We have great weekly LIVE sessions on Instagram (check out the @forwardladies). The last one, with the lovely Nicole Goodman, a respected well-being coach, was brilliant. 

I have realised from the questions asked during these sessions that a lot of people are unhappy. Most people seem to be struggling to find contentment during these times. Nobody is exactly thrilled about the current situation, but you can still be happy on a day by day basis.

So, I want to help ease the pain and the struggle that many seem to be going through at this time.

I am no psychologist, but what I do know from my personal experience and conversations and interviews with thousands of people over the years is that happy, positive people are deeply grateful people.

Have a conversation with a happy person and the word ‘grateful’ keeps popping up in their language. Pay attention to your happy friends, and you will notice it too.

They tell themselves stories that enforce their sense of gratitude about the situations they find ourselves in, so they stay focused on the positives, which then puts them in a place of joy and seemingly constant happiness.

As Tony Robbins says “where focus goes energy flows” and that has never been truer than in these unsettling times.

The world is in lockdown with most of us working from home while trying to homeschool children. Most people have suffered some loss – loss of income, jobs and ultimately life. Listening to the daily news is depressing. 

Despite this fact, I also believe this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be still, reflect and attempt to find value, meaning and purpose in our lives. 

You do not need to travel to an expensive, quiet retreat on an exotic location to experience this.

You can experience this right from the comfort of your home because the whole world has STOPPED!

However, you cannot experience these benefits if you spend 90% of the lockdown in misery and depression. 

SO, here is a little exercise to help you be more positive and happy even as we navigate these times. 

1. I ask you to STOP and check in on what you are focusing on your mental energy and attention? What are you spending the majority of your time on?
   
2. For the next seven days, I would like you to start your day by listing seven things that you are grateful for at this moment despite the crisis. The seven things can be anything; you can add people, opportunities etc. List anything that sparks gratitude and joy in you. I would like you to set a reminder in your calendar to do this – an appointment with yourself. Pick a time in your day when you are most likely to STOP and sit down and do it. You only need seven minutes to do this. 
   
3. Find a “gratitude buddy” to do this with, if possible. Someone you trust to be kind to you yet can dispense some tough love when needed. Like all things in life, accountability works to keep us focused and consistent when the distractions set it. 

Find opportunities to drop the things you are grateful for into conversations. I would like you to do this for just seven days in the first instance. 

Try it and let me know if it helps. 
Let us call this exercise the 777 gratitude challenge! 
Why not – it sounds more fun that way.

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