“Not having the best situation but seeing the best in your situation is the key to happiness.”~Marie Forleo
We are often waiting for things to get better. A better boss. A better team. A better project. A better relationship with (fill in the blank). A better work-life balance. A better sense of where we’re going.
It is truly wonderful when those better things happen, but they don’t always happen. And they certainly don’t always happen quickly.
When we follow Marie Forleo’s suggestion, and we look for the best in where we are now, well, we usually feel better. And that is often the first step in making things better.
I am working on a new keynote that touches on this topic, and I share that it’s possible to find or create something that delights and fuels us. Or at least, it’s almost always possible to find or create something within our current situation that makes it a little better.
Neuroplasticity research tells us that by looking for the good, while not ignoring the facts of your reality and what might be bad, we can rewire our brain to find more good. We can ease our troubled, stressed minds and bodies, and feel better.
A great way to practice this is using the “Three Things” method. Each day, if possible, recognize and write down three things that went well or are wins or that you’re grateful for. Also write down what you did to help make each thing happen.
The gratitude/win list opens our brain to more possibilities, and the “what I did to make it happen?” list reinforces our sense of agency. We gain a stronger sense of knowing that we can take actions (or non-actions) to make things better.
There are many reasons right now to want things to be better, and many of them are very, very real. This approach does not free us of the responsibility to do whatever we can to bring more good to the world, but it does strengthen us to keep doing that good work.
How do you find the best in situations?
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If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
For a partner in finding the best while doing the work, contact Robyn at rmcleod@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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