reposted 5-7-2011

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Just read about a cool term for something I’ve been doing for years now that’s really kept me going during some tough times.

Via http://marcishimoffblog.com/2009/03/31/the-happiness-hall-of-famer/

“My mom’s fantastic attitude is the perfect example of a new phenomenon I heard about this week called “brightsiding.” It’s based on the belief that although you can’t control the outer events of your life, you can control your outlook. The main components of brightsiding are expressing gratitude, maintaining a sense of humor, and enjoying time with the people you love.

Here’s how you can start brightsiding today:

1. Identify the most difficult situation you are facing right now.

2. List 3 things that you are grateful for about that situation.

3. Find one thing, no matter how small, that is humorous about what’s happening.”

On reading this I realized it’s almost -exactly- how I keep my cool about almost anything from ‘difficult’ people, to losing lots of money, to feeling less-than-optimal.

I’d add two things to this in order to round out my personal strategy:

1. Ask what I can learn from this experience, so it’s less likely to happen again, and

2. Call a friend if I’m having trouble maintaining my emotional balance – I’m always able to focus better when I can say things out loud to someone and have them laugh with me.

I vividly recall the first time this way of thinking was automatic – it was back when I was selling insurance, and was driving in an unfamiliar rural county. I got to the ‘bridge’ that showed up clearly on google maps, and there was (just as clearly) no bridge. Turns out some maps have a bridge because the state had -planned- on putting a bridge there, but never got around to it. I was suddenly late for my next appointment across the river, and lost to boot! As I drove around the lake, I remember laughing at how silly the whole problem was, and being so grateful that I got to drive around with my windows down in such beautiful countryside on such a glorious spring day. I never was able to re-set that appointment with the annoyed prospect, but it certainly hasn’t hurt me in the long run, and that memory is one of those ‘small treasures’ I’m glad to have with me.

Everyone’s heard the (somewhat fatalist) saying, “If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.”

I like my way better!

reposted 5-7-2011

Thursday, April 9th, 2009

So I’m a neurotic mess, apparently.

Or at least, I can convince myself of this whenever I choose, by thinking about it and analyzing everything until my brain turns to bubble gum.

I found this out a couple of months ago when on the phone with a friend, and was trying to figure out why I was having so much trouble with some issue I don’t even remember now. I’m sure something to do with motivation. Anyway, at some point in the conversation, I realized that any further analysis was useless.

See, the day before, I’d gone through and taken a mental inventory of ‘things that work for me’. (Luckily these things do exist.)

It hit me, like a rain of frogs – there’s no point in ever peeling that ‘onion’ again. I -already know- what works for me! So that’s been quite liberating for me over the past few weeks. Now whenever I get bogged down, I don’t start analyzing and worrying that nothing will ever improve, I just get back with the program of things I know work to keep me motivated.

Here, I’ll share the list.

1. Regularly connecting with like-minded people. I need sounding boards, as I’m an extroverted thinker. I think best in the company of others. So at least once a week, I get together (in person or by phone) with my ‘creative partners’.

2. Regular (near-daily) review of books that have changed the way I see life. Currently the list includes:

a.) The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss

b.) Getting Things Done by David Allen

c.) The Now Habit by Neil Fiore

d. Secrets of Power Negotiating by Roger Dawson (actually most of the book is online at www.rdawson.com/articles.html)

e.) The Power Of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

3. Making plans and lists I can see at-a-glance. Currently I use www.mindmeister.com for project planning, and www.rememberthemilk.com for task management. Remember The Milk integrates very nicely with Gmail, which is wonderful in its own right. Add Google Docs and Google Calendar to the mix, and I’m unstoppable.

4. Focusing on my strengths, and ignoring my weaknesses to some extent. There are some things I’m just not good at, and don’t want to ever spend the time on to become good at. So I’ll farm those things out, if for no other reason than to stave off procrastination over something I don’t want to do. I’ve got a fantastic assistant named Julie for many things, and for very specialized issues I can find great help on www.getafreelancer.com or www.guru.com or www.elance.com if nobody I know can pull off the job.

Anyway, these four things have made an enormous difference for me. You should find systems that work for you, by reviewing what’s worked to get you going before, and finding how to create a system based on that.

Enjoy!

Reposted 5-7-2011

2-6-09

I wrote this tonight as an email joke in about 15 minutes to cheer up a friend who’d been bombarded with multi-level-marketers/network marketers (amway, arbonne, ytb, mon a vie, xango, noni, melaleuca, etc.) who just couldn’t take a hint. She and I have both been in MLMs before, but some people… She thought it was funny, maybe you will too.

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>NEW MLM – TAKE THIS ONE TO THE TOP – I’M IN, ARE YOU???!!!

This one’s only for the serious people out there – there’s some amazing people backing this – how would you like to be in directly under the Pope??!!!

QUAZILLION DOLLAR INCOME OPPORTUNITY

THERE ARE SUCH GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS NEW ORGANIZATION, MONEY IS BEING MADE

Think about it: What’s the biggest emerging market today?

-It’s not automotive (Rust belt, anyone?)

-It’s not the dot-coms (SO 2000)

-It’s not the retirement market (HOW many banks are we bailing out???)

-It’s not the Real Estate Industry (Not just honest crooks, they’re overflowing with LAWYERS too!!!)

Here’s what’s going to dictate the next few centuries:

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KEEP SCROLLING

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BABY BOOMERS!!!!!

As baby boomers age, they stop needing real estate, they stop needing retirement toys, they stop needing the nursing homes – they’re going to be in the hospital practically ALL THE TIME!!!

This new company, Final Solution, gives you a simple, easy way to deal with all the hassle of the frustrating hospital visits, the inconvenient incontinence, the dribbly drooling, and the incessant mumbled nagging.

I’M GOING TO THE TOP!!! COME WITH ME IN 2009!!!

This is a product that EVERYONE needs sooner or later

-NO STOCKPILING

-NO BOTHERING FRIENDS – YOU CAN SIGN THEM UP WITHOUT THEM EVEN KNOWING

-NO MORE BORING SALES PITCHES OR MEETINGS

-FORCED BINARY MATRIX – you could have top performers put in under you without even doing any work!

Euthanazix! Final Solution Cleanse

Is the answer you’ve been looking for! Finally, an income stream that will last you the rest of your life!

This cleanse goes beyond ALL the so-called ‘nutritional cleanses’ on the market – this is a TOTALLY NEW CONCEPT. Euthanazix! not only cleanses your gastrointestinal system, but scrubs your amygdala, your limbic system, and EVERY NEURON of all those NASTY FREE RADICAL electrical impulses. NO MORE stray electrical stuff slowly wearing out your body – that’s over almost the INSTANT you take your first dose. (Right now it only comes in delicious grape, but they’re coming out with new flavors almost every month.)

We have easy financing for those on fixed incomes, but own their own homes. It’s called a ‘reverse mortgage’ and the founders got the idea from the insurance industry – it’s NEVER BEEN AVAILABLE  from a supplement company before!

Think about that! They’re bringing in talent from totally different industries to call on fresh ideas and new strategies! They really care about us, you have:

-TOTAL UPLINE GUARANTEE – ALL THE SUPPORT YOU ASK FOR (for customers of the main product)

-GUARANTEED INCOME – it will last you the rest of your life, or your money back! NO OTHER COMPANY DOES THIS

-YOUR OWN “USER REAL NETWORK” (URN) when you buy the metabolism accelerator upgrade pkg (discount code ‘crem8′ on the signup page)

ALSO THEY’RE TAKING THIS COMPANY PUBLIC!!!!!!!! THIS MEANS A LEVEL OF CREDIBILITY BEYOND ANYTHING ELSE IN THE INDUSTRY!!!! (NASDAQ SYMBOL: SOYL) ALL ACTIVE CUSTOMER/DISTRIBUTORS BECOME SHAREHOLDERS THE INSTANT THIS COMPANY LISTS!!!!

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COME WITH ME TO THE ULTIMATE GOAL!!!