“And, in the end, the love
you take is equal to the
love you make.” — The
Beatles
As we approach the holidays, many
people have become jaded about “the
spirit of the season,” as they experience
the crass commercialism that pervades
in our society. If you’ve experienced a
touch of “bah humbug!” during this
time of year, I’ve got a “prescription” of
three practices that will help you bring
back the joy to your world.
Generosity
Being generous is not necessarily
about money — it’s about giving. So
what kind of “love” can you generate
(same root as generous) each day that
doesn’t involve any cash outlay? Some
examples: a compliment to a co-worker
on a job well done, a gentle caress to your
loved ones, and perhaps most importantly,
a compassionate listening ear to a
friend. People don’t care how much you
know until they know how much you
care. It is all about showing empathy for
others’ pain. And, what does that cost
you? Answer: NADA! But this kind of
deposit into another’s “emotional bank
account” will pay you big dividends.
Gratitude
As I write these words (forgive my
lack of sophistication — I always start
with pen and paper), the morning sun
is shining down on me as I sip my cup
of coffee ... and I took a moment to
say, “Thank you!” Now ... does that
sound corny or lame to you? This is a
habit I’ve developed — of regularly
saying thanks in my life for all the
good that comes my way. Because, if
you think about it, there are an infinite
number of things that are going
RIGHT in the world right now, if we
just take a moment to acknowledge
our blessings: every breath we take,
the food we eat, the friends we have,
etc. How hard is it for you to say,
“Thank you ... I appreciate that” once
in a while? Answer: NOT HARD. So
why not start today?
Forgiveness
Finally, who are you angry with?
GET OVER IT, for your own sake, not
theirs. Because holding a grudge only
hurts you, not the person you’re upset
with. I was formerly a world-class
grudge holder, expending a lot of emotional
energy thinking bad thoughts
about others I thought needed to live
up to my expectations. Once I learned
this was blocking me from moving forward,
I quickly let go of this “grudgeenergy”
so I could be free to put that
energy to better use. So who do you
need to forgive today? Don't wait — it
costs too much.
Keep in mind that prosperity is not an event — it’s an ongoing
process. And, it has little to do with the size of your bank account. If you
proactively engage in these three practices I’m recommending here on a
daily basis, and make them habits, you’ll not only get into the spirit
of the season — you’ll become prosperous in all the seasons of your
life. Happy Holidays!
Since developing his first coaching
program in 1982, Success Skills Coach
Jim Rohrbach, “The Personal Fitness
Trainer for Your Business,” has
coached hundreds of business owners,
entrepreneurs, and sales professionals
on increasing their clientele.
To find out how a Nightingale-Conant
coach can help you become a high
achiever, call us at 877.512.3100 to
speak with a coaching representative.
