The Jar of Awesome*

"Good artists borrow; great artists steal." - Picasso 

Ideas surround us. They flow from words, pictures, situations. Since we have tens of thousands of self-talk messages daily, capture a few from your thoughts. 

Author Judy Blume has a little metal box called "Judy's Idea Box" where she stores some of hers. The idea might be a character and situation. She transposes them into a notebook and they grow into books. 

Awesome is in the mind of the beholder. Find awesome in our everyday lives. Happiness researcher Shawn Achor encourages us to spend a few minutes daily identifying gratitude for that awesome. 

Tim Ferriss gifts an even simpler method. His girlfriend presented him the Jar of Awesome. He replenishes the jar daily. When we look for awesome, we find it. 

I got my Jar of Awesome. I watched an episode of March to Madness on HBO chronicling UCONN women's basketball. Earlier, we helped assemble over 10,000 meals (rice, soy protein, flavoring, vitamins) to fight global hunger. That's truly awesome.

Jon Gordon, author of The Positive Dog, suggests fourteen simple steps to be more positive. 

Here are a few ideas from Gordon: 

2. Take a Walk of Gratitude - Do this each morning and feeds the dog all day long.

3. Turn off the News - Starve the negative dog.

8. Reach Out - Call or visit someone who has made a difference in your life and thank them. (Research shows this boosts happiness.)

12. Be a Coach - Coaches bring out the best in others. The best coaches mentor, encourage, praise, inspire, and lead with optimism and positivity. Today, feed others and yourself with positivity by being a coach. Help a teammate or young player. 

13. Start a Success Journal - Write down the one great thing about your day. The more you look for success, the more you will find it. Had a great practice? Enter it. Reading a great book? Write it down. 

Happier employees are more productive, experience less burnout, and earn more. 

*Adapted from a previous basketball blog entry. 

Lagniappe:

Look around. Arlington Catholic moved to 6-0 shutting out Bishop Fenwick yesterday. Melrose at AC have a competitive series dating back over fifteen years and meet again later this season.