Motivation
The Gift Journalby Linda Talley
It’s been said that we are given blessings. Happiness is up to us! However, when you’re in the middle of an alligator pit, it is sometimes difficult to remember that your original mission was to drain the swamp—not get eaten by the swamp. It’s really a matter of keeping focused on what’s really important in our lives, in our businesses. If you take your focus off that, I guess you get eaten. Here’s a way that I keep focused on the good things that are coming my way and enjoy them:
A Gift Journal! Go to almost any store and get a journal book. Eckerds has them, Target, Barnes & Noble. They’re easy to spot. (Another option is to create a file on your computer.) Pick one up and then start writing down every time you receive a gift. Now gifts, as you know, come in different sizes, shapes, colors. One gift might be finding a penny as you’re out on your morning walk. Write that one cent down and the date. The next gift might be going to the store for a new electric
toothbrush and it being on sale for $20.00 off retail. Write down the toothbrush and the $20.00—that’s your gift. The next gift might be going to visit your doctor for your annual exam and finding that you are only required to pay $30.00 instead of the $65.00. Yes, I know this doesn’t happen very often but when it does—write it down! It’s a gift to you! Enjoy it! You might be surprised how many gifts you receive daily and how much they add up to.
You can also keep track of the non-monetary gifts. Who baked you cookies today? Who called to see how your day was going? Who smiled at you at the office? Did your boss compliment you? Did a customer tell you how much they appreciated being helped by you! Who said hello to you that you didn’t even know? Who acknowledged you? Did your spouse hug you? Did your spouse tell you that you were loved?
You can also keep track of the gifts you give to yourself. Did you get your eyes examined? Did you have your dental hygiene done? Did you have your annual physical? Did you take time to play? Did you spend time with your kids? Did you get a massage or your hair done? Did you eat the right food for your body? Did you exercise? Did you take a nap? Did you do Bikram yoga? Did you take a refresher computer course?
When you get used to writing down your gifts, you stay more focused on what you do want to happen rather than the opposite. Even when the struggle of every day business and personal life seems to be overbearing, keep your mind on the gifts. You’ll go home and go to bed feeling a lot better.
Remember, we are given blessings. What we do with them is up to us. I say, take advantage of them! See them and enjoy them as gifts! I love getting gifts! Don't you?
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Linda Talley. All right reserved. For information contact Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com.
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