It's a Wonderful Work Life!

"What if it turns out better than you could've ever imagined", "Teach peace", "Follow your bliss", "Build the life you love", "Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire", "Grow through what you go through" and "Always believe something wonderful is about to happen." These are just some of the many quotes I have up in my home office & several others that I change out on/off regularly.

With it being the holiday season, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what a wonderful work life I'm so blessed to have & offer up some other advice & maybe some ways to further enjoy work life.

No lie the number one answer to "How to Enjoy Life More: 20 Ways to Enjoy Every Day Life" by Thomas J Law is "Practice gratitude." I cannot even think of a good day, professional or personal, where it did not get better just doing this. Law goes on further to add "We need to cultivate a positive mindset, develop good habits, and fill our life with meaning." Again, could not agree more. But, as we all know, it's much, much easier said than done. Done, at least in my world, consistently. So, what else?

This is one constantly "in the works" for me, "Practice mindfulness." Ah yes, the ole hippies, yoga & pilates lovers & some of the greatest philosophers way. Eckhart Tolle once said it so elegantly but simply, "Wherever you are, be there totally." When we learn how to enjoy the moment, we can become calm, focused, and happy. To practice mindfulness, start by removing things that distract you from your environment, like social media, TV, and music. Then, quieten your thoughts by not paying attention to them and instead, focus your attention on your breathing. Also, going for a walk in nature, exercising & receiving pleasure in the little things in life (a cup of tea or coffee or as simple as journaling & being sure you are eating properly & taking breaks).

Another is "Being kind to yourself." Self-kindness refers to acting in kind and understanding ways towards ourselves. Let's face it folks, Often, we are definitely our own worst critic. When we feel anxious or frustrated, we talk to ourselves more harshly than we would accept by anyone else. We wrongly assume that criticism will motivate us to do better. We become even more of a perfectionist than usual. Instead of talking to ourselves with self-compassion, we raise our standards for our behavior as a defense against our feelings of doubt, anxiety, or frustration. In HBR's "Managing Yourself| Be Kinder to Yourself" Alice Boyes mentions "Self-compassion improves people’s participation in groups and is associated with a more adaptive attitude to failure. People who are self-compassionate recover better from psychological knocks, like relationship breakups and career setbacks. One way to show yourself compassion is through self-talk…Talking to yourself with self-compassion will help you deal with a raft of challenging situations, including those you experience personally and those you need to help your kiddos (team members or employees) through. To use it effectively, follow these practices to build specific, personalized habits of self-compassionate talk."

"Rest and recuperate" probably one of the most important things that I'm bad at. It is very challenging to learn how to enjoy life to the fullest if you are tired, burnt out or stressed to the max. "It's very important that we re-learn the art of resting and relaxing," writes Thích Nh?t H?nh. "Not only does it help prevent the onset of many illnesses that develop through chronic tension and worrying; it allows us to clear our minds, focus, and find creative solutions to problems."

"Invest in yourself" so important. Self-investment is probably one of the greatest showcases of self-love to yourself. In a way it is the most profitable investment you will ever make, especially if you do this consistently. It is a large determining role in your future and the quality of life you want to live. When we do this, we're prioritizing our wellbeing. We're also developing our self-awareness, which breeds self-compassion, acceptance and happiness. So, I try to get some sort of exercise, get good sleep, listen to podcasts, spend time with smart and educated individuals, laugh and structure out breaks for myself, take time out to enjoy family and friends –?all of these are all of no cost. The things that I personally spend money on or attend free are conferences, books, workshops and webinars and have for years.

Don't just celebrate milestones – after all, they only happen once every mile. Instead, learn how to enjoy life by celebrating every step of the way. "Celebrate small wins!" In a video series highlighting research by Teresa Amabile from Harvard Business School, people who tracked their small achievements every day enhanced their motivation. Amabile converses that "our brains are wired to respond to rewards. Celebrating the completion of small accomplishments leads to the completion of larger goals." And goes on further to state "the simple practice of recording your progress helps you to appreciate your small wins which in turn boosts your sense of confidence. Why? Any accomplishment, no matter how small, releases the neurotransmitter dopamine which boosts your mood, motivation and attention. It also signals you to keep doing the activity again and again." So, I ask you what can you celebrate today?

Some others include "Meet new people, consume less news and social media, try new things, get rid of clutter (I'm a huge fan of this & Goodwill & Facebook Marketplace knows that my donations are large & pretty constant, "Free" or tagging #free will bring in the masses, that's for sure!), spend money on experiences not possessions, track your time (not what you should be doing but what you are actually doing, you just might be surprised by what you discover),

Lastly, "Cultivate a purpose." I remember growing up & always asking, especially in my ornery teen years "what is the purpose of this?" Sassy or seriously, I did want to know. Cultivating more meaning in our lives is the primary way to fast-track feeling more connected to yourself, your purpose and those around you. Blogger Toneka Etienne, Ph.D., is a self-love advocate supporting women to take soul-inspired action to create freedom. In her blog article "5 Ways to Cultivate Purpose and Intention for an Authentic Life", Etienne states first to "find your way, put it in ink, have passion, disconnect and then, reconnect." I love this, so basic but yet extremely impactful.

So, as we watch the fall and have made Thanksgiving memories turn quickly into the Christmas & other celebrated holidays & festivities, let's not lose sight of ourselves & all the wonderful people, places & memories we have made & are continuing to make, as well as the things currently in our life that bring us happiness & peace. All of which contribute to us being able to say "It's a Wonderful Work Life!" Happiest of holidays to you all.