Be Great Today!

… to happiness, fulfillment, making a difference, finding and following your passions and purpose, or… to being completely and utterly miserable?

My wife had to make a stop at the grocery and office supply store the other day.  A little background on my wife:  Sherri has a huge heart and is an active optimist.  What I mean by that is that Sherri chooses to be optimistic each day and makes the extra effort to be polite and cheery with people she encounters throughout her day.

So, Sherri is at the checkout line at each stop and greets each cashier with her brilliant smile and genuine inquiry as to how each individual was doing!  The response was less than reciprocal.  Each cashier made minimal eye contact, mumbled something that was inaudible in response to Sherri’s well-wishes.  These two individuals were committed to being miserable. 

Here are 3 keys to overcoming negative influences and encounters in your life:

1.     Give a smile and a calm, reassuring “Good Day!” well wishes!  The reason for this is that you never know what another person is going thru.  These unhappy souls may be going thru a family or personal crisis or could be dealing with the loss of a loved one, or some other genuine problem or concern, causing their frown or sour attitude.  You just never know what is going on in someone’s life.

2.     Focus on your blessings that life has bestowed upon you, and live in a state of gratitude.  We can’t control how other people act or feel, but we surely can control how we look at and approach the world and this God-given day!

3.     If options 1 and 2 aren’t working, then simply stay away from these people!  At least minimize your contact with the naysayers, if you have to interact with them (i.e. co-workers, family, neighbors, etc.)  If someone is committed to being miserable, guess what… they will surely achieve their objective.  Life is too short to make it your cause to try to turn the committed miserable ones around. 

So, there you have it, three ways to deal with negative people that are inevitably going to be presented to you and me each and every day.   So, please remember to focus on your blessings, live with an attitude of gratitude, stay committed to your course, and …

Have a Great Day!

So what’s going to get you off the bench of life and into the game in 2010? 

We all have something in our lives that we’re not engaging in, but know that we need to.  What are you putting off, delaying, or otherwise avoiding for whatever reason?  Maybe you’re scared, bored, fear failure, fear success, or are just stuck in your current position on the bench watching life go by.

Whatever it is that is preventing or limiting you from getting into your game, it’s time to put the reasons preventing you from entering your game aside and start after it.  Let me share with you a fool proof 3 step process that will get you off the bench and into the game.

First, I’ll share with you what has gotten me off my bench and into my game for 2010…  In the fall of 2009 I was diagnosed with a rare, chronic disease called Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD).  MCTD is an autoimmune disease. Here’s how it works: my immune system thinks my body is sick and has decided to go into defense mode; thus it starts attacking itself.   With this disease, my immune system can go after my organs, skin, joints, etc.

Long story short, I have this disease, IT DOESN’T HAVE ME.   I’m doing everything in my power to control it.  I’ve chosen to change my diet, by cutting out sugar, alcohol, dairy, and gluten.  Further, I’m getting proper rest each day, exercising daily, and limiting stressful situations, which as a sales professional on commission, makes for many challenges and obstacles to overcome. 

But guess what?  I’m winning!  Thanks to my amazing wife and soulmate Sherri, my two beautiful daughters’ presence and strong spirits, and my faith in God.  My disease may have come to live within my body, but I’m not going to let it stop or limit me.  I’m getting off the bench and will continue to play in the game of life.

Now, back to our 3 fool-proof steps that will get you off the bench and into your personal game of life:

1.     Write down what you want and why you want it.  If you come up with a strong enough why, you will be able to achieve any what.  Also, make sure that what you want and the reason you want it involves more than just gratifying yourself.  It is so important to come up with goals that serve others and serve a greater purpose.  As Zig Ziglar says, “if you help enough other people get what they want, you’ll get everything that you want!”

2.     Keep it simple!  At least simple enough, that as life gets busy, as it inevitably does, you will be able to juggle your dreams and goals as you’re engaging in the other areas of your life that require your attention, i.e.: school, studying, parenting, work, marriage, health, etc.

3.     Just Light Into It!  That is what my friend, Freida, who used to clean and iron my work shirts when I lived in West Virginia answered when I asked her how she was able to keep up with her typical mound of weekly ironing for her customers!

Hope to see you off the bench and on the court in 2010!

Happy New Year!