Reset/Reboot your computer...and your life

Ever want to reset your life? Reboot it so to speak?  Me too.  So I do.  Every chance I can. 

Think of how we're alwasy opening more windows, more apps and more programs on our computers and tablets.   Finally the piece of technology just can't function any more.  It slows down, stops responding (my mother's least favorite phrase) or just plain freezes.  So we reboot, restart, start fresh.

We do the same with our lives.  We keep piling on projects, plans, and errands until we just feel overwhelmed - work, home, kids, homework, classes, computers.  Add a blizzard to that mix, a nice dose of mostly negative news and we too start 'not responding'.


Full freezer after winter storm Nemo

What to do?  Reboot.  Look for an opportunity to start again. I'm using the blizzard for that purpose. Because I lost power for several days, everything in my refrigerator and freezer had to go.  So now except for some bags of ice (which turned out to be good 'canaries in the mines' so to speak since I was away from home during the blizzard and could see that the ice melted and refroze), I have a completely empty freezer and fridge.  I get to start over - clean it and restock it with maybe even better and healthier food than before. 

(Notice that my focus is on what's good about the situation - not the money lost but the opportunity presenting itself as well as gratitude that the rest of my house and yard survived nicely in my absence. )



Clean start freezer

The funny thing is that when you apply this strategy to one area of your life, it tends to affect other areas.  I'm in the 'what else can I clean and organize' mode right now.  I'm asking what else could use a refreshing?  Just the asking of the questions provides all sorts of possibilities.  Our brains are wired to answer whatever we ask.  We just usually ask lousy questions!

So restart the computer, Send those apps jiggling and take advantage of whatever other opportunities show up.  One restart can be just the ticket for getting through this lovely winter!

Enough...

This all takes me back to 1999 when I was a classroom teacher and the tragedy of Columbine.  I felt the same heartbreaking sadness and wonder about what we could do as a society back then.  I remember taking a pen and paper and furiously writing down all the things I had been learning that I thought teens needed so that something like this would never happen again.  I wasn't sure what to do with those ideas other than to weave them into my regular lessons when possible.  But I knew it wasn't enough.  So many kids felt disconnected for so many reasons. But who’s going to listen to a classroom teacher?

A year later, one of my former students hanged himself after being bullied.  I had had enough.  I had to take action.  I ended up creating a program for my school called Strategies for Success because of these 2 tragedies to help our kids not only survive but thrive.  It worked more than I could have even imagined, helping kids find their place in the world, helping them feel connected and valued for who they were.  It’s still running all these years later…in my school and a few others around the country.  But it – or something like it - needs to be in more schools. 

I don’t know if it would have prevented this horrific event but I do believe that it’s needed now more than ever.  The program has won multiple awards both locally and nationally because teens love it and are designing the kinds of lives they want and that we want most for them.  While no one program or law can prevent every tragedy, maybe it’s time those of us who have found workable solutions to help kids got a chance to share what we know. 

Haven’t we had enough?  I’m hoping this time someone will listen to this high school teacher because we need to listen to everyone who has a workable plan. I don't know who reads this blog but if you've had enough, I can help you get this program in a school.  Email me at Marianne@MarianneDouglas.com

As Nelson Mandela said, “We owe our children – the most vulnerable of citizens in our society – a life free of violence and fear.”

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!