Sunday, March 4, 2012

Silent Gratitude

I am a huge fan of TED, and have been known to peruse the goods on a fairly regular basis.  What an amazing, thoughtful, enlightening resource that we have available to us, all for free!!  It seems like whenever I find myself grappling with a challenge, or frustrated by some prohibitive thought pattern or reflex, there is a video that addresses this open, internalized, tumultuous space.  So I keep coming back for more.  And whether or not the lessons stick, or the speaker's position falls in line with my own train of thought, when it is all said and done, I feel better for having witnessed that moment.

So two days ago I stumbled upon Shawn Achor's The happy secret to better work.  It's a fun video.  Achor's fast-paced style keeps the momentum going, and his genuine interest in his work, combined with some great one-liners, make for an easy, playful presentation.  It's light material, which means that you can watch it while folding laundry, or flossing, or whatever.   


 I'm intrigued by the ways in which Achor claims we can "retrain" ourselves to think differently, thereby creating more positive and advantageous outcomes in our work, our lives, and our happiness.  It seems overly simple, and yet, I can already see real-life examples of those who generate their own happiness and success all around me.   

So let's try out a little experiment.  We're going to test drive some of Achor's tools here in this space, and see what kind of an impact these activities make in a month, and then in a few months, and then in a year...  

Let's start with "3 Gratitudes".  I'm going to keep my gratitude list partially online, and partially in my own private journal.  Join me if you will, and post your own list of gratitudes in the comments!
  •  Morning brunch with new friends;  the nervousness and joy found in the company of brand-new relationships.
  • Listening to my daughter and my husband singing made-up songs to each other before bedtime.
  • Honoring the desire to write, and facing the difficulty in creating the space for doing so.
Gertrude Stein said, "Silent gratitude isn't very much use to anyone." A perfect mantra for this new month.

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