What Should We Do To Enjoy A #Happy New Year?

Inspiring image of a climber
Where Will Your Next Step Take You? – Photo Credit smswigart via Morguefile.com

We all want a happy new year.

Don’t we?

At the start of the year advertisers make the most of that fact. They tell us that:

  • If we join the gym we can be healthier.
  • Moving home will make us that much happier.
  • Our lives will be even better if we start a new job.

But investing in those changes means accepting there are happiness gaps in our life (affecting our Health, Comfort or Career) and that these gaps need to be tackled.

Gap filling tools include, self help books; trusted advice; even blog posts.

Speaking for myself I am going to make more time this year to keep score. By that I mean taking time to assess my life to work out where the happiness gaps are. If an area scores 5 out of 10, or less, then I have to move it up a notch. I will set a goal, agree some actions, relate the actions to dates and get started. I’ll write about the results here.

I hope this post helps nudge you to sit down with a cuppa and score the important parts of your life out of 10, to work out what you can change.

Feel free to comment on your goals here, or share your thoughts in a tweet @RogerD_Said

Here’s to a great 2020.

3 Qualities To Help Reach 2020 #Goals

A hand reaching out to the future - Photo by Ignored shots from Pexels
What Will We Achieve In 2020 ? Photo by Ignored shots from Pexels

So, the end of the year is here and I am looking back at how I achieved my goals, so I can reach out toward my next set of goals and achieve more of them in 2020.

What are the three things qualities I had to practice to achieve more in 2019?

Patience 

Making time to slow down and look again at my plan, message, relationships meant more chance of spotting a mistake and creating a better result. 

Gratitude 

Saying ‘thank you ‘ improved the quality of my relationships, even if they were related to simple projects.  

Acceptance 

Sometimes difficult situations cannot be changed only endured. Even bad situations can be a good learning opportunities. It has been worthwhile asking, What do I want instead of what I have got?

What have been your take-aways from 2019? Feel free to leave a reply or Tweet me @RogerD_Said

Have a great 2020!

3 Types Of Thoughtful #Present For 2019 And Beyond

Happy family group putdoors
Creating happy memories – Photo by Agung Pandit Wiguna from Pexels
 
 
 
This year’s Christmas adverts are promoting the usual kind of gifts we should be giving: yes, I’m talking about coffee makers, perfume and jewellery.
 
 
 
 
But what about gifts that will create happy memories a long time from now?
 
 
 
 
For those of us wanting to show we care, without being too commercial here are three gift ideas which will leave a great impression as they come from the heart:
 
 
 
 
Time – I think volunteering a few minutes to help a friend out or benefit a good cause is pretty cool. This kind of thoughtfulness will be remembered  long time into the future.
 
 
 
 
Connection – I’ve appreciated it when someone knows me well enough to recommend I check out a particular TED Talk or YouTube video. The advantage of this gift is you can pay it forward and help someone else out too.
 
 
 
 
Recognition – I’m finding a simple ‘good morning’, or ‘thank you’ goes a long way to put a smile on other people’s faces. Recognition means I see you and I see the value you add to my life.
 
 
 
 
So what’s your take on the most meaningful presents we can give? Put another way, what is the gift you received a long time ago that still makes you feel good inside?
 
 
 
 
Feel free to tweet your thoughts @RogerD_said

3 Steps to Beating The Autumnal Blues

Experience less stress by getting out into the world - Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric from Pexels

Experience less stress by getting out into the world – Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric from Pexels

The clocks have gone back, so the end of the year must be close by. Do you ever feel like staying indoors and hibernating until the spring? I have felt like that, so it is understandable if you answered ‘Yes’.
It is better though to set a goal to do something to safeguard your health and then take action to tackle that goal.
Why?
Because, despite the cold, wet and gloom of the autumn there are health benefits to getting out and about. Doing this means we get to experience:
  • Fresh air, instead of the recycled climate stirred up by air conditioning
  • Fresh scenery and the chance to top up our vitamin D reserves
  • Fresh perspectives and space for mindfulness, not the time suck of incoming messages that keep us nailed to our desks
Mixing things up keeps things from getting stale. That’s good news for you, your team and your customers. I hope the ideas above help you over the coming weeks. Feel free to share your secrets to beating the autumnal blues!

World Mental Health Day Means You Can #Asktwice

Happiness And Mental Health Go Together – Picture Credit Rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

October 10 is World Mental Health Day.

The goal for #WMHD is raising awareness that 1 in 4 of us will personally experience mental health challenges during our life.

Yes, that is even true for us guys. Although getting us talking about our feelings can be hard work (that’s why it is worth asking us twice ‘how are you’ just to check what is really going on).

Having poor mental health sucks, believe me: It might be back in the early 2000s but I remember that feeling alone; being unable to get out of bed; seeing the world in black and white made no sense at all.

It is also time to remember we can overcome the rubbish feelings caused by stress, anxiety and depression with the help of family, friends and maybe professionals.

How do we start to change our situation?

By talking about our feelings with our family, colleagues and mates today, not just on 10 October.

And keeping the conversation going on the next day.

And the next.

What Are Your Next Steps?

This isn’t an easy conversation to have. If this post rings bells here are some questions you can you ask yourself to get started. 

  • Who can we talk to about what is really going on inside?
  • What isn’t working in our life?
  • What is the smallest step that might help us feel just a bit better?
  • Do we need professional help?

Thanks for reading this post. Remember to Like, Comment and Share so others can learn how to help themselves too.

Your #Goals – These Small Steps Help Achieve Giant #Results

Reaching A Goal Means Connecting To Others – Picture Credit Pexels.com

When it comes to the great achievement of the Moon landing ‘One small step’ and ‘One giant leap’ are perfect metaphors.

 

The giant leap involved a huge amount of teamwork, leading from President Kennedy’s ambitious idea in 1962 to a an awesome achievement celebrated by President Nixon in 1969.

 

To realise the major goal of a manned Moon landing it was necessary to break down that ambition into small bite sized chunks, assigning tasks to physicists, mathematicians, engineers, pilots and a network of other specialists, Once the stages were set the milestones completed and the risks managed the results became inevitable.

 

And so the example of the moon landing is useful for all of us when we think about the goals we wish to achieve.

 

For instance if the ambition after this summer is to get a new job by year’s end, there are several steps to take. 

 

  • First take stock of qualifications and experience. 

 

  • Then identify gaps in either area. 

 

  • Next work out how to plug those gaps. 

 

  • Having done that hard work we can make a decision about the sorts of jobs that we want and the employers we would like to wok for.

 

  • With that knowledge about what we want, what we offer and who we would like to offer it to ,we can make a strategic series of applications or at least establish a presence on the social media front aimed at connecting with the potential employers and people who would be interested in making use of our talents.

 

Doing this very important work, in bite sized chunks, makes accountability possible. Doing all the work means we can to stand up, breathe deep and reach for the stars.

 

What is your favourite way to achieve the biggest goals you face? Feel free to share this content, if you have found this post useful. You can Like or Comment too if you want. 

Your Top 5 Recommended #Stress Busters

How Do You Manage Your Stress? Picture from Pexels.com

If you have survived another busy week (mine involved plenty of running around for other people) I’ve got to ask, how do you let go of the stress, relax and become a nice person to be around once again?

Being mindful of your own stress level and varying the pace of life makes the intense times easier to bear. I am more productive and a better team player when I feel in control of my life.

In fact I remember a few years ago asking a group of carers (busy people responsible for loved ones’ well being) what they did to unwind and I still think their approach makes sense. They recommended

 

  • Nature – spending time outside, feeling the sun on my face shifts my mood.
  • Music – listening to a favourite artist reminds me of good times.
  • Laughing –  enjoying a good comedy programme puts tough times into the background.
  • Exercise – getting to the gym, playing sport, taking the stairs releases feel good chemicals into our system.
  • Friends – catching up with people we care about activates our support system, which reminds us we are not alone.

I have followed 2 of these strategies consistently and they help. Which ones do you follow or do you have other suggestions to share?