Marianne Williamson, American spiritual teacher, author, and lecturer, often says, “Wherever you go, send your love before you.” It’s a statement that reminds us how much our state of mind, which is a state of energy, can affect what we experience.

If we walk into a meeting with something to prove, or enter a negotiation with a chip on our shoulder, or if we’re certain that a blind date will be boring and a waste of time, then we’re more likely to experience something close to what we’ve envisioned. Viewing the world through a particular attitudinal lens, we end up seeing what we believe. If we’d prefer to see something different, something happier, or with better outcomes, then shifting our attitude beforehand may help.

Every kind of experience is out there for the taking, the good and the bad. But approaching the world through the lens of love may help us achieve life experiences that are more supportive, kind, and loving. Try approaching your day, your next meeting, or negotiation with the expectation that good will be done for all parties. If you believe it, you’re more likely to see what has always been there for the taking.

Photo credit: Chungkuk Bae @zzbe