Since the beginning of this pandemic, there is one that has continued to show its ugly head…unreasonable anger.  As a culture, we seem in a constant state of anxiety, stress, frustration, and rage.  I wrote about this over a year ago here.  In that post, I talked about one way to combat this overwhelming emotion in our own lives.

We need to focus on our Circle of Influence.

So many of us are spending nearly all of our time and energy on things we have absolutely no control over.  We can blame the media, social media, negativity, or whatever, but regardless of the reason, we have been derailed.  Our attention and our energy are nearly constantly on things we have no ability to impact.  They are outside of our circle of influence.  And when that happens, we feel increasingly helpless and angry.

So what do we do about it?  We get back to basics.

I was talking to someone that is in a rut recently.  They want to be in a better mental space, but they are constantly challenged to get out of a funk.  My advice to them, and now to you, is simple.  We need to get back to our circle of influence.  Here are 3 things to do every day that will lead to more happiness, purpose, and productivity.

Do Something To Grow Each Day

In some areas of your life, you probably want to grow.  You might want to get in better shape.  If so, then doing a real workout would certainly move you in that direction.  Maybe you want to learn a new language. If so, then listening to an audiobook or studying might help you improve.  Regardless of the passion, block off some time in your calendar to do something proactive that moves you toward growth in your goal.  You get to choose the area…and the action.

Schedule it.  Make the commitment.  Take action each day that will help you grow in that space.  It will feel good.  And after 30 days, you will be closer to that goal than you are today.

And make no mistake…this is in your circle of influence.

Do Something To Give Each Day

When we are stuck in our own rut, it’s incredibly easy to focus only on ourselves.  And that makes it a lot more difficult to be grateful.  There is magic in looking to help others.  It automatically takes the focus off of our own issues.  We look up from our phones and see that others have challenges that we might be able to help.  That’s the first benefit.  We gain perspective.

The second piece of magic is in how we feel.  There is a chemical that is released in our body when doing something nice for someone else called Oxytocin.  It gives us a boost and decreases stress.  This chemical also helps us think more clearly and creatively.  Doing something for someone else every day makes your day better…guaranteed.

Create A Reason To Laugh Each Day

This might take work when we are down, but it IS in our circle of influence.  We have to be intentional and seek it out.  But when you are able to create interactions, watch videos, read material that makes us laugh or brings us joy, you impact your day for the better.

There are many more ways you can improve your mental state.  But these are 3 things you should do every day.  When you intentionally try to do these 3 things, you take your attention off of what you cannot control and you give energy to that powerful circle of influence.

Here’s to a week full of growth, giving, and laughter!

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