Earlier this month, I had the privilege of visiting Warner Brothers Studios in LA to work on a new TV show.
If I’m being honest, I probably should’ve been more excited than I was. My anxiety was through the roof. And not only that – I had to be there at 6:00am, which meant I had to be up at 4:00am. I was exhausted, and cranky.
Clearly, I’m still a child.
When I arrived, they had me park off-site in overflow and then shuttle in. I hopped on the shuttle at O’Dark Thirty in the morning and realized I was the only one on the bus, other than the driver.
When I stepped in, I grudgingly said him, “Good morning, man. How’s it going?”
Without missing a beat he said, “Life couldn’t be better, my friend. You know why? Because today is the best day of my life!”
I, fully baffled, stopped dead in my tracks and said, “Oh yeah, why’s that, man?”
He, now smiling ear to ear, sits up in his seat and says, “Because I have air in my lungs, gas in my tank, and now I get to escort you to go accomplish your dreams.”
I stood there absolutely speechless. I couldn’t find the words to respond.
He, witnessing my confusion, continued with, “You see, every day I wake up and tell myself today is going to be the best day of my life. And then it happens. So, you just so happened to catch me on the best day of my life. Glad you’re here.”
Here’s a guy driving a shuttle in LA at 5:30 in the morning and he’s probably the happiest, most inspiring guy I’ve ever met.
My mood shifted entirely. I went from being anxious, exhausted and cranky, to more alive than I’ve felt in a very long time. He not only changed my morning, he changed my life in the three-minute conversation I had with the guy.
Every day since then, I’ve woken up and the first words out of my mouth are, “Today is going to be the best day of my life.”
I’ve said them when I didn’t get the best nights sleep or when I was really anxious about an upcoming event. I’ve said them when I was stressed, happy, sad, and even dreading the day in front of me.
And you know what it’s done? It’s drastically changed my life and has had a profound effect on my overall mood.
The negativity, self-doubt, and anxiety – which has clouded my life for years – has vanished. My productivity level has skyrocketed. My depression has gone away and I’ve allowed more room for new opportunities to come into my life.
It has changed my entire outlook.
So, if you’re anything like me and you’ve tried EVERYTHING under the sun to find happiness and rid yourself of anxiety, depression, and procrastination…
I recommend doing these 6 things every day to live the best day of your life.
1. Wake Up Early And Set The Tone With A Positive Mindset
Repeat after me, “Today is going to be the best day of my life.”
I went to the store, bought a miniature whiteboard, and wrote that phrase on it. It sits right next to my bed and it’s the very first thing I see in the morning.
I don’t look at my phone. I don’t respond to emails or think about the laundry list of things I have to do. I simply sit on the edge of my bed and read that out loud a few times until I feel I’m in a positive state of mind.
And it’s an absolute game changer.
2. Hydrate or Die-drate
Drink water.
I know you’ve probably heard it 1000 times but I can’t stress this one enough. Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning has not only helped cleanse and rehydrate my body, but it also boosts my energy substantially.
So, yes, hydrate or die-drate.
3. Stick To A Routine
I begin each day with a 6-minute routine (SAVERS) in which I picked up from Hal Elrod who wrote, “The Miracle Morning.” I adopted my own method to the routine which is a bit longer, but it’s still based on the ‘not so Shallow Hal’ Elrod plan. Here it is:
Minute One: Silence
Minute Two: Affirmations
Minute Three: Visualization
Minute Four: Exercise
Minute Five: Reading
Minute Six: Scribing
If you would like a more detailed description of my morning routine, you can find it in my book. Or, feel free to send me an email or leave a comment below and I will gladly send you my full morning routine!
4. Give Gratitude
Every morning, I get on my knees, say thanks to the big chief upstairs, and ask him to guide my steps.
Then, I write 3 things I’m grateful for, 3 things I’m committed to, a few words to describe my state of mind, a joke to calm the storm, and then 3 goals for the day.
I know, that’s a lot. It’s obviously easier for me because I actually enjoy writing, but you certainly do not have to do all that.
Just write a few things you’re grateful for and acknowledge the good you actually do have in your life, and that alone will change your mindset.
5. The Power 5
When planning my day, I write out the 5 tasks that I MUST get done that day in order of the most challenging/important. I start with the item that I’m least looking forward to completing because once I get that done, I know the rest of the day will be a cakewalk.
I DO NOT move down the list until I complete the one above it. This keeps me ultra-focused on one task and creates a sense of urgency to get it done.
Plus, I’m a big fan of power rangers so the name, “Power 5”, already puts me in a good mood ?
6. Laugh, Think, Cry
Jimmy V, a college basketball coach who passed away in 1993 to cancer, gave one of the most moving speeches I’ve ever heard at the 1993 ESPY’s. Here’s what he said…
“We should do three things everyday of our life. Number one is laugh. You should laugh everyday. Number two is to think, we should spend some time in thought. And, number three is you should have your emotions moved to tears…now that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”
You wanna know what living life to the fullest actually is?
It’s waking up on a Monday morning with no complaints. It’s knowing you always deserve to laugh. It’s doing what feels right no matter what. It’s doing what you want to, no matter how stupid you look. It’s about being yourself, ‘cause no one can tell you you’re doing it wrong.
Laugh today, friends. And make it a good day. Better yet, make it the best day of your life.
You know why? Because you deserve it.
That’s all I got for now –stay tuned, friends ✌️
#Lost20Something