More is Best or More is Less? Listening to the song, "Mayberry" by Rascal Flatts helps me to answer that question. Even if you are not a country music fan, I think you can still identify with his lyrics about the fast pace of life these days and the reward of relaxing to enjoy life. In the song, he sings about missing Mayberry, the fictional town featured in "The Andy Griffith Show", and the simple pleasures of knowing all the neighbors, sitting on the front porch watching clouds, and living life at a slower pace.

John Blumberg, author of Good to the Core: Building Value with Values, has the idea of the "mental front porch". Instead of me telling you what it is, let’s hear John describe it in his own words:

Front Porch from John Blumberg on Vimeo.

That really says it all. Having that mental front porch not only gives us some time to relax, but in the frantic times when we are forced to make decisions, we have an imaginary place to sit and remember our priorities. We can disconnect from our problems and reconnect with the values that help us to make the best decision.

This brings me to a challenge for you: what are you doing to re-center yourself in times of stress? How can you build that mental front porch? Check out John’s blog for his approach, and share your ideas and reactions in the comments section!