Last week, when working in a particularly calm and inviting classroom, I noticed the children’s book, “How full is your bucket?” which is actually based on a self-help book in the field of positive psychology, written by Don Clifton and Tom Rath.
I’ve been accused of being a child many times, for many different reasons, which is probably why I prefer the kids’ book rather than the adult version. In this book, the main character Felix realises that everyone has an invisible bucket above their heads each day. When our bucket is full, we feel fantastic. When it’s empty, we feel bloody awful.
Felix notices how every interaction in a day either fills or empties his bucket. He also realises that everything he says or does to other people fills or empties their buckets as well.
When Felix really understands that every moment and interaction matters, he soon learns to become a great bucket filler. He also discovers that filling someone else’s bucket also fills his own.
So… the next time you’re feeling angry, sad, upset or empty… ask yourself why?
What happened today that emptied your bucket?
Was someone else responsible, or did you inadvertently tip this out yourself?
And moreover, what have you done to fill the buckets of others today?
Focusing on this last one; thinking about how you can better the lives of others rather than your own; might just be the key to it all.
Anxious-Ambition.com 