If you go to sleep with a ‘racey’ mind sometimes, or even wake up all ‘racey’ about the things you “gotta do”, you are frustrated that your mind is winning.

You wake up exhausted again and by 2:30 or 3 pm, you are a bit downtrodden, right?

You have not made any progress on your long list of to-dos and you keep getting caught up in forgetting to do what the others in your life (co-workers, life partners, clients) need you to do first in their list of priorities.

Until, of course you change your mindset.

Try this:

Step One:

Rather than end your day with a list of things you gotta do, end your day asking your brain to “search for joy.”

Step two:

Literally do a bit of self-talk and say “ok, mind that is all powerful and working all the time, go out there into my world and search for joy.”  Just try it.  It cannot hurt.  Science tells us that the brain is task oriented.  And if you give it the task to “search for joy” while you sleep, after a few days of this, or even that very first night for some of you, it will find little tidbits of joy.

Step Three:

Upon waking, many successful folks express gratitude for all of the great things they have in their lives, the people, the feelings, their health.  Well, I also use this opportunity – those first waking moments to ask my brain “today, search for joy.”

The results for me include:

• slowing down an interaction to really see what is happening and see the joy in the smallest interactions and events;
• make a game of it when ever you are able: how many moments of joy you can notice.
• being watchful of where joy originates – and being amazed that it can come from the fact that the hot water mixed with those first grinds of coffee, make an amazing steam.  I know it is a bit childlike but the greatest creativity comes from a child-like mind.

My goal is simple: If I can experience some joy today, and tomorrow, and the next day, then my life is linked by joy.  Joy is how I remember yesterday if I searched for some joy and found even a little.

It can be as simple as making your first cup of coffee.  Watch the hot water hit the coffee grounds and turn them into coffee.

So, tell me, can you join me in a daily “search for joy” practice?

Let me know how it works for you in the comments below or email me at gregory@thepanicproject.com

THANKS.

And, remember to search for joy.

Gregory