Do you go about your daily life never really considering what you get
done each day and what positive impact you had on others? Many people
get really down on themselves, as they never believe that they are
making progress or feel that they lack purpose. The day, weeks and
months pass by in a blur.
So, this is my version of a top tip that research has shown (with
regular use) can increase self-esteem and happiness levels. From working
with clients (and as always testing on myself), I believe that this
adaptation, is also great for boosting your motivation and encourages
you to continue to take action. This is because you are directing your
brain’s attention to focus on the positive and give appraising feedback,
which evidence from neuroscience has proved increases performance. I am
sure that you can think of many instances with other people where this
could also be effective…
Let’s face it, most people are more used to focusing on what went wrong
or feeling bad about themselves, which can quickly spiral to
procrastination and depression. What message are you going to give
yourself instead if you choose to focus on what went right and what you
did well? So what do you have to do?
At the end of each day, write down 3 things that you did well. That is
it. Yes, it really is that simple! A good place to write this is in your
diary or perhaps choose a specific notebook. I write my bullet-point
style list before I go to bed.
For example, if you are a professional under pressure or ambitious
business owner, you could write about what you did well at work at the
end of your working day? (Please encourage your staff or colleagues to
do the same and your workplace is going to buzz with energy and
activity!)
If you are currently experiencing the highs and lows of job-hunting,
state what you do well each day in relation to gaining employment.
If you are a manic mum at home looking after your children, how about
thinking about what you did well today in relation to caring for them?
What about getting the whole family involved in doing this exercise?
Imagine, if everyone starts to consciously focus on feeling good about
themselves, we would create a ‘happiness revolution’ and who knows,
maybe the media would get the message that people want to hear about
what is going right in the world?…
I encourage you to give this tip a go… and if you are reading this
having dismissed its relevance to you, I challenge you to get out of
your comfort zone and do something that you would not normally do! Doing
something new is another way to increase your confidence.