I woke this morning to an earworm going round my brain: Louis
Armstrong singing
”
What a Wonderful World,
”
composed by George Weiss and Bob Thiele.
”
I see trees of green, red roses, too. I see them bloom for me
and for you. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
”
I woke this morning to an earworm going round my brain: Louis Armstrong singing “What a Wonderful World,” composed by George Weiss and Bob Thiele. “I see trees of green, red roses, too. I see them bloom for me and for you. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”
An earworm, dubbed such by Dr. James Kellaris in a 2003 study at the University of Cincinnati, is the phenomenon of a song solidly stuck in the brain, playing over and over and over and over. And over and over. You know what I’m talking about. Top offenders include YMCA, the baby back rib jingle from Chili’s, and the endless accompaniment to the It’s a Small World ride at Disneyland.
My earworm is much less intrusive and offensive. This simple song points out the beauty of life, which sometimes escapes us as we struggle through the stress and strain of everyday living.
There’s a lot of stress being a Realtor. A fellow agent once noted it was akin to dating. You work hard to attract clients, work like the devil to keep them, and then you seem to get a lot of credit for outcomes you didn’t create or get blamed for situations over which you had no control.
When it’s good, it’s good. When it’s over, people stand you up, lie to you, and dodge your phone calls. Sigh. Yup. Just like dating.
Whoa, doggies. It could get to you, couldn’t it? But I was given an antidote by a few wise people in my life. The first was Sarah Ban Breathnach in her book Simple Abundance. The second was Brian Buffini, founder of Buffini and Company, the largest real estate coaching company in the world. The third was Gino Blefari, founder and CEO of Intero Real Estate Services.
Each of these people suggested keeping a Gratitude Journal. Making an occasion of it, I went to a store and picked out a blank book that called to me. (Whoa, doggies. Of course I didn’t mean literally. I haven’t quite gotten to the point where I hear voices telling me what to do. But if I hear “Who Let the Dogs Out?” by Baha Men one more time I might be there.) It is sheathed in magenta fabric. The front is covered with a flamboyant rainbow of beads and sequins to capture the sunlight as it gushes in the window of the corner I’ve selected as the sacred spot for my morning reflections.
A minimum of five people, places, things, thoughts, sights, sounds, etc. for which I am grateful are carefully detailed daily in a short phrase. “Sunlight sifting through the fog to the green grass on the Three Sisters, Al’s soft snoring (he’s my miniature dachshund), tart key lime pie with guava coulis and sweet raspberries, sweating and laughing at tap dancing class with Esther, my dear friend and ally against the world Joan” reads one day’s entry.
This simple task has led to transformations unanticipated. First of all, each day begins with a focus on what is good and beautiful and delightful. Second, when challenges appear the book filled with brilliant memories is there as a talisman warding off possible harm to the psyche. And finally, as the day unfolds and is experienced, a mindset of gratitude keeps searching for the five notable entries for the next day’s writing.
Real estate is a wonderful profession, filled with excitement and stimulation each day. But it can wear at one’s soul if left to its own devices. Actually, you could say the same for just about any job, including stay-at-home ones and volunteer ones. It’s important to take a few minutes each day to nourish the spirit just as you would quench your thirst or quell your hunger.
The National Association of Realtors has a code of ethics to which each real estate professional is held. You can check it out online at http://www.car.org and typing in “code of ethics” (Duh.) in the search field. If you don’t want to read all that, the essence is found in this excerpt from Robert Fulgham’s “All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”:
“Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK.”
That’s good, isn’t it? About sums it all up. Oh, but he did miss two affirmations:
1. Never make anyone listen to “We Will Rock You” or “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” under peril of the dread earworm.
2. Be kind to your Realtor.
