How To Use This Blog

(This post will be deleted and reposted each time a new exercise is published, to make sure it always is the first blog new readers see)

Originally the idea was to write and publish a book called "Be Positive," which should consist of a lot of exercises, helping people to get a more positive state of mind.

However, instead of a book, this blog was created
- you can use it as a free e-book (in progress).


How to use this blog:

The idea is to work with each exercise every day for at least one week, preferably two or even three weeks (it takes time to make it a habit, which is why you should use the exercise you're working with as many times a day as possible), and then move on to the next exercise.
When you begin working with a new exercise, don't forget to also once in a while use the other exercises you've already worked with.

To the right there is a list of labels (exercises).
You can either choose an exercise of your own choice, or choose 'exercise 1' then 'exercise 2' etc.
I recommend starting from 'exercise 1', as you more likely will be able to remember which exercises you have worked with and which you still need to work with (there will keep coming new exercises as long as I get new ideas).

No matter which method you choose, be sure to keep a journal of which exercises you have worked with and if you feel for it... make notes on your observations with what happens inside of you while doing the exercises. You may feel silly or even angry at first, while working with some of the exercises, but how does it evolve?

When you have been through all exercises and worked with each of them for 1-3 weeks, then choose an exercise now and then to work with. You can work with your favourite exercises every single day for the rest of your life, if you like.


Most importantly - HAVE FUN!


Copyright © 2012 by Maria Retz. All rights reserved.

Take a step, then one more and one more...

See Beauty In That Which You At First Find Ugly (exercise 11)

This exercise can be done alone, or as a competition with others.

Find three objects you find ugly, or at least not very pretty.

Choose which of the three objects, you wish to start with.

Write down all the beauty you can find in/about this object.

Perhaps it has a nice form? or a pretty colour?

Perhaps it has a beautiful glow, when the light hits it from a specific angle?

It lays comfortable in your hand? Or has a nice texture?

When you have written down all the beauty you can find in/about this object, go on to the next object and then the last of the three objects.

If you are doing this with others, as a competition, then take one object at a time and by turn write down all the beauty you can find in/about the object. 
Don’t let the others see, what you write down.
When you are done, compare your results and see who found most beauty in the objects. Also, see what you agree about and what you disagree about.

If someone likes, let's say, the colour of the object and another doesn’t, then the one who doesn’t like it can say out loud:

“I don’t like the colour right now, but it is still a beautiful colour and there are other people who do like it.”

It may also be that someone likes a spot on the thing and you don’t, then say: 
“I don’t like the spot on this thing right now, but it is still a beautiful spot and there are other people who do like it.”

The reason you say ‘right now’, is because we don’t know what we may find beautiful in several years from now and the point of doing this exercise is to learn to see more and new beauty all the time.

Work with this exercise every day for 1-3 weeks, then move on to the next exercise.
When you begin working with a new exercise, don't forget to also once in a while use the other exercises you've already worked with.

Copyright © 2014 by Maria Retz. All rights reserved.

Take a step, then one more and one more...

The Imitated Laugh (exercise 10)

This is a group exercise.

You must be at least two.

Sit in a circle (or in front of each other if you are two).

One of the participants must start laughing, a normal laughter or a crazy laughter, whichever he or she decides. Then the person next to this person shall imitate the laugh - while the other person still keeps laughing. After a little while, the next person in the circle must start imitating the same laugh. Keep doing this until all of you are laughing the same laughter. 
When you all are laughing, the one who started this laugh must stop laughing and be quiet. Then the next person must stop laughing too, until all of you again are quiet.

Now it’s time for the person next to the one who started laughing before, to start a new laugh, which you all must imitate.

Keep doing this exercise until everyone in the group has started a laugh.

It is okay to not be able to stop laughing again, but even if in a fit of laughter, try to focus on the exercise and make the correct imitated laughter.

Suggestions to how this exercise also can be done:
- See who can come up with the funniest laugh.

- Try to see how quickly you all can laugh the same laughter.

- Instead of waiting until everyone has imitated the laugh and become silent, then start a new laugh as soon as the person next to you have imitated the laugh you imitated from the person before you. This exercise stops when the first person who started laughing hears the last person in the circle laughing a different laughter.

Here’s what the last suggestion in a laughter circle could look like with a group of four.

Person 1: ha ha (person keeps laughing ha ha)

Person 2: ha ha, hee hee (person imitates ha ha, then laughs hee hee and keeps laughing hee hee)

Person 3: hee hee, ho ho (person imitates hee hee, then laughs ho ho and keeps laughing ho ho)

Person 4: ho ho, hir hir (person imitates ho ho, then laughs hir hir and stops when person 1 stops laughing)

Person 1: stops laughing when he/she hears person 4 laugh a different laughter than ha ha


Work with this exercise whenever you have a chance to have a group gathered.


Copyright © 2012 by Maria Retz. All rights reserved.

Take a step, then one more and one more...

Today Has Been A Success Because... (exercise 9)

Keep a journal of what has been a success to you today.
Now, don't think as big as a success to be a new job or winning the lottery...

A journal of a day can look like this:


Today has been a success because...:

- I laughed so much this morning my belly hurt
- I gave a useful advice to a friend
- I bought the newest book in my favourite series
- I watched a great movie
- I got a feeling of completel peace and happiness for a few seconds/minutes.


Find as many things as possible each day to write in the journal.


Work with this exercise every day for 1-3 weeks, then move on to the next exercise.
When you begin working with a new exercise, don't forget to also once in a while use the other exercises you've already worked with.


Copyright © 2012 by Maria Retz. All rights reserved.

Take a step, then one more and one more...

Drinking The Sun (exercise 8)

Drink a glass of water, while holding it toward the sun's light, so the water sparkles beautifully.

While drinking – and between the sips - enjoy the magical sight and imagine this pure and beautiful Sunlight Water cleansing you from the inside: physically, emotionally and spiritually.

This exercise should be done during summer, when there are most sunny days.

If there happen to be no sun some of the days during this 1-3 weeks exercise, close your eyes and imagine/remember what it looks/feels like.


Work with this exercise every day for 1-3 weeks, then move on to the next exercise.
When you begin working with a new exercise, don't forget to also once in a while use the other exercises you've already worked with.


Copyright © 2012 by Maria Retz. All rights reserved.

Take a step, then one more and one more...

Positive Breathing (exercise 7)

Place yourself in a comfortable position.

Close your eyes.

For a moment, breathe in an out calmly.

When you feel ready, start doing positive affirmations

- these should be simple affirmations such as:

“I am love!”

“I am light!”

“I love myself!”

“I love everyone!”

You can either say these affirmations out loud or in your mind (whichever works best for you)

The actual exercise:

- Breathe in and out calmly for a while

- Take a deep calm breath

- Say your affirmation

- Breathe out calmly

Do this three times with the same affirmation.

Then do it again, but with a new affirmation.

Do this exercise for as long as you like.


Work with this exercise every day for 1-3 weeks, then move on to the next exercise.
When you begin working with a new exercise, don't forget to also once in a while use the other exercises you've already worked with.


Copyright © 2012 by Maria Retz. All rights reserved.

Take a step, then one more and one more...

Find Three Good Qualities In A Stranger (exercise 6)

This is a fun little game you can do alone or together with your friends.

Find three positive qualities in a person you don’t know anything about.

‘That man in front of you in the train’

‘That woman walking on the other side of the street’

‘That child on the swing’

With time, try to also do this with people who looks angry, or with someone you normally would find disagreeable just by taking a glance at them.

Do not just make it up lightly, try to feel it, try to sense it… what three positive qualities could this person possess?

Example:

“He is a good listener. He is passionate about helping animals. He knows how to make his wife smile.”

You may not even know if he has a wife or not, but perhaps you just ‘sensed’ it?

It doesn’t matter if you are right or wrong about what you sense, what matters is that you learn to think positive about people you don’t know, so you train yourself to always think the best of a person.

Note: this is not a clairvoyance exercise, it just makes it more real and fun when you feel you could actually be right.


Work with this exercise every day for 1-3 weeks, then move on to the next exercise.
When you begin working with a new exercise, don't forget to also once in a while use the other exercises you've already worked with.


Copyright © 2012 by Maria Retz. All rights reserved.

Take a step, then one more and one more...