Cheering myself up with strategies...

I've had a challenging few weeks, well few months actually.  I've had a hospital visit, toxic house, 4 iPhones, 4 non working printers.  I switched my business around this year from trying to get my Strategies for Success program into high schools across the country which I'd been working on for 6 years to offering seminars.  Same material as in my success program but now for businesses and for my own public seminars.  New marketing, new challenges. 

Tonight was supposed to be the holiday version of my Power of Positivity seminar - full of strategies that everyone needs and claims they want.  Despite my first venture into radio advertising, only 6 people signed up.  Not sure what this all means - are people not interested in being positive?  Is it the time of year?  Are they interested in my seminars at all?  I'll have to dig deeply to find that answer.

Well wasn't that fun to read!  Why did I share this?  Because everyone - except for the people who know me really well - think I'm positive all the time.  I'm not.  I slump just like everyone else.  I occasionally get overcome by negativity - shorter days, cold weather, negative election, all the challenges I listed above.  It's probably why I started learning all of these strategies so long ago - to not only figure myself out but to find solutions to the times when life feels a bit overwhelming.

But that's the good news.  There are strategies...and they work.  I know.  I used about 10 of them the past few days.  And I feel remarkably better.  Like what? I work from home.  Today I took my work out - to Panera.  There I met a mom who was dealing with her son who had a traumatic brain injury from a car accident.  My problems were nothing in comparison to what they were dealing with.  I was able to shift the focus from me to helping her in some small way - by listening.  Strategy #1 - help someone, anyone.

From there I went to the location of my seminar just in case anyone showed up.  I planned to give free CD's from my CD of the Month collection to anyone who made the effort to show up.  Two women did.  I found them in the restaurant/bar and spent about 40 minutes getting to know them.  Strategy #2 - get out and meet some new people.



My cute new slippers and a poinsettia

I shopped a little - for things I needed.  But I made sure to get something small and inexpensive that would make me happy.  Actually I got two things - a poinsettia and some much needed slippers.  Strategy #3 - know what makes you happy.

I breathed, I focused on what I was grateful for, I watched a Christmas special that got me in a joyous mood.  Bottom line is to know what works for you.  It's ok to feel the sadness, overwhelm, or whatever negative emotion you have.  Tell yourself it's ok for feel it for a bit but that you'll be replacing it with things that make you happy later on.  It's what I did and I'm a different person than I was when I woke up this morning. 

Would you like to learn more strategies?  To date I have two completed audio CD's (or downloadable mp3's) filled with ideas to help improve your life.  One is on goal setting and other is full of my positivity tips.  Check them out at:  http://www.MarianneDouglas.com/audio.htm   Or come to one of my seminars.  I'm not giving up...

Happy days!