-Aldous Huxley, (1894 - 1963) English writer
Do you have a practice for dealing with daily
stress? I thought I’d share a simple and surprisingly effective exercise you
can do each day that will not only boost your spirits, but lighten the
perceived burden of “the daily grind.” No running shoes required! You can do it
without breaking a sweat, right from the comfort of your car, your desk, or
even the line at Starbucks.
It sounds simple, but it’s quite powerful: Each
day, think of five things you're grateful for. They don't have to be big
things. In fact, it's great to start with the little things. It helps get you
in the flow.
Start with one or two basic things you take for
granted, for example: "I'm grateful for a hot shower in the morning."
Or: "I'm grateful for a safe neighborhood."
Come up with five new things each time you
practice. You might find this challenging at first. There should be a little
struggle, but push through it. "I'm grateful for the smile of the guy at the
bagel shop." Or: "I'm grateful for my family dinner on Sundays."
It might seem silly at first, but you'll notice
that the more you express your gratitude, the more you'll connect to a general
feeling of benevolence for others and well-being. Really take a moment for each
simple gratitude to sink in. Visualize what you're grateful for and recall
experiencing it.
This gratitude exercise connects you to the
world in a positive way. It makes the trivial annoyances in life sting less,
and reminds you to note what it is in the world you truly appreciate. When
your focus shifts to gratitude, your attitude improves.
Give it a try this week and see what you think.
Waiting in line, stuck in traffic, killing time between appointments... they're
all great windows to practice a little gratitude.
Sometimes my clients ask me how I keep my cool
when dealing with a difficult real estate deal. Well, this is one of my tricks
to keep everything in perspective. If you’re looking for a stress-free home
buying or selling experience, I can help: Kevin Clark, BigBendRealtor.com
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