A study from Sainsbury’s found that Brits rated clean bed linen, their preferred tv shows and BBQs with loved ones as the top three things that bring joy. Whilst they are easy to incorporate into life, sometimes we take the little moments for granted if we’re not plugged in (or unplugged, rather) and being mindful. It’s easy to harp on the negatives, but positive thoughts have more power than you think – and it doesn’t have to be a grand gesture to count.
Flowers delivered on our birthday make us smile, but did you ever think about visiting a flower shop to pick out your own once a month? The idea is to slow down enough to recognise those moments of joy and seek to replicate them more often.
Sometimes finding the positive means feeling the negative first. You can counteract the feelings of longing, like missing your kids during a day at the office, with something good. Frame some family photos that make you smile and set them up all over your workspace for a little piece of home.
We’re glued to our smartphones, so use its features to remind you of the little things that make you happiest. You can use your notes app to jot down what made you smile throughout the day. It’ll become a go-to list to look at when you’re in need of a boost (there’s something particularly powerful about writing them down – or typing them out – that makes them stick in your memory). Grab a cup of coffee away from your computer, take a walk in the park or make a home-cooked meal.
Most small moments don’t need a big budget, but there are some you’ll want to plan for – like exploring somewhere new or luxury bed linens. If that pressed crease in your trousers puts a smile on your face, work a weekly dry-cleaning visit into your budget.
Whilst it’s human nature to have what psychologists call “negativity bias”, pessimism can take its toll. Balance that with a small dose of joy now and again, and you may just find yourself walking lighter.
If you’re looking to retrain your brain to seek out the simple pleasures in life:
Sources: Metro.co.uk; slh.com; healthline.com; huffpost.com
Bear market of 1974The severe bear market of 1974 threatened the existence of Raymond James, which was bleeding capital by the day. Tom James, his father and other leaders took extreme measures to keep the firm afloat, slashing costs, forgoing pay checks and even attempting to sell the firm for just enough capital to protect client assets and retain as many associates as possible. The story could have ended very differently if not for a sharp upturn and continued rebound in the stock markets late in the year. |
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Black MondayOn 19 October 1987, the stock markets experienced a dramatic plunge that prompted many firms to shut down their trading desks and turn off their phones to minimize internal losses. Raymond James refused to do the same. Our desks stayed open to help meet clients’ needs, resulting in our first and only unprofitable quarter since the firm went public in 1983. |
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Who was Raymond James?The Raymond in our name is actually from Edward Raymond, owner of a 15-employee mutual fund sales group, Raymond and Associates, along Florida’s west coast. He sold his company to Bob James on 15 July 1964, on condition that the surviving firm be called Raymond, James & Associates. Three days after the sale, Ed Raymond was involved in a near-fatal automobile accident and never joined the firm. Nonetheless, even after Raymond had passed away, Bob James insisted that his name remain on the door – ahead of James’ own. That was a promise he made to Ed Raymond three days before the accident, and Bob James was a man who kept his promises. |
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Taking Raymond James PublicWhen consideration was being given to taking Raymond James public, Tom James penned a letter to shareholders (largely employees at the time). ” … the public offering should be considered as a statement of our independence. While this is a psychological rather than an economic rationale, it is nonetheless very important. We have asserted for some time that we are not interested in becoming a small part of a very large corporation. That assertion results mainly from the inclinations of management rather than the economic benefits associated with either alternative. The public stock offering affords us the opportunity to enjoy a little bit of the best of both worlds. While shareholders will be given liquidity at fair market value, we will still have the ability to control our own destiny.” After 40+ years of Tom’s leadership, upon becoming CEO, Paul Reilly was often questioned about whether the company might ultimately surrender its cherished independence and be acquired by some larger entity. His response: “Not while I’m around.” It’s a theme that continues today. |
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