Everyone I know says they are busy.
They are busy with work, kids, volunteering, and other activities. Most are very stressed out and have problems sleeping because of all that is on their minds. Then they are tired the next day, have more to do and then can’t sleep that night so the cycle begins again.
The main issue is that we don’t stop for a few minutes and breathe.
We don’t give ourselves time to cherish the moment or smell the roses or whatever other cliché you may want to use. However, there are people who are truly happy and they do that by being in the “present” moment. It is a “gift” that they give to themselves.
The question is how do they do that?
How do they fit it into their schedules that are probably as busy as others?
The answer is that they schedule it! They set aside 5-10 minutes each hour to give themselves a break. It is actually proven that if you do this, you are actually more energized and productive then if you work straight through the hour.
Try this – have a small piece of paper on your desk and write down the time. Work for 50 minutes and then take a break. Try this all day till you don’t need to write the time down anymore.
Do you feel you got more accomplished?
You do feel a little less stressed.
Now try this before you go to bed.
Get a notebook and write down each night one thing you are grateful for. It can be something as small as “the sun was out today” or something much bigger. Do this for a week and then look back over your entries. Even though we tend to focus on the negative things in our lives and what the media portrays, there are actually very good things happening in your life every day.
An experiment was conducted where a group of people did this exercise for just one week and then the researchers checked in with them a month later and they were still happier than those that did not do it at all.
The point of all this is that you deserve to “gift” yourself every day.
No one else is going to do this for you so it is essential – not only because it will make you feel good but also because it will make you healthier.
You may say easier said than done but what do you have to lose especially when it can make your life more fulfilling.