admin and best things

I am part way into a day of pure admin.  Man I am not a fan.  just spent two hours wrestling with receipts and various gadgets and an online app.  Doing it all systematically, but then bits not saving and having to go back through and double check everything.  surely there must be an easier way.  Still.  done now.  MORE to go though!  am using a timer.  I find it helps me concentrate.  25 min bursts of concentrated activity followed by a bit of this n that.  hence this post......

Second break.

The importance of practicing Gratitude

I have slacked off slightly of late, and I miss it.  I have a gratitude buddy and we email each other.  Sometimes everyday (I mean, that's the point).  And when I slack off, its because I have forgotten again how good a practice it can be.  Sometimes when I am gloomy the list gets really long, because I need to really focus on the positives that are out there to get me out of my rut.

And it is a practice.  Something to do often to get better at.  Its a total cliche, but it really helps.

I got a brilliant little book through the post yesterday.   Totally unexpected gift from my brother.

How to Steal like an Artist by Austin Kleon

It has lots of cool things in it.  But today the most cool thing was the idea of keeping a log book.  As a way of tracking the journey.  Not a journal, not wordy wordyness or blog writing.  Just a list of what was achieved.  But in particular the idea of just writing down the best things that happened.  Because often, if we just remember what happened, without asking ourselves what the best things were, we will remember the problem we had to face, or the person that annoyed us, or some such negative thing.  We are like that.  BUT if you instead, ask, "What were the best things" we will remember the good stuff.  And this will make us happier.  And I do love happier. 

So-  hum hum.  The BEST things SO FAR today (its only just past lunchtime, folks)

1. the homemade soup I just ate
2. getting a book I ordered online.  Am looking forward to reading it on the train tomorrow
3. a client who is working our system even though she is on maternity leave
4. Bub's mood this morning.  He is practicing his dance routine all the time at the moment
5. Bub got up and dragged his new sleeping bag into our bed.  He loves his new sleeping bag.
6. my office was tidy this morning.  yaay
7. I finished my expenses (finally!)


So off you go.  What's the best thing that has happened so far in your day?