Three is a magic number. Or so I am told.
I have been having a bit of a tough time lately. I had two bad falls which set me back a bit. As I stumbled around the house trying to get focus and motivate myself, I realised that three really is my magic number in so many ways.
I make a commitment to tackle (at least) three things off my to do list every day. It might seem little, but when you look back on the week, know that you have achieved 21 things. By using this focus I know that I move forward. Sometimes little and often, but I do achieve what I set out to do.
As someone suffering from chronic conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia it isn’t always easy. Even if I think of keeping my home tidy – it is overwhelming. By the 7th day of concussion and I was getting frustrated. Three things I kept telling myself. Put a wash on, unpack the dishwasher and wipe the counter. Then you can sit down. A little later I tackled three computer related tasks, and after that sent three thank you messages to friends who have helped me out.
By the time I got into bed I felt a real sense of accomplishment despite the fact that I was ‘under the weather’.
The Magic of Three – in so many ways
Every night before I go to sleep I always recall three things I am grateful for. Sometimes it is more than three, but never less. This really puts me into such a positive place.
The more I think about it three is a number that resonates through my life. It is a small number but a perfect number. It is just enough but not overwhelming. Add a few threes together and you can really rack up some impressive personal statistics.
Imagine if we saved 3 Euro a day. That isn’t a lot – a cup of coffee. Over a month that is 90 Euro. Over a year it is over a 1000 Euro – more than enough for a holiday.
Three and its multiples are also a great way of dividing up your day. As I mentioned before I need to pace myself due to my conditions. By dividing my day into 30 and 60 minute chunks I can ensure that I get enough rest time and also get things done.
I have followed this principle for a while now and I can honestly say that 3 is my magic number.
The internet of things
The internet is awash wish apps, blog posts, and articles confirming that by simply using a formula of three we can become happier and more effective in life.
I have downloaded the 3 Good Things app for my phone and am going to see how that goes.
Before writing this blog post I did a little bit of internet research as to why 3 is a number that seems to have magical properties.
- As a creative person I was delighted to be reminded that there are 3 primary colours
- Almost all religions have 3 as a sacred number
- Mathematicians will confirm that 3 is a really cool number. It is the first prime number and of course is the first number that forms a geometric shape – the triangle
So many things come in threes – here are a few random ones that delighted me.
- The beginning, the middle and the end
- The past, the present and the future
- The three bones in the human ear
- The three little pigs
- The beauty of 3 dimensions
- And of course the perfect 3 minute egg.
Frivolity aside, I am happy that I have the number three in my life. It really helps me to pace myself, feel productive and puts me in a lovely positive mindset as I am reminded daily that we have at least three things to be grateful for.
Thank you so much for reading xx
Kerry
Three is also a magic number when communicating. Three main points should be your formula on writing, public speaking, giving a sermon, making an argument. More than that and your audience will get confused and lose direction. You can add detail to each of the three main points but do not attempt more. Tell people beforehand what the three headings will be and remind them as you conclude. Then they will remember what you were conveying.
Great points Stan!
Thanks Kerry. And three cheers to you for picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and getting right on with it!