Lately I’ve noticed a lot of people reading books on happiness and articles and TV segments on the subject.
Gretchen Rubin, best-selling author of The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, shares four tips for staying positive. (The fifth is mine). I share them since they are within your control and can impact your energy, focus and productivity.
- Make your bed: It creates order and immediate satisfaction. You feel in control.
- Give a warm greeting or farewell: When someone enters or leaves the space, connect with them. Look up, say hello, give them a hug and get off your device.
- Increase personal relationships: Reach out to people other than on Facebook and LinkedIn. Get together with them for coffee or a meal, call or send a card.
- Surround yourself with pleasant scents: Create an environment that supports you. Scent can be stimulating. Light a citrus candle or bake some chocolate chip cookies.
- Keep a gratitude journal: This is my addition. Write down 5 things daily for which you are grateful. Focusing on abundance and appreciation generates positivity and gives you a foundation for resilience.
These simple strategies can shift your perspective and energy. Remember, when a ship changes course by 1-3 degrees, it travels in a different direction.