'Tis the season for slowing down and giving thanks. This time of year reminds us to connect with friends and family and take a step back from work and the day-to-day grind. Far too often, we get caught up in the stressors of everyday life, and we forget to take a step back and reflect to gain perspective. As Samson Samuel discusses in his TEDx talk, these excessive thoughts of stress, to-do lists, errands, and tasks can lead to mental waste. Too much focus on the troubles of day-to-day life can lead to a build-up of mental waste. "One way to reduce mental waste is to express an attitude of gratitude." Samson Samuel We all know what gratitude is, what it looks like, what it feels like, and how it can impact us and our relationships. We are thankful for many significant life events; a new job, a new pet, the health of a loved one, winning a big game, etc. These major life events often trigger gratitude. However, our day-to-day lives can lack significant events, leading us to fail to practice and feel gratitude for the little things in life that sometimes feel trivial. Our society can be rather materialistic "our success is often based on what we have, not who we are." (Samson Samuel) This sense of "keeping up" causes us to get trapped in the hamster wheel of always wanting bigger, better, and more, again, causing us to fail to appreciate the things in our life that we already DO have. "The simple things in life provide true fulfillment, or more importantly, one's sense of gratitude, a full and complete awareness of that gratitude for those simple things that makes for a fulfilled life." Travis Roy in his TEDx talk. People who regularly practice gratitude are happier, more productive, have better sleep, and lead more fulfilled lives. Travis Roy asks his audience, "Think about the three things that you enjoy most in life. Write them down. Those are the things to be grateful for each day. " An added challenge, how can you incorporate those things into your daily life? This is your reminder to find joy in simple things, practice gratitude today and every day. I am grateful for each of you, your support, and your time spent reading this. I am wishing you and yours the attitude of gratitude today and every day. Happy Thanksgiving, Nicole Todisco MacDonald Links to TEDx talks: https://www.ted.com/talks/samson_samuel_the_power_of_gratitude https://www.ted.com/talks/travis_roy_the_art_of_practicing_gratitude_and_life_s_simplest_pleasures
Enjoy our blog? Please forward to your friends and invite them to subscribe.