Category Archives: Changing Your Life
November 26, 2014 Happy Thanksgiving (And a Quiz!)
Today, I would like to express my thanks to all of you–friends, loyal readers, acquaintances, fellow career coaches, aspiring leaders, and all the positive influences in my life. I thank you for your support, your business, and your encouraging words.
What are you grateful for? Take a few moments every day this week to count your blessings and be thankful. Being grateful for what you have helps elevate your sense of fulfillment and provides you with an extra dose of motivation. Also, as I wrote about in my November newsletter, being grateful is the number one most magnetic personality trait. Others are drawn to those who are humble, caring, and genuinely thankful.
Even though Thanksgiving comes but once a year, we should all try to occasionally pause and acknowledge all the goodness around us. Let the feeling of the season sustain you throughout the year to come.
Happy Thanksgiving and please enjoy the following quiz. How much do you actually know about the holiday? This quiz will test your (and your guests’) knowledge of Thanksgiving. It’s a fun way to keep the conversation flowing after everyone’s had their fill of turkey and stuffing. Enjoy!
Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Thanksgiving?
Tags: being grateful, gratitude, Margaret Smith, positive attitude, thank you, UXL
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November 5, 2014 Happiness and Goldie Hawn
What does Goldie Hawn know about happiness?
More than you might think. Not only has the award-winning actress penned a book about mental wellbeing and mindfulness (entitled 10 Mindful Minutes), she is also immersed in a project called MindUP™, which is an education program designed to help children learn through a holistic and positive approach. Additionally, she runs the Hawn Foundation, whose mission is, in a nutshell, to improve the health and happiness of people of all ages.
Hawn hasn’t always experienced personal happiness, however. In her 2005 memoir, A Lotus Grows in the Mud, she revealed that she often suffered from anxiety attacks, depression, and nausea during her early years of fame. She underwent nine years of therapy and eventually managed to pull herself out of a long, deep rut. Now, she’s determined to teach others how to live a joy-filled life.
One of the tricks, according to Hawn, is to start your morning by “focusing on what’s beautiful.” Make an effort to think positive, affirming thoughts from the moment you wake up and soon it will become a habit.
Hawn also encourages us to think of three things every day that make us happy. If we keep those three things at the top of our minds instead of dwelling on all the negativity around us, we have the potential to be “more creative, constructive, and productive.”
What are some of your techniques for staying positive and happy?
Tags: Advice Giving, Better Life, Changing Your Life, Changing Your Mind, Goldie Hawn, Happiness, Mental Strength
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Thrive at Work
September 17, 2014 When Is It Okay To Throw In The Towel?
Our society goes on and on about the power of persistence. We’ve all heard the story of Thomas Edison trying thousands of times before finally getting the light bulb right, or of Martin Luther King Jr. bringing about social change against enormous odds. We idolize figures who strive against great obstacles and persevere, unwilling to give up.
To be sure, persistence and resilience in the face of hardship are admirable characteristics. But many blame themselves unfairly for not having success with something that might not be feasible. There are circumstances that no amount of will power can impact, and these are the times when the courageous thing to do, as counter-intuitive as it may seem, would be to let it go and move on.
But you may be wondering, how do you know when to let it go? Wouldn’t we still be using gas lamps if Edison had let go of his vision to invent the incandescent light bulb?
It is tough to know when to count your losses when you’re right in the thick of it, be it a project or goal or what-have-you. Making it harder still is that social stigma of being a perceived failure. However, there are a few key questions you can ask yourself that will help you know if you should let it go (for now!), and help yourself in the long run.
1. Is my goal feasible? Ways to determine this: Do I have a detailed game plan? What are the concrete steps to achieving my goal? Can I do it on my own? If not, who have I enlisted for support?
2. Am I making progress? If you’re heart is truly in it, you’ll see results, even if they are miniscule. But if you find yourself drifting away, it may be because deep down this project isn’t right for you at this time, and there’s absolutely no shame in acknowledging that.
3. Has the process thus far had an overall positive or negative effect on my life? There’s healthy stress that motivates us to keep going, and then there’s unhealthy stress, which crosses over into other parts of our lives and brings our general happiness down. If the goal feels like a burden you cannot handle, then it may be time to let it go.
4. Do I really, truly, deep down want this?
Consider these questions, and be okay with setting things aside if that’s what you feel is best for you. Acknowledging that you may need to let it go for a bit shows great maturity and self-awareness, and that’s something to be proud of! Remember: in the long run, you’re preparing yourself for even greater success.
Tags: How to Change Your Life, Learning Agility, Life Coaching, Lifelong Learning, Margaret Smith, UXL
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