Researchers have finally proven what common sense would already tell us – that keeping a daily gratitude journal can change your life! Richard Emmons PhD, from the University of Berkeley, proved that as little as 3 weeks of your gratitude journal can positively shift your experience of life. Woo hoo! But there’s more to it than just grabbing a pen and paper. Find out the 3 different levels to a gratitude journal and how the level you choose can make a massive difference to the impact it will have for you.
[Read more…] about How To Start A Gratitude Journal (And Why You Should Choose Which Of The 3 Levels You Want To Take It To, First!)
7 Survival Tips – How To Beat The Monday Morning Blues
“Tell me why I don’t like Mondays…”
We all know the feeling: after a great weekend, the alarm goes off and realisation dawns: it’s Monday morning. Again.
For many of us, it can trigger a sinking feeling of dread, as we take a deep breath and dive into another week.
It can go on for years, feeling stuck in a rut and unable to change anything.
But it doesn’t have to bet that way.
Here are 7 survival tips to help you beat the Monday Morning Blues.
Do you get the Monday Morning Blues?
Tip 1: Get specific
Rather than indulging in an open-ended rant about how awful Monday mornings are, it helps to get specific. What exactly is it you’re not enjoying?
Don’t be tempted to generalise – that leads to the proverbial mountain from a molehill. Being clear about specifically what is bugging you will reduce the problem to a more manageable size.
Tip 2: Time for wisdom
Remember the old saying:
“Grant me the patience to accept the things I cannot change…
… the courage to change the things I can…
… and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Tip 3: It’s up to you…
It’s up to you how much you make out of the Monday Morning Blues. Basically, if you can change things, then get active and do something about them. If you can’t, then you can always change how you choose to respond. Rather than getting wound up, stressed and frustrated, pick a different emotion – one that feels better. It’ll lift your week and that’s a promise.
Need a hand? This one should help: How to deal with difficult emotions in under five minutes.
Tip 4: Say No
Many of us end up with the Monday Morning Blues because we’re feeling overworked and undervalued. What would it take to say “no” every now and then? Not aggressively, but firmly and with compassion. How much could that change things for you?
Tip 5: Tell a new story
Do you need to tell a different story? It can be tempting to indulge in Monday Morning Whinging, but it’ll make you feel worse. Just don’t go there. How about having a Monday Morning Rule: if you can’t say something positive, say nothing?!!!
If your Monkey Mind is addicted to that old story, get a quick ‘how to’ for letting go of the story in point #1 of 3 Things You Can Do Today To Change Your Life.
Tip 6: Don’t ignore it
If Monday Morning Blues are a big issue for you, then there’s a reason for it. Ignoring them just keeps you locked in the Groundhog Day cycle. Negative emotions can be an early warning sign that you need to make changes – either in your life or in your response to it. Is there a tiny change you could make today that would help next Monday morning?
Tip 7: Say thank you
No matter how bad our Monday Morning Blues might be, there are always good things going on in our lives. How about looking for the positives and focussing on the things you enjoy about your Monday? It’s a sure-fire way to turn your Monday around and feel happier, fast.
If you’d like to dive more deeply into this one, how about joining in the fun with The Great Gratitude Challenge to discover how the simple act of saying ‘thank you’ can transform your world?
Bonus Tip 8: Start your Monday with something uplifting
How about turning things around? Mondays happen! Instead of dreading getting ready for work, how about choosing something to look forward to, instead?
What could you weave into your Monday that would make you smile? Then aim for that, instead of the bits that drag you down.
And you could keep a gratitude journal, so you could review the past week’s entries each Monday morning, to shift your mood and set your intention for the week.
What are your top tips for beating the Monday Morning Blues? We’d love to hear them – please share via the comments box, below.
x Clare
Mentor to Entrepreneurs & Passionate World-Changers
Finding It Hard To Get To Sleep? Bedtime De-Stress With The Gratitude Spiral
Sometimes in life, especially when we’re stressed, it can be difficult to fall asleep.
It’s as though the worries of daily life just keep going round and round in our mind.
Stress – doesn’t have to be something that keeps you awake at night.
Rather than fighting your thoughts, which just feeds them and keeps them at the centre of your attention, there are many simple techniques that cost nothing, but make a huge difference!
Here’s one of my favourites. [Read more…] about Finding It Hard To Get To Sleep? Bedtime De-Stress With The Gratitude Spiral