Today was one of those perfect productive days. I have noticed that these types of days have become exceptionally rare. Like, I don’t know how many times in the past two years I have had a day like this. During the moment, I didn’t see what was going on… but I soon realized I could trace it back to gratitude.
I woke up, took the kids to school, then rocked the socks off of my to-do list.
You know those days, right? Where you finally feel like you are doing something incredible and accomplishing something? I think they call it “state” and synergy, all in one.
What was so great about it?
Well, for starters, I had way too much to do in a the short period of time today. So I reached out to someone who does subcontracting work—and I asked the million dollar question:
So I have X that needs to be done in X amount of time (like 2 days), and can you do it, are you interested, and I need to know like yesterday…
Then he wrote back: Yes and YES and yes. (And that project was off and running).
Because I handed off that issue, I was able to focus on another–and while I was in the middle of that, I figured out a way to make that one more sensible.
On and on it went—through several freelance articles, dozens of emails, and another project. And, like for the first time, I had some clarity on what the hell I was doing, in that moment.
In four hours, I felt like I had accomplished more than four months.
What did I do to make it so productive?
- No real idea.
Coffee. Time constraint (I knew I had to leave in four hours). Music. Coffee (oh, did I say that already).
The time constraint was because it was travel day… it’s that time of year. 
After the productive morning, the Expert and I packed up two kids, two bikes and ourselves and drove to Augusta–through Atlanta traffic–to get to race weekend at Ironman 70.3 Augusta.
(If you’d like to read Augusta through time: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 reports)
For the last few years, we have driven up to the venue on Saturday (race is on Sunday), and we have also been at each other’s throats and stressed out on the time constraint.
That type of time constraint? Not too great, it turns out.
But it’s 10:00 pm, I have my computer in my lap, kids at my feet, and the Expert in the adjacent bed. (Yes, that’s a race secret tradition—everyone in their own bed!) 🙂 ….and I am already feeling like I am relaxed. (PS – I don’t do relax usually.)
What IS it about today? Why was it so good?
Interestingly, when I talked to Dr. Aviva Romm on the podcast this week, I asked her the same traditional question that I ask all my guests: What is it that YOU do in your 24 hours that makes each day great – and leads to your health, happiness and success?
She said that she and her husband have a great exercise that they do in the morning. They ask each other: what is one thing I am grateful for today, and what is one thing I am looking forward to?
Sort of unconsciously this morning, I woke up and lay in bed for a few minutes, taking nice, deep breaths (I am not quite to meditation yet, y’all–but this is something)— and I asked myself those two questions.
What is one thing I am grateful for today?
What is one thing I am looking forward to?
My answers were very positive, and I think those responses really shaped my day. It made me wonder if that was the secret sauce to my productive and great day…
I have long believed that gratitude was important to my life. That when I was grateful, life was brighter, more hopeful and more possible.
Gratitude is the center of everything. And I believed that sometimes, gratitude was truly everything….
Now I wonder, what if it really really really is…
Love to you all.
Meredith
