4 Ways to Create Abundance While Self Isolating

The other day, I caught myself dreaming “If only…”

If only I could go out to dinner with my friends…

If only I could hug my parents who are self-isolating up the street…

If only I could go out again and speak at sales conferences live…

If only I could help the first responders and tell them how magnificent they are…

If only I could save some of my favorite small businesses here in Park City…

And, of course, if only I could get a haircut! 

(Read: Is the “If Only” Syndrome Robbing You of Your Happiness?)

But then I realized, I still have a choice. I can stop obsessing about what is wrong, about what’s missing, about what I can’t do, and I can choose to start thinking about what is right, what I do have, and what I can do. 

That choice, that small shift, changed everything.

Every time in my life that I’ve chosen to believe that I had enough money, love, resources, and support to realize my dreams, I have attracted even greater abundance. But it’s not just something I’ve seen in myself. In fact, all the people I’ve seen turn their lives around happen to be the ones who change, first and foremost, their attitude. Truly, if you’re happy within, you can be happy without. 

Here are some of the 4 habits I’ve formed to practice joy daily (even while self-isolating):

1. Practice Gratitude – It’s been said that gratitude is the parent of all other optimism tools. In fact, research shows it’s physically impossible to appreciate someone or something and be in fear at the same time. Think of gratitude as the antidote to fear and feelings of lack and devote at least 15 minutes every morning to meditating on all that you are grateful for.
2. Replace Helplessness with Helpfulness – Think for a moment about the genuine joy you receive when you’re of service to others. Remember, your clients and neighbors are struggling to understand, cope, and develop strategies to move forward. Schedule time each day to find a way to contribute to not just friends and family, but to your community. Nothing provides a sense of purpose and mission like helping someone in need.
   Speaking of helping others, my friend Gerhardt Gschwandtner, Founder and CEO of Selling Power, is inviting you to a FREE virtual event next week. I will be speaking on How to Lead with Empathy in times of crisis along with rock stars such as Waldo Waldman, Alice Heiman, Mark Hunter, Gil Perez, Anthony Iannarino.
   With this virtual event, you will learn how to help others replace helplessness with helpfulness. Sign up here today!
3. Develop a New Routine at Home – It’s easy to get out of the “swing of things” when our daily work routine is interrupted with new stay-at-home measures. It’s easy to find yourself feeling overwhelmed, unproductive, and not-so-joyful—that’s why it’s critical to implement and stick to a new routine. For me, keeping a written schedule and daily plan with specific times for lunch and walks have been enormously helpful. Sometimes it’s just the small break you need to reframe your day and shift focus from all of the small problems to the bigger picture.
4. Enrich your Mind – Whether it’s diving into a novel or jumping on a webinar, taking a moment to enrich your mind with new information is a great way to break a negative cycle. So, with the extra time that we have on our hands, schedule 30 minutes or an hour each day to read that book you’ve been meaning to start or attend a live training for that new skill you’ve been wanting to build and give back to yourself by enriching your mind.

Breaking out of the “if only’s” is as simple as reminding ourselves of what we do have, practicing gratitude, serving others, taking time to enjoy the little things, and giving back to ourselves. Take these few habits and integrate the ones that work for you. Let me know what you add to your day and what new habits you’ve developed to practice joy, even while self-isolating.