Friday, March 28, 2014

21 Day Gratitude Feast/Negativity Fast


My mentor, the lovely Brandi L. Bates, has proposed a 21-day Gratitude Feast/Negativity Fast, starting on April 1st, 2014. 

We completed a 60-day fast at the end of 2013, and it was really epic. I noticed a lot of good things happening for me, and in me (including more creativity and higher energy levels), so I thought I would share this fast with my readers, if anyone else would like to join in. 

Avoid negative news shows. Fasting is good for you. It gives you time to remove things that are harmful to your system and to recover and restore balance. This is true for your mind as well as your body. Take 21 days off from negativity, starting with the news. No New York Times, no Wall Street Journal, no Financial Times of London, no National Public Radio, no CNN, no Fox News, no Politico. Nothing sensationalized.
Instead of taking in all the negative events of the day, take in something better. Listen to music. Listen to an audio book. Work on your own personal development. Start a gratitude journal. Watch an inspiring documentary.

Avoid negative people. I sometimes find myself trapped by people who want to share problems and challenges with me, but always in a way that is negative. They want to blame or criticize someone else. They don’t really want help; all they really want is to complain. They don’t have any ideas as to how to make things better. These people are just negative, and they can take a toll on your attitude, your outlook and your mindset.

Do you have people like this in your life? Think their negativity isn't having an impact on your attitude? Think again. Negativity is the only cancer spread by contact. Maybe you can’t avoid the negative people in your life forever, but you can avoid them for twenty-one days. Or maybe you can explain to them that you are on a negativity fast and that you only want to share with them in a positive, meaningful way.

Before starting your epic journey of gratitude, it is very important to first know clearly and specifically what your goals are. Make a list of goals from as many aspects of your life (health, career, relationships, money, etc.) as you can. Know what you want. Don’t be afraid to dream BIG

You will need a notebook (Gratitude Journal), a rock from your yard (or special gemstone such as ruby, garnet, or other precious healing stones), a board (Gratitude Board)...and plenty of stick-to-it-ness. Some of you are incorporating this as a juice fast, water fast, fasting from various things, but the main thing is to abstain from negative people, things, thoughts, etc. No indulging in conversations which involve poverty, racism, war, violence, struggle, hard times, how bad the economy is, enemies, haters, etc. SIMPLY focus on what you are thankful for!

Day 1: Count Your Blessings.

1. First thing in the morning, make a list of ten blessings in your life you are grateful for.
2. Write why you’re grateful for each blessing.
3. Go back and read your list, either in your mind or out loud. When you get to the end of each one, say the magic words, thank you, thank you, thank you, and feel the gratitude for that blessing as much as you possibly can.
4. Repeat the first three steps of this magical practice every morning for the next 27 days.

Day 2: The Magic Rock.

1. Find a Magic Rock and put it by your bedside.
2. Before going to sleep tonight, hold your Magic Rock in your hand and think of the best thing that happened today.
3. Say the magic words, thank you, for the best thing that happened today.
4. Repeat the Magic Rock practice every night for the next 26 days.

Day 3: Magical Relationships.

1. Choose three of your closest relationships and collect a photograph of each person.
2. With the photo in front of you, write five things you are most grateful for about each person, in your journal or on your computer.
3. Begin each sentence with the magic words, thank you, include their name, and what you’re specifically grateful for.
4. Carry the three photographs with you today, or put them in a place where you will see them often. Look at the photographs on at least three occasions, speak to the person’s face in the photograph, and thank them by saying the magic words, thank you, and their name.

Day 4: Magical Health.

1. On a piece of paper or card, write the words:
THE GIFT OF HEALTH IS KEEPING ME ALIVE.
2. Place the piece of paper with your written words where you know you will see it often today.
3. On at least four occasions, read the words very slowly, and feel as grateful as you can for the precious gift of health!

Day 5: Magic Money.

1. Sit down and take a few minutes to think back through your childhood and all the things you received that were provided at no charge to you.
2. As you recall each memory where money was paid for you, say and feel the magic words, thank you, with all your heart for each instance.
3. Take a dollar bill or other small bill and write on a sticker that you place on the bill in big bold letters:
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MONEY THAT I’VE BEEN GIVEN THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
4. Take your Magic Dollar Bill with you today, and at least once in the morning and once in the afternoon, or as many times as you want, take it out and hold the Magic Dollar Bill in your hands. Read your written words and be truly grateful for the abundance of money you've been given.
5. After today, put your Magic Dollar Bill somewhere you will see it every day to remind you to continue to be grateful for the abundance of money you have been given to your life.

Day 6: Works Like Magic.

1. While at work today, imagine you have an invisible manager following you around taking notes every time you find something to be grateful for. Your job today is to look for as many things as you can to be grateful for.
2. Have your manager make a note each time you find something you’re grateful for, by saying: I’m so grateful for______, and feel as grateful as you can.

Day 7: The Magical Way out of Negativity.

1. Choose one problem or negative situation in your life that you most want to resolve.
2. List things that you are grateful for about the negative situation.
3. At the end of your list, write:
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the perfect resolution.
4. Just for today, see if you can get through one day without saying anything negative. If you notice yourself thinking or saying something negative, use the magic lifeline. Stop immediately and say: But I have to say that I am really grateful for ______.
Oh, and don’t forget, kids! You should be counting your blessings every morning (See Day 1) AND using your Magic Rock before you go to bed every night (See Day 2).

Day 8: The Magic Ingredient.

Before you eat or drink anything today, take a moment to look at what you’re about to eat or drink, and in your mind or out loud, say the magic words, thank you! If you want you can sprinkle your food or drink with “gratitude dust.”

Heal Thyself...FOOD HAS POWER! http://heal-thyself.ning.com/ 

Day 9: The Money Magnet.

1. Take any current unpaid bills you have, use gratitude’s magical power, and write across each one: Thank you for the money. Feel grateful for having the money to pay the bill, whether you have it or not.
2. Take ten bills you've paid in the past, and write across the front of each one of them the magic words: “Thank you - Paid.” Feel truly grateful that you had the money to pay the bill!

Day 10: Magic Dust Everyone.

1. Today, sprinkle magic gratitude dust on ten people who perform services you benefit from, but thanking them directly or otherwise by mentally acknowledging and thanking them. Feel grateful to them for the service they perform!

Day 11: A Magic Morning.

1. When you wake up to the new day, before you do a single thing, say the magic words, thank you.

2. From the moment you open your eyes until you've finished getting ready, say the magic words, thank you, in your mind for everything you touch and use.

Day 12: Magical People Who Made a Difference.

1. Find a quiet place alone sometime during today, and make a list of three people who made a difference in your life.
2. Work through the list one person at a time and while talking out loud tell each person the reason why you’re grateful for them, and exactly how they affected the course of your life      

Day 13: Make All Your Wishes Come True.

1. Sit down at a computer or with a pen and journal, and list your top ten desires. Write thank you three times before each one, as though you've already received it. For example: Thank you, thank you, thank you for (your desire).

2. Using your imagination, answer the following questions in your mind, as though you've received each of your ten desires:
1. What emotions did you feel when you received your desire?
2. Who was the first person you told when you received your desire, and how did you tell them?
3. What is the first great thing you did when you received your desire? Include as much detail as you can in your mind.
3. Finally, re-read the sentence listing your desire, and really emphasize the magic words, thank you, so that you feel them as much as you can.
4. If you like, create a Gratitude Board. Cut out pictures and attach them to your Board, and put it in a place you see often. Title the board with THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU in big bold letters across the top. 

Day 14: Have a Magical Day.

1. In the morning, work your way in your mind through the plans you have for the day and evening, until bed time. With each plan or event, say the magic words, thank you, for it having gone well. Imagine that you’re saying thank you at the end of the day, and you’re immensely grateful because it went perfectly.
2. After you've finished being grateful for all the plans in your day going brilliantly well, end this magical practice by saying:And thank you for the great news coming to me today!

Day 15: Magically Heal Your Relationships

1. Choose one difficult, problematic, or broken relationship that you want to improve. SERIOUSLY!
2. Sit down and make a written list of ten things you’re grateful for about the person you've chosen. Write it down in the following way:
Name_____, I’m grateful for ___________________.

Day 16. Magic and Miracles in Health.

1. Recollect three separate times throughout your life when you felt on top of the world, and give sincere thanks for those times.

2. Think about five functions of your body that are well, and one by one give thanks for each one.

3. Choose one thing about your body or health you want to improve, and spend one minute visualizing yourself with the ideal state of your body or health. Then give thanks for this ideal state.
AND... don’t forget your magic rock EVERY NIGHT!

Day 17: The Magic Check

1. Fill in your Magic Check with the amount of money you want to receive, along with your name and today’s date.
2. Hold your Magic Check in your hands, and imagine purchasing the specific thing you want the money for. Feel as happy and grateful as you can that you have received it.
3. Take the Magic Check with you today, or put it in a place where you will see if often. On at least two more occasions, take the check in your hands, picture yourself using the money for what you want, and feel as grateful as though you were really doing it.
4. At the end of today, keep your Magic Check in a prominent place where you will see it daily. When you have received the money on your check, or if you receive the item you wanted to spend the money on, replace the check with a new amount for something else you want, and repeat steps 1-3.

You can print out your magic check from www.thesecret.tv/magiccheck

Day 18: The Magical To-Do List.

1. Create a written list of the most important things or problems you need done or solved. Title your list The Magical To-Do List.
2. Choose three of the most important things from your list, and one at a time, imagine that each thing has been done for you.
3. Spend at least one minute on each thing, believe it is done, and feeling enormous gratitude in return.

Day 19: Magic Footsteps.

1. Take one hundred Magic Footsteps (for about ninety seconds) in gratitude any time during the day.
2. With each footstep, say and feel the magic words,thank you.

Day 20: Heart Magic.

1. Focus your mind and your attention on the area around your heart.
2. Close your eyes, and while keeping your mind focused on your heart, mentally say the magic words, thank you.
3. Take your Top Ten Desire List and practice Heart Magic by reading each desire, then closing your eyes, focusing your mind on the area around your heart, and slowly saying thank you, again.  

Day 21: Magnificent Outcomes.

1. At the beginning of the day, choose three things or situations that are important to you where you want Magnificent Outcomes.  

2. List your three things, and write each one as though you are writing after it has happened: Thank you the magnificent outcome to ______!
3. As you go through your day, choose three unexpected events that come up in your day where you can be grateful for a magnificent outcome. Each time, close your eyes and mentally say and feel: Thank you for the magnificent outcome to ______!


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