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Key Takeaways Acknowledging small wins daily can shift focus from stress to success, fostering a more positive outlook.
Celebrating progress instead of waiting for final results can sustain motivation and joy throughout any journey.
Clarifying and acting upon personal values and a vision statement for your life can instill a sense of purpose and control.
Recently, a few clients have approached me in a bad mood. They’ve felt stressed or overwhelmed by a growing list of unfinished projects, tight deadlines and bosses who constantly urge them to “do more with less.”
While my clients remain committed to their work, they reported having a tough time feeling good about it lately. Here are the five steps I shared with them to snap out of it.
1. Make a list of small wins
Start a log or journal of things that are going well and add a few specific things to it daily. Look at it often. Regardless of how many things you feel aren’t going well, force yourself to think about the things that are going well (at home and at work).
Identify a productive meeting. Think of a meaningful conversation you had with a colleague over lunch. Perhaps you learned something valuable at this week’s town hall. Maybe your son scored a run in his little league game, or you finally fixed that kitchen cabinet. Great, put it all on the list.
What we think about grows, so the more you choose to focus on the good, the more you’ll automatically and immediately start noticing the good. This works the opposite way, too. So, the longer you refuse to do this, the longer you’ll feel that everything’s broken.
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