Monthly Archives: November 2014

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Let’s Do the Math: Counting Blessings Multiplies Happiness

Human Resource Trainer, Writer, Speaker

“Count your blessings.  Name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”  These words of a chorus I’ve heard as a child ring in my ear as I reflect on this season of thanksgiving.  But is counting really necessary?  What benefit does it hold?

Image courtesy of Zdiviv at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Zdiviv at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

With every language and major religion emphasizing the importance of grateful expressions, there must be some truth to participating in this act.

But before we go there, let me first empathize with you.  Maybe right now you are bogged down with backlog assignments to mark, parents to contact, bulletin boards to change, behavior contracts to devise, lessons to evaluate, or reports to produce.   Should I go on?  Trust me, I’ve been there many times and it’s not a good feeling.

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The Thief That Everybody Knows But Won’t Confront

Human Resource Trainer, Writer, Speaker

How many times have I written this inaugural blog in my head only to find out that it never materialized on paper?  Let me be honest: dozens of times!  The irking question is WHY did I fall prey to procrastination?  Why did I keep delaying something I desired to do?  What was holding me back from getting it done?

Thief

The answers are too numerous to mention but I think I have distilled them down to a few:

  1. Perfectionism – This is the yearning to get all the “i”s dotted and all the “t”s crossed. Perfectionists are stuck on start because they over-analyze things.  They experience what some may call a “paralysis of analysis”.  Now, I know we don’t live in a perfect world so why was I trying to ensure that the post was perfect?  This brought me to the next possible answer…
  2. Panic – This is so paralyzing until it’s not even funny. Many of us have panic or fear in bucket loads to share.  (Oh my, I’m rhyming too!)  We might fear rejection, failure, or even fear what people might say.  Would you believe that some people even procrastinate because they subconsciously fear success?  It’s true!
  3. Pyrrhonism – Don’t be scared by this term. This is just a fancy way of referring to self-doubt, skepticism and uncertainty.  Thinking that you’re not good enough is a crippling reality for many.  It contributes greatly to lack of motivation, anxiety and even depression.  I struggle with this from time to time and often have to talk to myself to shake it off and move on.

These were just some of the barriers I had to overcome to confront the thief that everyone knows: procrastination.  Yes, it steals our time, our satisfaction and or peace of mind.