I went to my office in a pretty gloomy mood: the previous few days were tough, and the new day promised to be hard as well. While I walked, I started to think about a short speech I was going to give. It concerned one of my business partners, a man who had made a huge impact on our business. I felt it was relevant to offer some praise.
As I thought about his qualities and how he influenced me and my company, I noticed that I was actually in a perfect mood! I felt inspired and full of energy. The day ahead started to seem like no challenge at all! Now, in the evening, I can say that today proved to be interesting and not a bit tiring.
It worked like a charm. All I did to completely change the day’s flow was to focus on how much good I had received from my friend.
I often read advice to “journal gratitude” but did not understand the idea. Now I do. I still think it’s a bit unnatural to summon gratitude by schedule. But the feeling itself, when you experience thankfulness in its pure form, without social interaction, is amazingly powerful and rewarding. Now that I have this understanding, I believe I will experience this often enough, and it will help me live the life I wish.
