in the new Science of Happiness have found that happy people notice and are grateful for the “little things.” Most of us experience so much prosperity, we may not stop to think how lucky we are to have food and water. Yet much of the world population does not have this wondrous blessing. What would it be like, not to have easy access to fresh water? Or not to be able to run to the store and choose from hundreds of options? Our abundance in this area is a huge blessing, but often overlooked.

Today focus on gratitude for all food and water you consume. You can say a prayer of gratitude each time before eating and drinking, put a blessing on the food and water or even imagine sprinkling “magic dust” over it as a way of giving it added healing for you.

Here are today’s activities:

1. Write 10 things you are grateful for.

2. Each time you are about to eat or drink something today, stop and first say, “Thank you!” You might also say a prayer, send Reiki to the food and/or imagine sprinkling “magic dust” .

3. If you have the book, read the inspiration for Day 8.

4. Before bed, hold your magic rock and say thanks for the best thing that happened today.

Click here for Day 9.

At the end of the day come back here and share how it felt to send gratitude before every bite and every sip.

Today’s challenge is a BIG one, but a fun one! In short… go the entire day WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING NEGATIVE!!! To me, that means without THINKING anything negative, too – or at least catching it when it happens and replacing it with a positive.

Maybe it sounds easy, but do we really notice EVERY word and EVERY thought? As a yoga teacher and practitioner this principle is a big part of mindfulness. In this case though, we are adding an active process of actively choosing our focus, rather than just noticing (as in some types of meditation). This can be a LIFE-CHANGER!

Here are the tasks for today:

1. Write 10 things you are grateful for.

2. Choose one negative situation in your life that you would like to resolve.

3. Write down all of the things you are grateful for about this situation.

4. At the end of your list write down, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for the perfect resolution!”

5. Challenge yourself to go though the entire day without saying something negative. If you catch yourself making a non-positive comment, immediately say, “But I have to say I am really grateful for _________________.”

6. If you have the book, read the inspiration for Day 7.

7. Before bed, hold your magic rock and say thanks for the best thing that happened today.

Click here for Day 8.

In the comment section below, please share your insights and gratitudes related to working with this powerful practice.

Are you happy at your work? How does the feeling you get from your work affect the rest of your life? This is a big one because whether we own our own business or work for someone else, we spend so much time at work that it has a huge impact on how we feel in all of our life. Maybe work is ideal. Maybe not. But can we find things to be happy about at work?  Focusing on and appreciating the good is the way to bring more of it into our lives. For today:

1. Write 10 things you are grateful for.

2. While at work today look for anything and everything to be thankful about. Imagine an invisible “manager” is following you around and putting all you find in a gratitude log book.

3. Each time you find something good about your work say, “I’m so grateful for ________.” and really feel that gratitude.

4. If you have the book, read the inspiration for Day 6.

5. Before bed, hold your magic rock and say thanks for the best thing that happened today.

At the end of the day let us know – did actively searching for thankfulness affect your day at work?

Click here for Day 7.

Day 5 of “The Magic” is about recognizing the abundance that already exists in your life and appreciating the little things we might overlook.  Are we truly recognizing and giving thanks for all of the material blessings we have now?  The more we recognize the wonderful gifts we’ve been given, the more we will be happy and attract higher levels of good. Here are the exercises for today:

1. Write 10 things you are grateful for.

2. Take a few minutes to think over your childhood and beyond about all of the things you have been GIVEN, free of charge, in your life. Each time you think of something that was paid for and given to you for free, with all of your heart say, “Thank you!”

3. Now find a bill of any denomination ($100 is great for this). Place a sticker on the bill and write on it, “THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE MONEY I’VE BEEN GIVEN THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.”

4. Carry the bill with you today and read it at least twice, but ideally many times throughout the day. After today, place the bill somewhere you can easily see it to remind you of the many times you have been given things free of charge.

5. If you have the book, read the inspiration for Day 5.

6. Before bed, hold your magic rock and say thanks for the best thing that happened today.

Share how this exercise felt for you below. And HAPPY Magic Money Day!

Click here for Day 6.

Are you noticing a difference when you do the exercises? Do you feel your energy getting brighter? Even if you are not sure, keep trying. Today we give thanks for the gift of life and health – something so easy to take for granted when we get caught up in periodic “fires” that might arise. But if we focus on what a gift it is JUST TO BE ALIVE, everything else tends to fall into place.

1. Do your 10 daily gratitudes list.

2. Write “The gift of health is keeping me alive,” and read it with feeling at least 4 TIMES today.

3. If you have the book, read the inspiration for Day 4.

4. Before bed, hold your magic rock and say thanks for the best thing that happened today.

What do you think or feel about today’s exercise? Please share below.

Click here for Day 5.

Today’s exercise is a huge mood booster!! Last time I did it, I was shocked out how great I felt.

Here’s the idea. Think of three people (or animals), dear to your heart, to whom you are grateful. Post a picture of each one in a journal, on your computer or somewhere where you can easily see it throughout the day. Write down 5 things you are grateful for about each person. Notice how great you feel after doing this!

Here are today’s assignments:

1. Write a list of 10 new things you are grateful for and why. At some point during the day read your list aloud and after each item say, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

2. Get pictures of three people you care about. Write at least 5 things you are thankful for about each person and say, “Thank you for…” Then THREE (or more) times throughout the day look at their pictures, read what you wrote and send them gratitude.

3. If you have the book, read the inspiration for Day 3.

4. Before bed, hold your magic rock and say thanks for the best thing that happened today.

How did this feel for you? Please share below what you felt with this exercise.

Click here for Day 4.

Today’s practice involves thinking back on your day, selecting the BEST, HAPPIEST thing that happened and then reviewing it with gratitude. Select a rock from outside or any crystal. Set it by your bed. At the end of the day, think of your happiest moment, while holding the rock and then when you are done say, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

I first learned about the principle of reinforcing your best moment from Science of Happiness Harvard researcher, Shawn Achor. (That’s a link to the video I first watch that introduced me to his work. He also has numerous best selling books.) He found that if, at the end of the day, you write out the best moment of the day, it reinforces the positive experience, firing neurons and making your brain more prone for happiness. You are LITERALLY changing your neurotransmitters to have happier wiring. Pretty cool!

Here are today’s happy, gratitude assignments:

1. Write a list of 10 new things you are grateful for and why. At some point during the day read your list aloud and after each item say, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
2. If you have the book, read the inspiration for Day 2.
3. Set your “magic rock” by your bed. At the end of the day, think back on all that happened and select the BEST MOMENT. Hold your rock and re-live that BEST MOMENT of the day. Then say, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

In the comment section below, please share one best moment OR gratitude OR experience you have had so far. When you share your good, it lets other benefit as well.

Click here for Day 3.

For today, Magical Friends, write a list of 10 things you are grateful for and why you are thankful for it. You can make a private list, but add at least one thing below and read what the others share. You will be shocked at how uplifting it is to read everyone else’s gratitude and how great it makes us feel.

Please keep things in positive terms as it will be more uplifting for you and for those who read it. In other words, instead of “I am so grateful I no longer work at that awful job where the boss was so mean…” it would be, “I am so grateful I am now enjoying working at a job I love…”

If you have the book, be sure to read Day 1 for extra uplifting. Once you’ve made your list, the author suggests, re-reading it and after each one saying, “THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I am writing my gratitudes below. Please join in and have a MAGICAL DAY!!!

Click here for Day 2.

Do you remember that feeling you had as a kid when everything was magic and you could do anything? For me, I felt that most at Christmas. The book we are using for the challenge, “The Magic'” is about getting that “magical” feeling back into every day of our lives. The way to do this is through the active practice of gratitude every day, in every moment.

Even if you think you are already grateful, can you be MORE GRATEFUL? And what types of positive impacts would that have on your life and the lives of those around you? I know I have times when I am most ACTIVELY practicing gratitude and it makes a huge difference in my life.

Just like working out at the gym or doing yoga, the more we PRACTICE, the stronger our gratitude muscle will be and the more we attract good things.

Each day I will post the challenge to do here. It’s best if you read the exercise a day ahead of time as some exercises start first thing when you wake up the next day.

If you have the book, read the intro and Day 1 now for extra inspiration and instruction.  (Here is the assignment for Day 1.) If you don’t have the book and want to get it you can get it here, but you can still participate without it.

Once you’ve done the above, write down one or more wish/es you would like to manifest or dedicate your Magic Practice to this month. If you could achieve any goal what would it be? Write it down below or in a private journal. Dedicate your Magic Gratitude practice to achieving that goal. And why wait? Let’s get the positive energy going by sharing at least one thing we are grateful for below. Have a MAGICAL, GRATEFUL DAY!

Click here for Day 1.