I always get a chuckle in my talks when I ask my audience if anyone has stress in their lives. Stress is so epidemic that we have to laugh about it, as if it goes with the territory of just being alive.
What I believe is underlying most of our stress is fear – fear of not being enough, not doing enough and not having enough.
One way gratitude helps with this is by teaching us to appreciate ourselves.
As a Mom, I often find myself in this predicament. No matter how hard I try, things don’t always go as planned. My child gets overtired and melts down unexpectedly. I pack the car for a road trip and forget a swimsuit. I plan a delicious dinner but everyone is hangry before it’s ready. Mom fails happen.
Enter the perfect antidote – the Gratitude Resume!
The Gratitude Resume is something you can do to help you stay focused on how much you do, every day, instead of focusing on what you didn’t do.
Once you sit down and start to write out all the things you do, whether you’re a Mom, a daughter, a friend, an employee, a Dad, a teacher, something else or any combination of the above, it’s likely you have no idea how valuable you are.
So take a look at what I came up with when I decided to write my own Gratitude Resume for my most important position: Mom. Then take a moment to give it a try for yourself.
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Lorraine Miller
Mom Extraordinaire
Current Position (2013-present): Mom
Position includes: Personal Advisor, Mediator, Wardrobe Consultant, Refrigerator Inventory Manager, Cook, Baker, Sandwich-maker, Laundress, Band-Aid applier, Teacher, Homework Helper, Social Coordinator, Chauffeur, Travel Planner, Home Organizer/De-Clutterer, Nurse, Sleep Whisperer, Food Shopper, Meal Planner, Dish Washer, Housekeeper, Master Hugger, Master Snuggler, Task Juggler, Cheerleader, and Best Friend.
Special Skills include:
Shoe tying, giving baths, finding lost toys, wallets and phones, making beds, kissing and rubbing boo-boo’s, packing lunches and snacks, giving reminders, negotiating terms, enforcing rules, creating routines, instilling tradition, inspiring teams, rallying troops, managing social calendars, empowering children, building character, teaching wellbeing.
Availability: 24/7/365
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One of my favorite things about gratitude is that it truly is an antidote to stress. So try this self-gratitude exercise and please post in the comments how it is for you!
Gratefully,