There's a lot that can and will go wrong in the course of a day. How's that for an optimistic thought? Or maybe it's a realistic viewpoint. As they say, optimism is what precedes experience. Realism is what comes after. The fact is that a lot can come at you pretty quick in a day's work and not all of it comes in a pretty package. That's why it's important to control what you can. The reality is that most of us unconsciously give away that control. You can reclaim that control and create a positive bookend to your day by beginning and ending the day with a win.

<br/>What's a win? A win is a positive ritual, something you do for you. That ritual could be reading something that stretches your mind or speaks to your soul, doing 100 sit-ups, going for a run, writing the next chapter of the great American novel, listening to music that makes you feel good all over. You choose and that's the whole point. You choose to do something for yourself that reveals your best self to you. You chose to do something that makes your life bigger, better, richer. You do something that moves you closer to the life you chose for you.

My current rituals are going for a run or doing some other cross training in the morning and writing before I go to bed. It sounds simple but it makes a profound difference in my day. Give it a try for a week. Create your own rituals. See what you think.