We live in a cynical world where the publicized news is mostly bad and there is a crisis brewing in nearly every country. But even though we are bombarded with negative messages each day, there are many ways to rise above the doom and gloom and live a more spirit-based existence.

This article outlines a 7-day plan for leading a more spiritual life. Apply these techniques to your life day-by-day, and within one week you should feel happier, more joyful, and enlightened!

Day 1: Perform random acts of kindness. We’re starting out with something easy, because everyone is in a position to share kindness. Whether it’s holding the door open for the elderly woman entering the bank or bringing your co-worker coffee, find little ways throughout your day to be randomly kind.

Day 2: Watch for spiritual signs. Today your assignment is to watch for signs that have a spiritual message. An angel emblem somewhere or the word “Hope” on a billboard are just a couple of ways that spiritual signs will speak to you. When you recognize a spiritual sign, acknowledge it and feel your spirits lift in response.

Day 3: Have an attitude of gratitude. When you wake up on day 3, make the choice to have a have an attitude of gratitude. Look for the good in everyone, everything and every situation and be grateful for every lesson there is to learn today.

Day 4: React from the heart. Your assignment for this day is to make every decision a heartfelt one. Throughout the day, pause before you do something and silently ask, ‘What would my heart like me to do here?’ And then listen quietly for a gentle nudge that points you in a direction. If you don’t receive a clear answer, try closing your eyes and putting your hand over your heart before asking for clarity.

Day 5: Turn routine into ritual. As you’ve noticed by now, your assignments are getting progressively more challenging. But I’m confident that you’re up to the task! Life can be very routine and mundane, which has the ability to drag you down. So today, you are going to turn routine tasks (like showering, washing the dishes, or running errands) into rituals. As you go through each segment of your day, stop for a moment and make sure that your mind is 100% on the task at hand. Instead of planning your grocery list while driving your kids to school, for example, talk to them about their day ahead and be fully present in the conversation.

Day 6: Detach from the drama. It’s so easy to get caught up in the drama of your own life as well as the lives of others, including the artificial lives on T.V. That’s why, today, you are going to detach from all of the drama. If a friend or loved one tries to pull you in, change the subject if possible or walk away if you have to. And don’t forget to turn off the T.V., or at the very least watch something uplifting. You cannot lead a spiritual life if you’re feeding on the negativity of drama!

Day 7: Visualize your desired outcome. Congratulations! You’re almost there. Your final assignment is to visualize your desired spiritual outcome for the weeks ahead. One example would be, ‘I desire to hold on to an attitude of gratitude while spreading kindness and continually being watchful for spiritual signs.’ Whatever you desire in your quest to lead a more spiritual life, hold on to that vision throughout the day.

Learning to lead a more spiritual life takes conscious effort on a daily basis. Although your experience won’t be transformed in a single day - or even a single week - if you continue to practice the techniques outlined in this article, you will experience transforming change.

I have parking karma. If you don’t know what this is, it’s the ability to manifest parking spaces even in the busiest downtown business districts. And it’s based on the Law of Attraction. 

My parking karma started out as a game. I read a book on manifesting things in the physical world using the Law of Attraction and the author suggested starting with something small, like parking spaces. Whenever I had to go somewhere, I would perform the simple ritual. Soon, without failing, I would have a great parking space waiting for me wherever I went. Often in the front row! 

This Law of Attraction game was fun and I played it all the time: before going to the grocery store, the bank, the post office. I got my kids involved, too. Every time we would pull into an open space in a crowded parking lot I would turn to them, grin ear-to-ear and we would say in unison: “Parking karma!” 

I acquired my parking karma about 10 years ago. If you want to try it for yourself, the simple steps are below.                                               

Step 1: Just before leaving for your destination, close your eyes and quiet your thoughts. Center yourself between heaven and earth. Take some deep cleansing breaths in through your nose, out through your mouth.

Step 2: Visualize your destination and the parking areas surrounding it (this really works best if you are familiar with your destination - when you master parking karma, you will have an easier time manifesting parking spots in unfamiliar surroundings). See the destination in your minds eye. Notice the nearby landmarks. Picture people coming and going, taking care of business. 

Step 3: Now, visualize yourself driving to this destination. Notice the song on the radio, the speed you’re traveling at, weather you have the heat on or the AC. Picture yourself driving up to the destination and pulling into the perfect parking spot. Continue your visualization to see yourself parking, getting out of your car, locking things up and walking to your final destination. Look back and see your car parked in the fabulous spot and smile, knowing you have parking karma.

Step 4: Next, it’s time to get in your car and follow the physical path that you have created in your visualization. Hold on to the conviction that when you arrive where you need to go, your parking space will be waiting for you. 

Anyone can use the Law of Attraction to develop parking karma. All it takes is practice and perseverance. Have fun!

You can master the Law of Attraction with help from the life coaches at 5 Minute Self-Help. They’ll walk you through each step of the process, from seeing to believing to taking action. With the right kind of support, you can manifest the life of your dreams!