On this episode of the podcast originally released in May 2018, I spoke with Marc and Angel Chernoff. Marc and Angel are the authors of the book Getting Back To Happy: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Reality and Turn Your Trials Into Triumphs and this episode is being re-released to celebrate their latest effort, The Good Morning Journal: Powerful Prompts and Reflections to Start Every Day.
In this insightful episode, we delve into the importance of daily habits and rituals in shaping our identity and driving personal growth. “We are what we do on a daily basis,” emphasizes the importance of daily practices and their cumulative effect on our lives.
A central theme throughout our discussion is the narrative we create with our thoughts. According to Marc and Angel, these stories we tell ourselves significantly influence our perception of reality. A striking revelation from the discussion is that “98% of the time, the problem is not the problem, it’s something deeper.”
This episode also explores the process of recording thoughts and the importance of reviewing them to bring awareness and clarity. This practice is underscored as a way of understanding that what we perceive is an interpretation of our thoughts, rather than objective reality.
In addition to these reflections, practical strategies for gaining lasting benefits from these concepts are shared. Techniques such as the use of visual reminders and creating an accountability system provide tangible ways to implement these principles in daily life. Marc and Angel further illustrate this by discussing the concept of self-accountability through questioning and sharing those questions with a confidante for a read-back.
Key Discussion Points
- Our identity is largely shaped by our daily habits and rituals.
- Rituals act as the foundation for mindfulness and personal growth.
- Journaling is a powerful tool for self-inquiry, especially during stressful experiences.
- The stories we tell ourselves influence our perception of reality.
- 98% of the time, the problem we think we’re facing is not the actual problem; it’s something deeper.
- Recording and reviewing our thoughts can bring clarity and awareness.
- Visual reminders and an accountability system are practical strategies to implement these principles.
- Self-accountability can be enhanced by formulating questions about our experiences and having someone read them back to us.
Marc and Angel shed light on how they’ve worked together in developing effective daily rituals, reinforcing the belief that rituals are not just routines, but the solid foundation for mindfulness and other personal growth tools. I’m glad I had the chance to revisit this episode from over 5 years ago and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the opportunity to either revisit it or give it a listen for the first time.
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Links Worth Exploring
- Connect with Marc and Angel: Website | Facebook | Instagram
- Marc and Angel’s Latest Book: The Good Morning Journal: Powerful Prompts and Reflections to Start Every Day
- Check out the book discussed on this episode: Getting Back To Happy: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Reality and Turn Your Trials Into Triumphs
- Related Conversation: Episode 245: What Happy Successful People Do Differently with Marc and Angel Chernoff
- Related Blog Post: Why You Shouldn’t Spend Time Journaling In The Morning (And What You Should Do Instead)
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Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.
