Step 1: Take a relaxed deep breath, and then become aware of your breathing. Now, identify a situation in which you will likely find yourself during the upcoming day and take note of any neutral or negative feelings that you might typically experience in that situation. It might be feeling bored, indifferent, anxious, frustrated, or even angry.

Step 2: Feel a deep sense of GRATITUDE for the ability to breathe, a strong feeling of LOVE for your creator and/ or COMPASSION for other people. Ponder the amazing opportunity you have to exercise your own FREE WILL every day, in every situation you encounter.

Step 3: Go back to review that same situation from step one and identify one reason to be grateful for that OPPORTUNITY. Now, imagine yourself being very PRESENT in that moment while becoming aware of your breathing and feeling all of those strong emotions from step two and any others you desire. You are now better prepared to become aware in the moment and make the CHOICE to feel gratitude, compassion, love, or any other positive emotion you desire in that situation. As you get better and this pregame becomes automatic, you will simply remember some or all of the words in BOLD print (in your own chosen order) as you do the pregame and as you encounter situations various throughout the day. This results in increased self-awareness and an effective strategy to practice breaking a pattern and mastering that small window between stimulus and response, where our small choices add up to determine our destiny, J. Finlen, 7-31-22.