Today I was watching a Ted Talk video (LOVE TED Talks) by Shawn Achor (video can be seen here) about positive psychology and how to achieve a more positive outlook on life.


What he was saying about how no matter what we achieve, we always want more, and so are never satisfied, made complete sense to me. It is in our culture to want to do better, no matter how well we do. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for people having goals and ambitions, but I think all too often we focus on the negative and even when something great happens, we long for something better.


Shawn's message, ultimately, was that it is possible to change your mind to be more positive. By doing this you can celebrate your successes and actually work better. He says in 21 days you can focus your life on the positive by following these steps - every day, for 21 days:

1. 3 Gratitudes -  Find 3 things you are grateful for every day.
2. Journaling -  Write about one good thing everyday. It also makes you relive the good moment - Can you say Oxytocin? That's a TED talk for another day.
3. Exercise -  Teaches the body that movement is good.
4. Meditation -  Focus on the task at hand. Get over the cultural ADHD we have developed.
5. Random Acts of Kindness -  Whether deliberate or accidentalthey make you feel good.

This is my attempt a creating a little positivity in my life. Even with travelling next week, I'm going to make the commitment to do this & see where I end up.

3 Gratitudes

• I am grateful for my husband. As much as I can be a raging, umm, well let's keep this G-rated and say WITCH, he still loves me after 25 years together. Awesome. He lets me soar and encourages me all the way.
• I am grateful for the roof over my head and the comfortable life we enjoy.
• I am grateful for my family. I will expand on this in the next few postings, because there is a lot to be grateful for, but for now, I just want to say that my family, no matter how dysfunctional, crazy or absurd it gets, is still the anchor that keeps me grounded. 

Journaling, well, that is what this blog is all about. Sharing the TED talk that started it all is today's good news.

Exercise, Meditation & RAK - I'll let you know how these go tomorrow, since I am writing this on my lunch break. But I have a great idea for a random act. OK, not so random, but it's something.

Here's to a more positive me by June 21!~

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