Have you ever felt defeated, knocked down, or like a permanent black cloud has taken up residence over your head?
You’re not alone.
Everyone has times when they’re pushed to their limits and all they can think of is climbing in bed and not coming out.
Unfortunately for most of us, that’s rarely an option.
What is an option, however, is continuing to do the same old thing, usually followed by … the same old results.
Or, you could try something new; namely one of the four fabulous secrets I’ve laid out for you this week.
1. Practice Gratitude. This is a no-brainer and if you aren’t doing it yet, you need to jump on the Gratitude Train NOW. it was still surprising to most people to learn that gratitude is scientifically-proven to boost happiness. Today, however, most people know this truth – thanks to the plethora of books, magazine articles, and teachers writing or teaching about it. Gratitude works simply by focusing your energy on the good in your life as opposed to the bad. If you’ve never tried it before, give it a shot right now by writing down 3 items you’re grateful for. Go on – I’ll wait for you. Grab a pen and some paper and write down three things you appreciate. Maybe it’s your partner or your kids, or maybe it’s the fact that you have hot water and a warm place to live. Maybe it’s the miracle of breathing or swallowing your food or walking across the street. Even if you have what you consider to be the most miserable life on the planet,
I can all but guarantee there are thousands of other people who have it worse off than you. People who lost their homes and all their belongings in natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina or Harvey; children who have never had the opportunity to attend school or go to a doctor’s appointment because their families were born into vicious cycles of poverty with no way to escape; and people whose entire families were wiped out due to famine or disease. Although difficult, taking a moment to reflect on the plights of others is a sure-fire way to uncover the blessings in our own lives and to realize how good we actually have it. Practicing gratitude, or taking time to write down three things we are grateful for every day, can also assist us with this. A related note: if, after practicing gratitude for some time you find yourself running out of fresh, new ideas, check out my Gratitude Meditations album HERE. All it takes is 3 minutes a day.
2. Become an optimist. Anyone who knows me now would be hard-pressed to see me as a pessimist in the past, but that is exactly what I was for more than half of my life. About 7 or 8 years ago, though, I realized the pessimistic, skeptical, worried side of me was directly impacting my life – and not in a brilliant way. Sure, it’s natural to develop nerves with things that may scare us or have already hurt us before, but, as I learned, maintaining an attitude of pessimism really doesn’t help a whole lot. As Henry Ford once famously said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”
3. Surround yourself with positivity. Have you ever been around a person who was miserable? How did it make you feel? Now imagine the last time you spent time with someone positive. How did you feel then? Although not everyone buys it, research undoubtedly shows people ARE affected by the energies surrounding them – so much so that we can “catch” other people’s energies and moods. The good thing is, you can use this to your benefit by surrounding yourself with positivity. If you’re struggling with being in a dark space, surround yourself with people who are positive, optimistic, and energized.
4. Get support. There’s a reason most hospitals and churches have a plethora of support groups; they work! Whether you attend these types of groups, get into therapy, or make a point to reach out to friends and tell them what you need, anyone going through a hard or challenging time needs help, support, and empathy.
There you have it: 4 ways to slay the day and stay in control – even if life is giving you rotten tomatoes.
Which tool appeals to you the most? Email me at jp@jaimepfeffer.com and tell me.
Oh, and before you go; if you liked this post, check out Part II for 3 more tools to raise your well-being meter during tough times.