Satisfaction Guaranteed?

Eight Steps Toward a More Satisfying Life – Robin Sharma

Want to lift your level of happiness? Here are some practical suggestions from University of California psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, based on research findings by her and others. Satisfaction (at least a temporary boost) guaranteed.

1. Count your blessings.
One way to do this is with a “gratitude journal” in which you write down three to five things for which you are currently thankful—from the mundane (your car is sparking clean) to the magnificent (a child’s first steps). Do this once a week, say, on Sunday night. Keep it fresh by varying your entries as much as possible.

2. Practice acts of kindness.
These should be both random (let that harried mom go ahead of you in the checkout line) and systematic
(bring Sunday supper to an elderly neighbor). Being kind to others, whether friends or strangers, triggers a cascade of positive effects—it makes you feel generous and capable, gives you a greater sense of
connection with others and wins you smiles, approval and
reciprocated kindness—all happiness boosters.

3. Savour life’s joys.
Pay close attention to momentary pleasures and wonders. Focus on the sweetness of a ripe strawberry or the warmth of the sun when you step out from the shade. Some psychologists suggest taking “mental photographs” of pleasurable moments to review in less happy times.


4. Thank a mentor.
If there’s someone whom you owe a debt of gratitude for guiding
you at one of life’s crossroads, don’t wait to express your
appreciation—in detail and, if possible, in person.

5. Learn to forgive.
Let go of anger and resentment by writing a letter of forgiveness
to a person who has hurt or wronged you. Inability to forgive is associated with persistent rumination or dwelling on revenge, while forgiving allows you to move on.

6. Invest time and energy in friends and family.

Where you live, how much money you make, your job title and even
your health have surprisingly small effects on your satisfaction
with life. The biggest factor appears to be strong personal relationships.

7. Take care of your body.
Getting plenty of sleep, exercising, stretching, smiling and laughing can all enhance your mood in the short term. Practiced regularly, they can
help make your daily life more satisfying.

8. Develop strategies for coping with stress and hardships.
There is no avoiding hard times. Religious faith has been shown to help
people cope, but so do the secular beliefs enshrined in axioms like “This too shall pass” and “That which doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” The trick is that you have to believe them.

Make it good. Make it count!
Catney

Hope

I liked this quote.

"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work. You don't give up."

Anne Lamott, writer

Make it good. Make it count.
Ruth
http://catneycoaching.com/

Sir Ken Robinson shared a great quote in his 2009 Rhode Island School of Design Commencement speech that speaks to diversity.

“Being British these days means you drive home in your German car, stopping to pick up some Irish beer or Danish lager, picking up some Indian curry or Greek kabob, and spending an evening sitting on Swedish furniture watching American programs on a Japanese TV. The most British thing of all – suspicion of anything foreign.”

Watch his most recent Ted Talk - http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html

www.catneycoaching.com

Just Like You Expect

Again, my friend sent me this one and I wanted to share it with you!

ENJOY!

THE DAILY MOTIVATOR
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Just like you expect
+++++++++++++++++++

When you are prepared to find fault, you will. When you are
prepared to find goodness and value, you will.

What you are looking for determines what you find. What you
are expecting determines what you experience.

Expectations don't magically change reality. Expectations do
something even more powerful -- they change the way you deal
with reality.

Is this going to be a positive, productive day or a
disappointing, frustrating one? What do you expect?

The great thing is that you can expect whatever you choose
to expect. And though the specific details won't always
match your expectations, the overall tone of the day will be
just like you most sincerely expect.

Expect the best. Proceed under the assumption that you'll
get the best, from yourself and others, and you're well on
your way to getting it.

Ralph Marston

............................................................................
This is the Daily Motivator email edition.
Copyright (C) 2010 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All rights reserved.
Visit The Daily Motivator web site at http://greatday.com for an archive
of more than 3,000 daily messages, inspirational photos and more.

Did you know?...

Gretchen Rubin tells us in The Happiness Project that one of the most reliable indicators of not feeling lonely is the amount of contact you have with women (this is for both men and women).

Time spent with men does not make much difference. Studies show that both men and women find relationships with women to be more intimate and enjoyable.

Interesting...

Enjoy!
Ruth
http://catneycoaching.com/

Choose What you Focus on

A dear friend sends these to me on occasion. I liked this one. Reminded me of my power to choose what I focus on and the outcome I can create. Enjoy!

THE DAILY MOTIVATOR
Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Worry and confidence
+++++++++++++++++++

If you're able to worry, you're also able to be confident.
Because from a functional standpoint, worry and confidence
are pretty much the same thing.

Worry is the expectation that something negative will
happen. Confidence is the expectation that something
positive will happen.

How do you create confidence about something that hasn't
happened yet? You use the exact same process you would use
to create worry.

The big difference between worry and confidence is the
expected outcome. And the powerful fact is, you can expect
whatever outcome you choose.

There's another way that worry and confidence are quite
similar. They both tend to be self-fulfilling prophesies.

So instead of destroying your effectiveness with worry, you
can vastly enhance your effectiveness with confidence. It
takes nothing more than a simple yet powerful change in your
expectations.

Ralph Marston

Work-Life Balance & Working From Home

Here’s what I know for sure about how to create a sense of work/life balance when you have a home office.

1) Define what work/life balance is for you.

“Work-Life Balance” is such a subjective thing. What might feel like great balance for one person could be a total yawn-fest or stress-bomb for another. The key to defining what balance is for you is to aim to live by your core values. My top 3 values are Family, Meaningful Work, and Integrity (Play is in there too!!!). Choose yours from a sample list below.

Authenticity, Excellence, Happiness,
Balance, Fairness, Harmony,
Commitment, Faith, Health,
Compassion, Family, Honesty,
Concern for others, Freedom, Humour,
Courage, Friendship, Integrity,
Creativity, Generosity, Kindness,
Empathy, Genuineness, Knowledge,
Loyalty, Openness, Perseverance,
Play, Meaningful, Work, Competence,
Respect for others, Responsibility, Security,
Serenity, Service to others, Wealth.

Do a quick gut check. If you’re feeling out of balance in your life ask yourself what core value(s) you’re not meeting and once you figure it out, make a few adjustments to get them back on track.


2) Create a Work/Life Schedule that honours your values.

I have been very deliberate about creating a schedule for family, work, and PLAY.

Once you create this schedule “test drive” it for a couple weeks to work out the kinks and then make a couple adjustments as needed.

You must be very deliberate about adhering to this schedule. Honour yourself and be sure to leave your office based on this schedule. Don’t set yourself up for feelings of failure and conflict. Shut things down for the day and return to them in the morning.

A few things to practice here:
 Learn to say NO; stick with a “W.I.N.” (What’s Important Now) approach.
 Manage expectations with everyone you deal with; always under-promise and over-deliver.
 Divide the family workload with your partner fairly. Take the time to negotiate responsibilities.
 Constant communication with family is key. Make sure you let your family know what each week will look like so you can all support one another.

3) Have a separate office space from your living space.

Easier said than done, but if you can, create a work space that is separate and distinct from your living space. Having a door that offers you privacy AND keeps you OUT when your day is done is ideal but work with what you have in your home.

4) Ask for what you need.

Successful businesses and families aren’t built on mind reading – at least not yet! Many people have trouble asking for help or articulating what they need to succeed. I’m very good about asking for what I need. My husband & I divide our home workload fairly and we also bring in help for housekeeping and tutoring. We also have family help with child-care which really goes a long way.

5) Be sure to inject some FUN in your life and PLAY!

Working all the time and fulfilling your home obligations doesn’t need to be beleaguering. Be deliberate about doing what’s fun for you and don’t take yourself too seriously! Life really is too short!

Enjoy,
Ruth

http://www.catneycoaching.com/

Make it So!

"Life, is not what you see, but what you've projected.

It's not what you've felt, but what you've decided.

It's not what you've experienced, but how you've remembered it.

It's not what you've forged, but what you've allowed.

And it's not who's appeared, but who you've summoned."

What will you create today that will feed your ultimate dream for tomorrow?

Ruth

“Come to the edge,” he said.

They said, “We are afraid.”

“Come to the edge,” he said.

They came.

He pushed them.

And they flew

— Guillaume Apollinaire

Take a calculated risk today. Push yourself outside your comfort zone.

Be your best beyond measure!

Ruth

These E*Trade commercials are funny for soooooo many reasons. They're clever – the writing, the technology, the delivery!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZetD7cdj7w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDm6iKH38C0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCs8gIMKBSo&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFK30CspfJM&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEXZ2hfD3bU&feature=channel

ENJOY!

Ruth

I went to see Robin Sharma this week at his book signing for The Leader who had no Title. The message in the book is that no matter what your title or role within your organization, you have the opportunity – THE RESPONSIBILITY - to lead in your work and within your life.

Many of you are already doing this - taking full ownership and accountability for how your performance at work feeds into the ultimate customer experience for your organization. Some of you even go so far as to practice treating coworkers as well as you treat your customers.

I hope this 2 minute clip inspires you to continue doing what you are doing well AND triggers a gentle reminder in you for how you could do a little more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA9Qu4-b-M0

PRACTICING PRESENCE

If you're fortunate enough to have time with your family this holiday weekend, practice being present and aim to be the awareness of all your thoughts and feelings. Here's an excerpt from Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now to help you practice.

“Be present as the watcher of your mind -- of your thoughts and emotions as well as your reactions in various situations.

Be at least as interested in your reactions as in the situation or person that causes you to react.

Notice also how often your attention is in the past or future.

Don't judge or analyze what you observe. Watch the thought, feel the emotion, observe the reaction.

Don't make a personal problem out of them. You will then feel something more powerful than any of those things that you observe: the still, observing presence itself behind the content of your mind, the silent watcher.”

In 2004 Time Magazine published an article "The New Science of Happiness" and one of the most fundamental findings from the research on Positivity was that “Almost every person feels happier when they’re with other people,” observes Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced “cheeks sent me high!). “It’s paradoxical because many of us think we can hardly wait to get home and be alone with nothing to do, but that’s a worst-case scenario. If you’re alone with nothing to do, the quality of your experience really plummets.”

Read the article yourself to see some of the other findings the researchers cite from the science of positivity.

http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/images/TimeMagazine/Time-Happiness.pdf

So this weekend, aim to create meaningful connections with those that mean the most to you - and even those that don't!

With continued curiosity,

Ruth