Leave The House Smiling
by Kathy Gates
Here's a news-flash for you: Happy people don't start their day
off getting up late, yelling at the spouse/kids, can't find
their keys, change clothes six times, no gas in the car. That's
no way to start any day, much less every day. It will damage
your self esteem, run right over your confidence, and zap holes
in your energy bucket.
And if that's what you're doing, you're just setting yourself up
for misery.
Don't save your smiles for when you get to work. Share them in
the morning with the people in your life that you love the most,
including yourself. These habits will help you leave your loved
ones in the morning with a smile on their face, and create a
happier feeling for your day overall.
"Grab-n-Go" VS "Hunt-n-Yell" Habits:
Morning is not usually the best time to be making major life
decisions like what to wear. But you already know that, don't
you? And isn't it true, what gets you more often than not isn't
the outfit itself, but the chipped nail polish you're trying to
touch up, or the shoe under the couch you can't find? That
always sets up the "hunt-n-yell" syndrome; and that's not very
conducive to leaving the house with a smile.
Instead, put your morning routine on automatic. Finish out the
outfit, right down to the shoes, socks/hose, jewelry,
hairpieces, (and check that nail polish!). Create a separate,
special place for assembling your morning wear - a hook/basket
combination in or near the closet works best for most people.
Choose another ‘exit-pad' for things that go out the door with
you - purse, keys, cell phone (make exit pad near a plug in,
then simply plug in phone and leave it in your purse), videos to
return, dry-cleaning, lunchbox, lists. It's the ‘grab-and go'
habit, not ‘hunt-and-yell' habit. Once you can handle this
effectively yourself, teach it to others in the household as
well.
Choose The Form of Your Pri-or-i-ties:
Ok, so I always hear that phrase in a big booming voice like in
the movie "Ghost Busters" (remember when the gatekeeper said
"choose-the -form-of-the de-struc-tor"?). It's a sure smile,
and a way to help you think of your daily priorities in those
terms - it's THAT important. It's your decision. Your choice
of how your day will run. Smiles or yells - the choice is made
every day.
I've said it before, and pardon me if you've heard it before.
But if you're not doing this ONE THING - choosing daily
priorities - you're making a big mistake in your quest for a
happier life. If this is a new strategy to you, I suggest you
combine work and home tasks. Your list might say: 1) Get gas;
2) Return weed-eater to Marsha; 3) Set meeting with Jim for next
week. 4) Proof copy for Friday.
The idea is not to write out a long To-Do list that gets
overlooked. What works is to list 4 things that you have
control over, both work and home, both basic (like gas) and
occasional like setting a meeting or getting a gift. Instead of
being overwhelmed and distracted by a huge list, you have just 4
things to focus on today. Teach yourself to make a decision and
stick to the list.
Creating habits to leave the house smiling have added benefits
besides just a happier start to each day. It also teaches you
that you can trust yourself to do what you say. Your integrity
will go up, your self esteem will rise, and your confidence will
soar. Each day, you'll know that you are moving forward, living
the life you choose, not losing ground to crisis or
forgetfulness.
In just 5 days you've got 20 things off that mile-long to-do
list - imagine what you'll accomplish in a month! Now that will
make anybody smile.
Professional Life Coach Kathy Gates specializes in helping
people who are ready to create a simpler, less stressful, more
joyful and meaningful lifestyle. Get information on books and
services at http://www.reallifecoach.com
or call 480.998.5843.