Natalie Dodd, LCSW
Clinical Counselor
Have you ever been asked about your week and you realize you have no idea how it's actually going? I am guilty of this more often than I would like to admit, and notice many clients pause when I ask them this question during a session.
So often we become trapped in autopilot and forget to find uniqueness in daily life. Days can feel like the film Groundhog Day (I may be aging myself with this reference!) - bland, repetitive, and/or obsolete. If any of this resonates with you, I have an exercise I challenge you to try for the next few days!
At the end of the day ask yourself what was my rose (something good that happened), my bud (something you are looking forward to), and my thorn (something that you can improve on/something challenging that happened). I encourage you to invite others into this discussion, whether that is with coworkers, friends, or family to enhance the experience of re-living the day and connecting with others.
If you would like to increase inward exploration, try journaling at the end of each day using these questions. Start to notice how this might change your lens of the day. You may notice that the terrible day you thought you had actually had hard moments, but it also held moments of connection or laughter that you had forgotten about. This prompt brings a new opportunity to “stop and smell the roses”!
If you found this helpful and would like additional tools or to talk to one of our counselors, call Work/Life Connections-EAP at 615-936-1327 to schedule your free and confidential appointment today.
