Author: Dr. Jon Rosen

Gratitude is not a new concept, but using it as a coping tool may be new for you. Gratitude as a coping tool is not just a reactionary response like saying “thank you” after a personal interaction, or after something blatantly good happens to you. Using gratitude as a coping tool is active and purposeful. It is about searching out and actively calling to mind portions or moments in your day, that no matter how small, provided some light or relief. It is about acknowledging moments that you may not have noticed at the time or may have simply taken for granted, but now you get to relive them with the full effects of gratitude. And while being grateful for the big things in life is important, it is finding gratitude in the little things that we take for granted, that fills our voids with light.   

As we enter a holiday season like no other we’ve experienced, it is okay to both mourn what we hoped would be, and be grateful for what is. There are things to be grateful for even in the darkest of days. A gratitude tool that I strongly recommend is the “grateful flow.”

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Most of us know that too much negativity is not a good thing. A negative thought pattern and toxic negativity causes stress for you and those around you. It can stop you from chasing dreams and from enjoying life. Your feelings act as a guide map for your behavior, and focusing too much on negative feelings can lead to distress.

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“Tomorrow, you’ll wish you started today”

Why Covid is the perfect time to chase your dreams, and here’s how I did it: 

It was early May and New York was still in the thick of the Covid-19 crisis. One morning, I received a call from my oldest brother. Early in the conversation I could tell he had an agenda. At the time, I was working as a school psychologist. I loved being a school psychologist, but I was feeling a bit stuck and often lamented about my goal to go into private practice. It was a battle that I was having with myself for some time and kept pushing off. Typically, I am the one to bring it up in conversation, but this time, my brother did. “Go for it” he said bluntly, “you’re ready and people really need help right now.” I was nervous. Was now the right time to start a new project? Was I even ready for this project? I pushed back with a myriad of excuses. The world is unstable right now, where will I get clients from, am I ready? My brother’s response was unforgettable. As if Sun Tzu himself were speaking, my brother calmly and matter of factly said, “chaos breeds opportunity. I’ll help support you if you need it, just go for it.” From that moment the seed was sowed, and watered. I went for it, and now I’m telling you to go for it too. If you’re thinking “how?” or “but your situation was different,” here are a few tips and words of encouragement based on my personal experience to get you on your way.

If you have been aching to start your own business, pursue a new passion, move to a new city, or even learn an instrument, now is the time! This pandemic has brought about access to information and services at an unprecedented level. There are so many resources available on the internet to help you get going. There are webinars, articles, podcasts, and livestreams of people teaching you how to do the things you’ve always wanted to do. This pandemic is a constant reminder that life is short and fragile. If there is something you want, go get it.

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If you’ve thought to yourself “This is too hard, I’ll just do it later,” “This will take too much time, I have so many other things to do,” or “I don’t feel like doing this now, I’ll just do it tomorrow,” you might be a procrastinator. We all know procrastination. A dreaded task pops into your head, you feel your stomach tighten, and your mind begins stirring up excuses. Your brain starts sending messages like, “hey, now would be a great time to clean,” or the far less productive thought, “let’s walk around the house in circles until there’s no time left to do the desired task.”

As if procrastination wasn’t bad before, now let’s combine the added distractions of working from home. Gone, for now at least, are the days of the 9-6 office job, painstakingly created with the sole purpose of optimizing productivity. We don’t have the structure that we are typically used to, and our goals might be changing daily! But when you have things to do, and just can’t seem to get them done, what can you do?

Procrastination is generally preceded by two types of thoughts that psychologists call automatic thoughts and permission giving thoughts. Automatic thoughts typically provoke an emotional reaction that lead to task avoidance. Permission giving thoughts are as they sound, they give you permission not to complete the task. How can you combat procrastination, spend less time worrying and avoiding, and more time living your life?

Grab a piece of paper and a pen and let us knock out some of these steps along the way.

Continue reading “5 Steps To Beat Procrastination” →