Reading up on the latest future trends and technologies, I can sometimes geek out. I'm fascinated to know what might be coming. We have entered a phase of accelerated change--things are going to happen so quickly and I do believe that many of the new technologies will be able to transform our world. The big key to all of this is to find your own inner peace and joy.
In all that I do, I have a core message that is simply choose love over fear. If you can live each day focusing on those small moments, looking for joy and all that is going well, you'll find that at the end of the day, you can string these moments throughout the day (often bridging over the challenges and negativity) to realize that it was a pretty good day. And doing this every day means your weeks turn out pretty good, and in the end, chances are you'll live a pretty darn good life!
This is a way of practicing gratitude very consciously.
A concept I share regularly with others is that you need to watch closely what you "feed your brain." It's so easy these days to get bombarded with negativity. You really have to make an effort to counter balance all the negativity with a lot of positive information. One of my latest favorite tricks (especially on my Facebook feed) is looking at awe-inspiring images. I've liked several pages that just post amazing pictures so my newsfeed is filled with beautiful pictures. And it makes me feel joy!
Appreciation is one of the fastest ways to feel better too. Whether you are showing gratitude to others or for those small moments, it shifts your way of looking at the world. You see things from a more positive light. I'm not saying it's always easy. It's very similar to a muscle that needs to be trained. If you don't use it, you'll lose it. So make that conscious choice each and every day.
The last thing I'd like to share is how you can keep your own peace. Just imagine the eye of the storm. It's always calm and lovely while there's a raging storm going on all around. Be that eye of the storm in your life. Make that choice! Learn to not go into knee-jerk reactions but rather, put a pause in, a space, where you can choose exactly how you want to respond. You can do this through taking three deep breathes before saying anything, taking a walk, being very mindful and be aware of your emotions. Don't let things get to you, keep that peace inside of you and you will be a positive force to be reckoned with that will help to calm others as well. I promise that!
You are welcome to download one of my favorite tools, the Joyometer, at www.KarinVolo.com to help you learn to manage your emotions.
There are so many tricks we can use to consciously work on gratitude. What are some of your favorites? I'd love to hear about them.