Instead of feeling that the tasks set in front of you (by you, by your parents, by your boss, by your spouse) are tedious and boring, find something you like in them. Accounting can become a puzzle. Washing the dishes can become an opportunity to release negativity into the water and watch it go down the drain. Picking up trash can be a gift to nature. Putting away laundry can be an opportunity to remind yourself why you bought this item or the memories attached to that item. Even if it’s not a lofty contribution to the world, there will always be dome aspect of a task that speaks to you. You just have to find it. Joy exists everywhere.

As long as you continue to anticipate tedium, you will receive tedium. The Universe is more than happy to fulfill your wishes. When you focus energy on something with an expectation, you send a message to the Universe that the expectation is your wish. Don’t forget that what you focus on, you feed. If, instead, you generate a feeling of excited anticipation (or even joy) about every task, you will be living in a very different reality. There will always be things that need doing which are not what we would spontaneously choose to do. Finding places of joy, enjoyment, gratitude, and serenity within them will most certainly improve the quality of your life. Expectations dictate experience.

So much of our thinking is habit. It is much easier to change a habit if we replace the habitual with something new. Consciously, deliberately, replace your negative thoughts and expectations with positive ones. Sometimes it’s easier to change our thoughts by changing the words we speak. If you give voice to negative thoughts or expectations, correct yourself. “I’m sorry, I misspoke. What I mean to say was…” It really can change your thoughts. Try it, and watch the joy in your life expand exponentially.

This post is part of a new series called Monday Message, based on that day’s reflection from 365 Days to Enlightenment (authorized versions are currently out of print, working on a new edition). Check back next Monday for another one! You can also sign up for the Daily Message on my mailing list if you’d like to receive a new reflection every day. I also often post them to Instagram, if that’s a medium you enjoy.