“Gratitude is a flower that grows in too few gardens”. Quite a truthful statement, especially in some of the regions with Flemish Clay. Aren’t we used to talk about what goes wrong and not really pay attention to what’s going right? Saying ‘thank you’ has become a phrase people rarely use anymore. And of course, that’s a pity as happiness at work and gratitude are actually closely linked to each other. You can easily increase your happiness at work by applying the rule of 3 (merci chocolates).
Hazelnut-praline: allow yourself to say thank you at least three times each day
It takes time to incorporate new habits take into your daily routine. But once you have introduced them, it becomes a very obvious and easy tool. Applying the credo “you reap what you sow”, it can be quite inspiring to hear yourself say “thank you” at least three times a day. Sincerely. Voluntarily. Honestly. The great part is that you are also likely to get more gratitude in return! And this is exactly how we’re starting a positive spiral that brings along loads of happy vibes. What’s not to like?
Mokka-cream: allow yourself at least three moments of gratitude each day
We often are quite harsh on ourselves. Our brains are filled with mind wanderings like “what are others going to think” , “just act normal, that’s already weird enough” and “you have to work to earn a living”. So we mindlessly take out all the fun out of our lives and make sure we can become a serious responsible adult who knows what he or she is doing… Or not! Fun is the sparkl that lights the candle and that brings light and a breeze into your life! When you are crawling under the covers at night and you can look back on a day that contained at least three moments that made you smile and that you were grateful for, well then that’s definitely was a good day. A day to remember. Let’s be honest: how many of those days come up for you during a typical week?
Pure chocolate mousse: allow yourself at least three delicious flavours each day
Does this sound familiar to you? It seems like there’s quite a distance between what we are physically dealing with and what we are mentally preoccupied with. So much information, so much input, so much distraction. So many challenges for your body and mind to be present at the same time and to focus on the same item. The golden rule to make you enjoy every moment a little bit more: focus on what your senses are experiencing! This is how you bring your mind to the exact spot where your body is and it will let you experience how blissful being fully present in the current moment can truly be. This kind of experience came very naturally before the digital revolution took place, but now it’s become quite the challenge. This is exactly the reason why we need to learn again how to connect with ourselves, our body and our senses. Using your sense of taste proves to be a great tool for that. Let’s be honest: how often do you mindlessly swallow your food while you are busy typing on your computer or watching the TV? What did you just eat? Errr… What did it taste like? Good question! Did you enjoy it and are you feeling satisfied now? Ok, stop it with the tough questions! The time is now to change all that! Allow yourself to have three tasty moments every day and you will start to connect more easily to your body. And that definitely is a good thing!
Gratitude
As Chief Happiness this rule of 3 (merci chocolates) is a tool I really appreciate: gratitude drives happiness at work and I love to use it and I use it a lot! Are you a team leader, HR-professional, CHO, CEO of just a great colleague? Sow some more genuine gratitude and be amazed at what will happen: more happy feelings will come creeping in the team atmosphere and the corporate culture. And just so you know, this gratitude doesn’t always have to be an actual gift, even though a tasty little treat now and then always works miracles!
I got the inspiration for this blog when a great colleague of mine surprised me with a box of merci chocolates. I personally thought that I didn’t do anything special, but it really meant a great deal to her. I got the gift right when I was having dinner with three of the VIPs in my life. And if there were a fourth rule, it would definitely sound a little like this: Enjoy the lovely moments you get to spend with your VIPs and cherish every little minute of it. Because besides doing the dishes, there’s more to life than just working!
