Habits are a powerful tool to help (or undermine) your wellbeing.  A habit can be used as a vehicle to change your attitudes and improve your circumstances.  An effective way to program your mind is to complete the mantra: 

I make it a habit to be …………….*

 The missing last word is the idea or attitude you want to program into your daily rituals and awareness.  You might add: 

happy,  joyful, patient, grateful, loving

or whatever intention speaks to you

To make this habit become the more likely default you  should chose a specific attitude and stick with it for a very long time.  Eventually this idea will become your more automatic state of mindfulness.  Make this phrase, with your personalized intention, the first semi-conscious thought as you awake.  Those precious waking moments do set the tone of the day.

 Note, this habit ritual can also work against you, if you unconsciously select a negative or unhelpful thought to complete the above phrase.  It is easy to default to:

fearful, angry, impatient, overwhelmed, melancholy

 and not surprisingly these troubling thoughts can set your day in motion, but in a less hopeful direction.

The adjective that I have used for years, is HAPPY.  Consider the phrase:

I make it a habit to be HAPPY.

 As I wake up, I remind myself that I have chosen to be HAPPY.  I will choose to confront the early minutes of each day with as much HAPPINESS as I can muster.  Once the momentum has been put into action, the HAPPY equilibrium is set for the day.  It is accepted that  there will be setbacks, but HAPPY becomes the prevailing mindful state.   

 Choose your intentional thoughts and turn them into habits. 

Reflection Source: www.Smallercup.org

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*: Inspired by a quote and thoughts from "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale, 1952