Perfect Day
What does the perfect day look like? How important is it to feel productive?
First we make our habits then our habits make us
Practices
First we make our habits then our habits make us.
Handwriting has the greatest impact on neurological functioning. You can direct the movies of your mind through the practice of writing out positive thoughts and intentions:
- Neurological impact: Handwriting activates more areas of the brain compared to typing, creating stronger neural pathways and imprinting ideas more deeply
- Reshaping thought patterns: Consciously rewriting your narrative by hand can help reprogram your subconscious mind and align your thoughts with your desires
- Increased self-awareness: The physical act of writing allows for reflection and helps you gain clarity on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences
- Boosting confidence and self-esteem: Developing good handwriting skills can increase confidence in self-expression
- Enhancing creativity and critical thinking: The slower pace of handwriting compared to typing gives more time to process information and make new connections
- Therapeutic effects: Handwriting can be a form of therapy, helping to ease depression and anxiety by allowing you to process emotions
- Improved learning and memory: Writing by hand has been shown to improve comprehension and retention of information
- Reframing negative experiences: Handwriting allows you to consciously reshape your perspective on past events, focusing on silver linings and positive outcomes
- Goal setting and visualization: Writing down goals and positive affirmations by hand can help make them feel more tangible and achievable
- Personal growth: Regular handwritten journaling can foster self-reflection, problem-solving, and the development of a growth mindset.
By consistently using handwriting to craft and reinforce positive narratives, you can gradually transform your beliefs, attitudes, and ultimately your personal reality.
- "The best thing in life is..."
- "I am excited by the opportunity to..."
- "I am feeling positive about... because..."
Intention and Attention
Perspective: ask better questions to clarify intentions
- Where is your awareness right now?
- What message is your unconscious mind sending you?
- Where should you focus your attention?
- How can you make the switch?
Morning Routine
Use this time to become conscious of your unconscious thoughts, behaviors, and emotions, and to set clear intentions for how you want to be during the day.
- Upon waking, stay in a relaxed state between sleep and full wakefulness. This is when your brain transitions from delta to theta to alpha waves, making it an ideal time for programming your subconscious mind.
- Ask yourself: "What's the greatest ideal of myself that I can be today?" This sets a positive intention for your day.
- Remind yourself of the things you want to change about yourself. This keeps you conscious of habits or behaviors you're trying to modify.
- Set specific intentions for the day, such as:
- "I'm not going to complain or blame anyone today."
- "I'm going to keep my energy up all day."
- "I won't judge others."
- Practice feeling the emotions you want to experience throughout the day. As Dispenza says, "Let me teach my body what it feels like. Let me bring up the feeling so many times that I can bring it up on my own."
- Visualize how you want to behave, think, and feel during the day. This mental rehearsal primes your brain and body for the experiences you want to create.
- Consider doing a brief meditation to synchronize your heart and brain. Dispenza recommends a 15-20 minute heart coherence meditation.
tip
Your personality creates your personal reality
Evening Routine
The period just before sleep is when the door to your subconscious mind is open, making it an ideal time for this kind of self-reflection and intention setting. This practice helps reprogram your subconscious mind and creates a bridge between your current self and the person you aspire to be.
- Get comfortable and enter a relaxed state, transitioning from beta to alpha brain waves.
- Enter your think box a mental space for self-reflection. Ask yourself these questions:
- How did I do today?
- When did I fall from grace or react negatively?
- What were my triumphs? What was I victorious with?
- What do I love about myself?
- How did I react to challenging situations or people?
- What thoughts or behaviors do I want to change?
- Set intentions for tomorrow:
- How do I want to think, act, and feel tomorrow?
- What beliefs do I want to reinforce?
- How will I behave with my co-workers/family/friends?
- What emotions do I want to cultivate?
- Review and mentally rehearse:
- Remind yourself of how you don't want to react
- Visualize yourself responding in better ways to challenges
- Reinforce positive thoughts and behaviors you want to embody
- Transition to your play box:
- Let go of analytical thinking
- Surrender to a state of openness and creativity
- Allow yourself to relax and drift off to sleep
Marcus Aurelius
Certainly! Here's a combined, succinct list of Marcus Aurelius' daily practices:
Morning Routine
- Rises early, tackles challenging tasks
- Journals, avoids distractions
- Practices gratitude
Work and Duty
- Maintains focus, engages with people
- Accepts feedback openly
- Applies Stoic principles to leadership
- Prioritizes public service over personal gain
Leisure and Self-Care
- Enjoys physical activities and nature
- Studies philosophy in tranquil settings
- Takes regular baths
- Engages in simple pleasures, avoiding excess
- Practices voluntary discomfort for resilience
Personal Growth and Philosophy
- Reads for self-improvement
- Reflects on daily experiences
- Remains composed under stress, controls emotions
- Meditates on interconnectedness of all things
- Contemplates mortality (Memento Mori)
- Lives each day as if it's the last
- Reviews and internalizes Stoic precepts
- Practices negative visualization