Who Am I Today? - Grasshopper

Setting an intention is a great way to kick off your day. And one of the simplest and most powerful intentions is deciding who you’re going to be today.

This practice sets the tone for what comes your way.

Now, this idea really lives in the world of optimism – and before you lump optimism in with positive thinking, let me separate the two. They’re not the same. In fact, they lead to totally different results.

Positive thinking is . . . well, pretending. It’s telling yourself something you wish were true. Optimism, on the other hand? It’s magnetic. It pulls possibilities into your awareness.

Here’s what I mean. Let’s say you’re repeating the classic affirmation: “I’m healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Meanwhile, your subconscious is whispering loudly “No you’re not.” And because we almost always act out of that subconscious programming, the positive thinking ends up getting canceled out.

Optimism works differently. When you set an intention with optimism, you’re basically telling your subconscious, “Hey – if you see any opportunities that line up with this intention, please show me.” It widens your field of vision. It helps you notice what you might’ve walked right past. You have your mind on the lookout for what’s possible and attracting your attention to these favorable circumstances.

So, back to “Who am I today?”

Say your intention is to be confident today. Your intention would sound something like this: “Today, I’m noticing and attracting everything a confident person needs.” Then just go about your day. And don’t be too surprised when you start seeing possibilities popping up all over the place. Possibilities that would have never come into your view if you were fixated on a single result.

When you cling to one specific outcome, you block out an untold amount of other possibilities life is trying to offer. And if quantum physics is right – and there really are infinite possibilities – why narrow yourself down to one? Don’t miss out on them by pretending there’s only one.

Start your day in a new way and decide who you’re going to be today. Then start noticing multiple opportunities come your way.