3 Simple, Quirky Mental Tricks for a Easily Happier New Year

It’s widely understood that our minds possess immense power. Tapping into this power can lead us to manifest our desires. This is where those mind-bending principles come into play — Law of Attraction, positive thinking, and more.

I’m not sure if you can relate here: These principles make perfect sense and everyone says yes to them. However, there appears to be an invisible gap between “knowing” and “putting them into practice.” For instance, I know I should eliminate negative thoughts when they arise. But exactly how can I control the mischievous monkeys in my mind?

The fact that I’m technically unable to implement these vital principles frustrates me greatly.

After many years of trial and error, I’ve developed some “last-mile” tricks to bridge that gap. They may sound silly, but they have proven effective in my own experience. Just like the saying “there’s no such thing as a silly question,” I believe there’s no such thing as a silly trick in the pursuit of a better life. Perhaps these seemingly silly tricks are the way to handle the silly monkeys racing in your mind. Who knows?

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Trick #1 — Getting Rid of Unwanted Thoughts

Whenever I became aware of an undesired thought forming or solidifying, my initial approach was to softly persuade my mind to let it go or shout at it fiercely, hoping it would stop. If you find yourself taking the same weary actions as I did and realizing that your inner voice goes unheard, you may want to try offering an inner visual clue instead. The trick is to close your eyes and imagine drawing a big red cross (other clues, such as cleaning with an eraser, may work too). Even if the monkeys in your mind are deaf or cover their ears, boldly show a big “NO” to their faces. Just keep drawing crosses until the thought subsides.

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Trick #2 — Finding Closure for Those Who Have Passed Away

Coping with the emotions triggered by the loss of someone who has had an impact on your life is never easy. Memories of a close family member who passed away years ago may resurface during Thanksgiving or other significant occasions. Additionally, even if you’re not a fan of the TV show Friends, the tragic news of Matthew Perry’s passing may leave you feeling overwhelmed.

My personal approach is to perform a gesture of salutation in my mind and practice Ho’oponopono. I simply spell out the mantra “I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you” within my thoughts. By using the gesture of saluting, I aim to acknowledge the contributions of the deceased to the world. However, any other gesture can work just as well. It becomes a personal ritual and a visual clue to the mind. I find a sense of relief after acknowledging that they once lived and will live on in my memories.

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Trick #3 — Cutting the Clutter in the Mind

In the past, while working long hours under high pressure in the digital marketing field, I often found myself sleep-deprived. When I finally managed to get to bed, my mind would continue racing with thoughts of overdue and upcoming tasks, as well as various other concerns. Even meditation and breath work failed to calm my cluttered mind.

This is where the visual clue trick comes in once again. What I do is imagine a post-it note right in front of my eyes and mentally writing my tasks onto it. The purpose is to organize my thoughts and alleviate the fear of forgetting important things, so that I feel less overwhelmed by the mental clutter.

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I sincerely hope that these simple mental tricks can bring you peace of mind in the new year and in every moment! What are your own little mental tricks? Do let me know!