Optimism isn’t about a false sense of assurance that an endeavor, a project you’re working on, or a relationship, for example, will work out. Optimism is about making a choice to go ahead with something – whereby you’ll be putting your best foot forward to achieve your desired outcome. Optimism is generated by way of work and planning, fueling the positive mindset that success is not only a possibility, but is likely. Optimism too, is about outlook, and whenever our [...]
There was supposed to be a singer at your milestone birthday party, but he didn't show up. That's a downer. But... all of your invited friends showed up, it's a gorgeous evening, the caterer didn't miss a beat and the cake and ice cream look delectable. So, how long should you bemoan the singer's absence? How much longer should you not enjoy your party because this happened? Will bathing in it make a difference? What we've got here is a [...]
When someone allows you to change lanes in a traffic jam, holds a door open for you when you’re juggling grocery bags or just merely notices you on the sidewalk, smiling and offering a nod or a wave costs you nothing and can turn out to be meaningful. Here’s how: A connection is made – even when you don’t know the person or never see him or her again. Rewarding the act of kindness even in such a small way, [...]
Here’s something that happens to all of at one time or another: We come to realize that we’ve been intent on changing something about our lives for quite a while, but haven’t yet acted on it. How long have we vowed to start an exercise program, shore up a key relationship or better deal with our fears, guilt, or any number of issues? We’re aware, think about it and its importance, yet we have to constantly remind ourselves to get [...]
I write often about decision-making in my blogs and articles; how it’s wise, I believe, not to dawdle when making them because rarely is a decision something from which we can’t someway recover. But might there be exceptions? I got to thinking about bad decisions and what influences our doing so. Two reasons: We’re in a big hurry and don’t take an adequate amount of time to process all the nuts and bolts of the incoming information. More often the [...]
In addition to training, writing, doing therapy and conducting consultations, I have a voiceover business. Last week during a practice session, I had read a script for my coach and received this response: “Joe, slow down, this is not a race to get to the last period.” I believe much the same can be said about our ability to communicate instantaneously these days – as it gets faster and faster aided by the latest technological gizmo and twist. Look at [...]
Maintaining personal worth and feeling fulfilled is a daily pursuit. And since it's pretty normal to question from time to time whether we really make a difference, here's an exercise to help you recognize and appreciate your value: Once a day, ask yourself how another person, a cause, an initiative, an issue was improved by your actions. Did you give someone directions? Did you retrieve and return an item that someone walking in front of you dropped? Did you squelch [...]
If we’ve got passion for doing or accomplishing something, then the motivation to follow through on the project naturally accompanies the passion right? Not so fast. Once we embark upon a venture that fires us up and we’ve figured out a platform for launching it and a productive way to make some waves, why do we then sometimes find ourselves increasingly more uninterested and unmotivated? And why does energy turn into drudgery the closer we get to the reality of [...]
