Navigation Menu

G.E.M.

My coach, Rich Furman, gave me the following wonderful advice. If you’re feeling grumpy, trollish, mean-spirited, unhappy, stinky, loser-ish, or are generally in a terrible mood, try the following: “Gratitude, exercise, and meditation.”

All of these things sound fancy and new-age-y, but they are very concrete and actionable. Here is a quick set of instructions in under a hundred words and thirty minutes.

• Gratitude: write out a list of all the things you’re grateful for in life. Read it out loud saying: “I am grateful for X. I am grateful for Y. etc.” (Two minutes.)
• Exercise: do something physically active. Try jogging on the spot, jumping jacks, or squats. Start as simply and as safely as possible. A brisk walk can work wonders. (Twenty minutes.)
• Meditation: do nothing. Sit still, on a chair, and let your thoughts stream past. Notice them, and let go of them. (Five minutes.)

It is interesting to play with the order of these exercises. For example, how does “E.G.M.” compare to “M.G.E.”? I find that exercise is, by far, the most potent mood booster. If you’re tight for time, or really sour, start with exercise.

Meta

Published: Jul 14, 2024

Last Modified: Jul 14, 2024

Navigation Menu

• Home
• Now
• Blog
• Notes
• Reading
• Office Camera
• Tags
• RSS Feeds
• Top of Page

Thanks for reading! If you have any comments or questions about the content, please let me know. Anyone can contact me by email.