Celebrating the Past

How can you quickly achieve a better attitude and presence? By focusing on the fifth pillar of my 5 R’s - Reference. Reference is defined as the action of alluding to or the use of a source of information in order to ascertain something. So, how do we use this for our mind?

The great majority of us do not celebrate our journeys as we celebrate our outcomes or results. Yet research clearly shows that celebrating the little wins along our journey actually creates greater productivity and energy than waiting for the result. Realize how far you have come. Activise–practice and anchor new thoughts. State what you want, not what you are against. Practice celebrating the small steps and wins until it until it captures you.

Referencing our past positive experiences can be a healthy option for setting future goals or in building optimal habits as we focus on our future.

A wonderful way to celebrate is with our gratitude. Research has shown that consciously practicing gratitude can also reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. In fact, studies have found that a single act of thoughtful gratitude produces an immediate 10% increase in happiness, and a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms.

Gratitude and celebration can also help you tend to your emotional wellbeing in all eight dimensions: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual.

I have talked about my acronym of T.I.M.E. – Thanksgiving – Inspiration – Meditation – Exercise as a reminder to practice in the first half hour of waking up before getting into your busy day. This is especially true  as Thanksgiving or gratitude at that time allows you to directly access your subconscious. I suggest you cover your possessions, your work, and your attributes and your relationships. 

Celebrations also increase social support which reinforces the learning experience and strengthens our sense of connections. Sometimes, we need to Reference our past and celebrate when it feels like there is nothing to celebrate. Each of us has the power to choose our attitude towards the adversity of life.