5 Minutes of Gratitude

Stop looking for the credit—we’re supposed to take care of each other. -Prince

Sometimes I get so caught up in my day-to-day that I miss the small things most responsible for my happiness. Right now is one of those times.

Early summer is a busy time in retail. And in my world as a consultant/trainer, it marks the beginning of my “season” — the span of time during which clients are more likely to hire me. In the months leading up to now, I’ve been gradually spending more and more hours working at cafés while I build new educational material to offer a scrambling retail market. I take this stuff seriously.

I’m at the apex of this creative curve, which means I’ve pretty much doubled my normal work day. No longer am I doing a 7-noon. It’s now more of a 7am-7pm (or later) sort of stretch.

This takes a toll. Besides the fact that I am sitting too much, I also find myself doing way less creative work than I need to stay happy. My novel-in-progress collects dust, poetry book reviews take forever to complete, and I can basically forget about painting. So yeah, things are out of whack, but since I expect it, it’s manageable. Soon it will cycle through and I’ll settle back into an equilibrium that keeps both sides of my brain content. Just not this month. And especially not today.

Still, it bugs me that my hyper-focus distracts me from real life. And I mean ‘real’ like my family and friends. I get so caught up in my laptop shenanigans that I have to actually schedule blocks of time to simply appreciate my place in this strange world.

Something this morning told me I needed to share this with you all.

Because no matter your industry, you are busy. And if you are “normal” (whatever that means), you roll through the day without taking much time to smell the roses (it’s cliché for a reason).

Here’s what I propose:

Look at your schedule and block out 5-minutes.
When your 5-minute block hits, stop everything and take a giant breath. Stop working. Stop working out. Stop walking. Stop making phone calls. Just stop.
If it’s nice outside, go outside. Maybe sit under a tree. Regardless, go somewhere you won’t be distracted. If you have an office, close the door. Can’t escape the office? Hit the bathroom. Fully disengage.
During your 5-minutes, consider your people. The ones you care the most about. The ones you appreciate, the ones you love.
Now send them each of them some love. An energetic flood of gratitude. Maybe for a reason, maybe for no reason at all. Allow your 5-minutes to be a conscious reminder that you aren’t in this alone. End with another deep breath.

When I build time in my day to practice gratitude, I remind myself what’s important. At worst, it’s a reset. At best, I feel more connected to everyone. And that makes it totally worth it.

Tom Griffen is a highly sought after presenter whose message transcends industries. He’ll help you alter your retail narrative in a way that adds joy, satisfaction, and overall success to your life, while also ramping up your sales and UPT. Contact him to make a change.