The path to a life filled with happiness and success is paved with baby steps of intentional thinking.

Giving yourself love is really easy to do once you understand what it feels like and how it is done. It is very simply done by directing your thoughts away from criticism and toward appreciation.

Here is a simple technique to direct your thoughts away from criticism, judgment, and negativity. Whenever you feel a negative thought creep in, simply edit that thought in your mind into something positive. You can create a story around whatever is happening and whatever you are thinking that can feel hugely better.

For instance, if someone cuts in front of you in line at the grocery store, and you feel judgment coming on around their rudeness and you feel a desire to scold them, try this. Create a story in your mind that feels immediately better.

Imagine that they are on a break from work and they are under huge pressure from their boss to return to the office. Imagine that they just heard their father was admitted to the emergency room with another heart attack, and they are so filled with worry that they never even realized they cut the line. Imagine that they are an emotional wreck worrying about their teenage daughter who is using heroin. Imagine they just got a call from their doctor that the lump removed yesterday is indeed cancerous.

Now imagine how wonderful it is that they chose to cut in line in front of YOU, because you can offer a deep kindness around what is going on in their life right now. You can be accepting of their behavior and can appreciate that you would love the same consideration if you were in their shoes.

It totally does not matter if you are right or wrong about the story you tell yourself, because you are really not doing it for them anyway. You are doing it as an act of kindness for yourself!

Can you see how telling this new creative story around the event is actually taking you from irritation to joy… it just feels better! If you have a choice to feel better, then try this intentional thinking and experience the joy that is waiting for you in each moment.