Tiny Bites of Wagaliciousness

Change is scary. That’s not a news flash – most people have railed at change more than once in their lives, myself included. Change is the one constant in life, and our brains dislike it so much! Brains like patterns they have learned and can run, and change disrupts the pattern, making us a bit irritable until the brain can create a new pattern from the changed circumstances. Remember this the next time you’re facing a big change in your life – your brain is going to resist, and remind you of all the times in the past that you didn’t get something quite right. That’s just the grey goo inside your head trying to hold on to the status quo. Ignore it, square up your shoulders and take on the change that your personal growth is requiring. The courage to take the first step is the same courage that will carry you triumphantly through. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

It’s good to be strong and resilient. You feel competent and purposeful when you’re being strong and resilient through a difficult job or difficult situation in your life. It’s good to be strong and resilient…right up until it isn’t. You might think that someone who believes in the power of wellbeing and happiness so strongly that she even put “happiness” in the company name will tell you to just get happy, no matter what you’re dealing with. Here’s what I know – eventually you will get happy again, and in the middle of a rough patch there will be moments of lighter spirits. They might even surprise you when they happen. As humans we have a full range of emotions, from despair and powerlessness through anger, doubt, pessimism, hopefulness, all the way up to eagerness and joy. Those are all yours to feel as you move through that difficult job or situation. When you allow yourself to feel, you are making a healthier choice than if you just demand strength, resilience and happiness from yourself. You’re human…feel your human feelings as you make your way to better feelings. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Did someone cause you pain? It might have been emotional pain or physical pain, and it hurt. A lot. It’s tempting to want to get back at them, or to defend yourself or explain your side of the story to others. Tempting, and for your wellbeing, please resist the temptation. The desire for revenge is a deep-seated human desire that lights up the same place in our brains that being rewarded lights up. That means that it feels good to think about exacting revenge, and might even feel good in the moment that we get sweet revenge. After that, though, if you’re like most people you’ll keep thinking about how they wronged you and how you got back at them, and when you do that you’ll be stuck in the pain. Take that need to explain or defend or get back at the person who wronged you and put it to constructive, not destructive use. Grow yourself emotionally. Find a little bit of compassion for that person. After all, it’s hurt people who hurt people, so they’re broken in some way. You didn’t break them and can’t fix them, so feel some compassion for their wounds as you keep them at arm’s length so they can’t hurt you again. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Is there someone you have to deal with that you don’t like very much? No matter how hard you’ve tried, you just can’t seem to connect with them, or they’re loud and obnoxious, or maybe their personal hygiene is off-putting? It’s OK to not like someone, just as it’s OK for someone to not like you. You weren’t put on this earth to be liked by everyone, nor do you have to like everyone, though it’s best for your wellbeing if you can find something to appreciate about everyone in your life. If there’s someone in your life that you have to deal with and you prefer not to spend too much time with, it’s OK to dislike them. Do it quietly, though – don’t recruit your friends and co-workers into disliking them with you. If you’re a team lead and you hear co-workers talking badly about someone on the team, remind them that teams work when everyone can find something to appreciate about each person on the team. Focus on what you appreciate, and then focus on getting the job done. Take your focus away from the person you don’t like and watch your attitude improve. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

I have a potentially uncomfortable question for you: Whose approval do you crave? Is there someone in your life who purports to like you or love you and yet they rarely give you what you need? Maybe they’re a co-worker who withholds information you need in order to do your job well, or a friend who shrugs off your successes, or a partner or spouse who is emotionally distant? If you’re in any kind of a relationship with people who behave like this towards you, you may unconsciously be trying hard to get their approval and support. Stop. Stop shaping your behavior to try to appease someone who doesn’t care. If they cared, they wouldn’t treat you badly in the first place. Trust me on this – it’s not you, it’s them. They’re clearly showing you who they are, and nothing you do will change who they are. If it’s a life partner, work with a counselor, even if your partner won’t go. If it’s a job or friend, find another one and ditch the drama and disfunction. Your life is short – spend it surrounded by people who approve of you without you having to beg for it. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Who are you? More than your name, more than the role you play in the lives of others – who are YOU? Take five minutes to write down the things that come to mind for you – maybe words like playful, adventurous, smart and reliable come up for you. Use the five minutes to write down everything you can think of and then tuck the paper into your purse or pocket and get on with your day. Later, when you have a bit more time, take out that list and look at it. Think about how those words showed up in your day today – what did you do that was playful and how did others react to it? Go through your words and appreciate how they are expressed through your interactions with others. If this exercise feels good to you, commit to doing it a few times a week. In this way you’ll be acknowledging your strengths, recognizing how they show up in your life, and you’ll be boosting your confidence and self-esteem. Powerful exercise, right? Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you notice when you’ve grown? No worries if you haven’t up until now – most people don’t. Sure, when you were a kid, you noticed that you outgrew clothes and shoes and beds, and that’s not the kind of growth I mean. The growth I’m talking about is emotional growth – the kind of growth that shows you that you’re more mature and have a higher emotional IQ. When something not optimal happens, do you react like your 14-year-old self or have you discovered the centeredness your old self used to feel? When you have a chance to either ridicule or use a mistake as a teaching moment, which do you choose? I guarantee that if you choose to teach, that indicates emotional growth. As you go through your day today, look for the reactions you have and examine them. Are they different than, and maybe better than, they were in your past? Celebrate your emotional growth, and look for ways to grow even more. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Are you at the place in your life where it seems like time is just whizzing by? You blink your eyes and a week has passed, you wake up and half a year has gone by and when the next year arrives you wonder how on earth that happened? Many people, when this begins to happen to them, focus on the number of years they’ve been on the planet. They start feeling old and past their prime. If you are someone like that, may I offer you a different way to look at the concept of age? Age is energy and mindset. Human beings made up the concept of time and the passage of time. It’s a handy way to keep track of things, for sure, and is an unfair yardstick to whip yourself with. Think of your age as energy and mindset. Are you still excited to learn new things? Then you’re not old. Are you still happy to have new experiences? Then you’re not old. It’s when you believe that you’re old and you’re supposed to stop learning and doing and let others care for you that your energy and mindset start getting old. There’s only “old” if you believe there’s “old” for you. And you can believe anything you want, so why not believe something that benefits you? Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Is your daily life often filled with what feels like chaos? Maybe at your job there’s no such thing as a “routine” day. People in medical professions – veterinarians, doctors, dentists, nurses, EMTs – rarely have routine days, because what they do is predicated on the needs of their patients each day. Likewise for firefighters, police officers and people in the hospitality industry. When chaos threatens to undo your professional demeanor, stop and take a breath. Remember that peace begins and ends inside you – it’s not what surrounds you that threatens your peace, it’s how you react to what surrounds you. When you notice your own clenched jaw or tight shoulders, stop and take a long, slow, deep breath. Take two or three or 15 if you need them. That attention to your inhales and exhales signals your brain that all is well, and will relax you and help you feel more in control, no matter what your job is or what the day is throwing at you. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” at some point in your life. Have you examined it to find the essential truth in it? Let’s unpack it now. Chances are, you heard someone say it because they couldn’t see the beauty someone else was seeing. As a matter of fact, it was said to me when I was dating the man I was married to for 30 years. Was he handsome? No. Could he make me laugh even when I was PMS-ing? Yes. Not everyone could appreciate his humorous streak, though everyone could see the physical person. I chose the aspects of him I wanted to focus on, so he was “beautiful” to me. You can do that, too, with people, situations and life’s inevitable stumbling blocks. Next time you’re faced with something that’s not exactly what you would prefer, instead of focusing on the unattractive aspects of it, find at least one attractive one and focus on it. When you purposefully look for aspects you can appreciate in even the least-attractive situations, then you understand the essential truth in “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

What does “good service” mean to you? I heard a story of a man who, while painting a rowboat, plugged a hole that the boat’s owner forgot to mention. In so doing, he probably saved the lives of the owner’s children, who took the boat out the next day and didn’t drown due to that hole. The man who fixed the rowboat didn’t demand extra money for the extra service he performed – he just did what was necessary without even mentioning it to the boat’s owner. Have you ever been the recipient of good service like that? How did it make you feel? Now, flip the tables around – how can you give good service like that? Because here’s the magic of good service: people feel it, know it and appreciate it, even if they don’t let you know they do. And people who appreciate your good service refer you to their friends who need the kind of service you give, because they care about their friends and want them to be taken care of, too. When you put the needs of those you serve at the forefront of what you do, it’s the very best way to take care of your needs, too. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Have you made a mistake today? If you answered “no” chances are it’s really early in the day for you! Seriously, part of being human is making mistakes. Mistakes are how we learn and grow, so they’re essential to our own personal development. Yes, mistakes are annoying and can be humiliating, and yes, they are necessary, so embrace them. Do you know someone who seems to make the same mistake over and over again? I do – matter of fact, this person has married several of them. Making the same mistake, whether it’s falling for the same type of person, or partaking in the same bad habit, stops being a mistake and becomes a choice. When you make a mistake, analyze it. Think about it…have you made that mistake before, or maybe a mistake that’s very similar? Ask yourself why you made the same decision again when it didn’t turn out well before. Go deep on this and discover the reason you made the same not-optimal choice yet again. When you can discover a pattern to your mistakes you can grow past the need to make them again. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

How do you react when someone you thought was your friend talks badly about you? Maybe you overhear the conversation, maybe you learn it from an unimpeachable source – you’re not just believing idle gossip, you KNOW that person said bad things about you when they thought you couldn’t hear, and then continued to act like your friend to your face? Most people – myself included, in younger years – get hurt, defensive and angry at the so-called friend. That’s a normal, reasonable response, and yet it’s not the best one for you. In the quest for mental wellbeing, happiness, and success, getting angry and defensive about things makes you feel worse, not better. How can you soothe yourself in a situation like this? See the bigger picture – you’ve just learned a valuable lesson about someone you thought was your friend. With this new information you can move on, drifting away from that person who clearly can’t be trusted. You know that phrase, “with friends like that, who needs enemies?” Now you know you don’t need to be that person’s friend anymore and you can explore new people and new friendships, free from your old, so-called friend. Their loss, for sure! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you take and post selfies? Or maybe you’re on the other end of that spectrum – not only do you not share selfies on your social media, you sometimes find yourself questioning the depth of character of those who do share them. If you’re in that second category, how does it feel when that judgmental part of you rears it’s not-terribly-attractive head? You don’t mean to be judgey – it just crops up when someone flaunts themselves like that. Guess what? Way back in 6200 BC people felt the same way about their peers who admired themselves in polished obsidian rocks because mirrors and cell phone cameras hadn’t been invented yet. Humans are innately fascinated by our own image. It’s ok – it’s human – and just like those of us with a lot of experience on the planet grew up using mirrors, not polished rocks, to examine ourselves, those who came of age in the late 90’s 'til now are using selfies as their mirror. If you’re not in the habit of using your phone as a mirror, try it. You’ll look great in my news feed! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you want to spread more joy in the world and you don’t know how? Or maybe you want to feel more joy more often? You can do both by doing the same thing – take more pictures and videos and share them on your social media channels. People get joy from seeing others live life – that’s part of why television shows and movies are so popular. Every day, think of something fun or unusual or lovely that you can take a video or picture of, and do it. Share it on Facebook or Instagram or Linked In or YouTube, and then go on about your day. It may not happen right away, but if you do this every day or even almost every day, you’ll start seeing people liking and commenting. Keep doing it and you’ll soon realize you’ve created a bit of a following and that people appreciate your posts, your effort and you. Doesn’t it feel good to be appreciated, especially when it’s for something you’re doing to make other people happy? Go ahead – share your pictures and videos and make the world better, one post at a time. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you sometimes – maybe even more than “sometimes” – dwell on the past, what you wish hadn’t happened, how you wish you’d handled things differently, maybe even speculate about how your life would be different if your life didn’t include those past events? Most of us do, at some point in our lives, and yet it’s an exercise in futility at best and a pathway to stagnation and depression when taken to extremes. That train of thought starts off as a derailment because there’s nothing you can do about past events. No amount of wishing, dreaming or scheming will change the fact that those things happened. They happened in your life and that’s that. You can choose to marinate in the aftermath or let it go and move on with your life. When you marinate in past painful events, you’re stuck. When you let it go and choose to move on, your life is one of endless possibilities that you couldn’t see when you were looking backwards at your past. Don’t look back – you’re not going that way. How to let it go? Notice when you’re doing it, and go do something else instead. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Oh, the curse of the goal! Goals are a double-edged sword – many of us are raised to set a goal, reach for the goal, achieve the goal, and then set another goal. The good edge on that sword is that goals keep us motivated and moving forward. The not-so-good edge on that sword is sadly very common – the assumption that reaching the goal will finally make life what it’s supposed to be, or better somehow. News flash – as long as your heart is beating, you’ll never reach a place in life where you’re finished growing and changing and can just sit back and enjoy the view. Life changes every moment, and when you reach a goal it feels good for a little while, and then the itch to grow takes you on another journey towards another goal. While goals are good, the journey is what it’s all about. When you can focus on enjoying the journey to the goal, you create more wellbeing, balance and success in your life. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you live life or does life live you? If you spend your time waiting for someday or someone or something to happen, life is living you. Your body is going through the motions because that’s its job – you don’t even have to think about that. When you just go through the motions with it, you’re not truly living, you’re merely existing. Do you want to live life and you’re not sure how? All of your life happens right this moment, and in this new moment and in this brand new, never-been-seen-before moment. What is happening right this moment? Do you love it or do you wish it was something else? The art of living life is to pick a path to something you want, follow that path with gusto and expectation, and if along the way you see a better path for you, follow that one. As far as we know, we have this one life. Decide to live it, and revel in the choices you make and the paths you take. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

How often do you talk yourself out of doing something you would like to do – maybe even have dreamed of doing for a long time – because you think it’s impossible? When you do that, you gut your sense of self-worth, you gut your sense of confidence, and you gut your ability to achieve that dream because you’ve convinced yourself it’s impossible. Try this instead – think about a time when you were very young and you had a dream. Maybe your dream was to have a pony or to fly like a bird or to be a superhero. Whatever it, remember how magical and fun it felt when you thought about it. You may have spent time day-dreaming about what it would be like to live that dream – you could feel your superpowers, or see the clouds as you flew over them, or feel the rhythm of your pony’s hoofbeats beneath you. While you were day-dreaming, you were living your dream. You could do it then because you still believed that everything was possible, so you made it possible. You can make it possible again now. Instead of doubting your dream, dream it. Dream it in delicious detail – see yourself living it in your mind’s eye, taking in the smells, sights, sounds and the joy you feel as you live that dream. Stay there for a minute or two and then get back to your day. Lather, rinse, repeat, and you’ll make it possible to see the possible in the impossible. Ready…set…live your dream! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Is someone in your life a narcissist? It could be a co-worker, a boss or even your significant other. Dealing with a narcissist is an interesting exercise in dodging and weaving and keeping your head down. In the beginning they’re charming and very adept at making you feel valuable and valued. As time goes on and they feel secure in your trust of them, glimmers of true colors start peeking through. They have to be right – they’re not coachable – they don’t care about you, just about how you can further their own agenda – and when they feel cornered or caught, no one gets angrier than a narcissist trying to argue or yell or even hit their way out of owning up to what they did. The first rule of dealing with a narcissist is to know your boundaries, set them and defend them. The narcissist won’t respect your boundaries, which is one of the ways they’ll confirm your assessment of them. Stand up for yourself, and if that means moving on from your job or your partner, do it. Don’t blame yourself or try to understand or change them – move on. It’s how you remind yourself that you have value and deserve to be happy. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you find yourself stuck in meetings that go nowhere? Meetings can be wonderfully productive or woefully exasperating, and it’s the meeting leader who makes the difference. Productive meetings start before the meeting does – setting parameters, expectations and desired outcomes makes all the difference. When everyone knows, going into the meeting, what the goal of the meeting is, who is expected to bring what intellectual capital to the meeting, and how the meeting will be conducted, the team shows up prepared to work. When a meeting is called with just a vague topic given to participants, they have no way to mentally prepare beforehand, so they’ll take up the first part of the meeting just getting up to speed. The best way to have a team that participates in meetings and is excited to own the outcome is to give them the tools to succeed. Those tools get handed out well before the meeting start time by great leaders. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Did you ever wonder about why the lotus blossom appears in the artwork and spiritual symbolism of so many cultures? They are a water-loving flower that grows well in soil or ponds, and are most often seen as floating blossoms in murky water. Lotus flowers have long been used as a metaphor for life and spiritual journeys. They’ve appeared in artwork and spiritual manuscripts from ancient Greece, Egypt, China, southeast Asia and Australia. In the Buddhist tradition, images of lotus blossoms are used as thrones for important deities. If you are in a “murky pond” spot in your life, can you imagine yourself as the lotus blossom, rising through the dark water to emerge, luminous and clean, as a lovely flower floating on the water? When you find yourself in a not-so-fun situation, imagine the lotus blossom, and imagine yourself as the lotus in your own life. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Are you yearning for a romantic relationship? Do you crave the feeling of belonging that you associate with romantic love? Think about the word “belonging.” “Be.” “Longing.” I used the words “yearning” and “craving” purposefully – those feelings associated with a desire that’s missing fit perfectly with the word “belonging.” Longing, craving and yearning for something that’s missing feels bad. And yet you want to be in a romantic relationship, so how can you feel good about not being in one? Try this – take all that love you want to give to one special person and spread it around. When the feeling of yearning comes over you, realize that it’s just love looking for a place to go. Look around – someone or something needs love right that very moment, so take the love you’re yearning to give and flood it all over that someone or something. The good you do will come back to you, I promise. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Most of us have friends who once were very close and now aren’t nearly as important in our lives. Sometimes it’s physical distance that alters the relationship and more often it’s a distance of a completely different kind – emotional intelligence. Harvard Business School Online calls emotional intelligence the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around you. People gain emotional intelligence as they grow and mature, and they do it at differing rates. Just as some people learn language easier than others, and some learn advanced mathematics while others struggle to remember their times tables, some people gain emotional intelligence easily while others never do. When you think of friends that are no longer close, it could well be because you’re at very different levels of emotional intelligence. Don’t beat yourself up over not wanting to be around them, just understand that you’re in different places in your life at an emotional intelligence level. They’ll grow if they want to, and you’re setting a good example for them. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Are you familiar with the Big Bang Theory? No, not the old sitcom though that’s pretty good too…the theory that the universe began as a small, dense, hot piece of matter that exploded, setting into motion what is measurable today – the expansion continues as galaxies move away from each other and from our earth. That expansion is change, and everything is always changing, not just the stars in relation to each other. Change is the one constant in our lives and is the thing that we humans want to try to control. Some change in your life you can control if it’s within your power, and some you can’t because it’s not. The key to mental wellbeing is to know the difference and to only try to control what’s within your power to control. You won’t stop change – you can shape the inevitable change in yourself and your life. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Don’t you wish you could run out and get a shot of confidence? Sometimes, especially when doing something new, it’s very human to feel a lack of confidence. It’s also very human to bow to social conditioning that taught many of us that showing confidence was arrogant and wrong, so we learned to block our own feelings of confidence in order to be accepted by others. A lack of confidence doesn’t feel good, though, so how do you get more? Confidence comes from keeping your promises to yourself and overcoming fearful situations, thoughts and actions. Confidence comes from you showing yourself that you are trustworthy and capable. Confidence comes from living life, learning from it, and growing in knowledge and in compassion, for others and for yourself. There…how’s that for a shot of confidence? Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Pope Francis said, “If our hearts are closed, if our hearts are made of stone, the stones find their way into our hands and we are ready to throw them.” What a wonderful, visual way of reminding us that conflict comes from a lack of desire to understand and accept another point of view. Notice I said a lack of desire to understand, not a lack of understanding. It’s the desire to understand that’s important because when we truly want to understand a different point of view, then our hearts are open. As grow-up human beings there are a lot of things we believe strongly, and that’s ok. A closed heart feels that those who disagree with what we believe are wrong. An open heart feels that others haven’t lived the same life as we have, so may have a different point of view, and their point of view is as valid to them as ours is to us. Next time you hear something you disagree strongly with, check your hands – are there stones there, ready to be thrown? Open your heart and feel the stones disappear. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you have a touchstone that you can use when you’re in a rough patch in your life? An inspirational phrase that calms your fears and helps you feel balanced? That’s a wonderful way to remind yourself that the rough patch is simply that – a chapter in your life that you’ll move through and grow from. There was an attorney in Iowa named Max Ehrmann who wrote a poem called Desiderata in 1927, and if you’re searching for words to soothe you in the middle of turmoil, maybe these will help: “You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.” Max was right. Be kind and gentle with yourself always, and especially in tough times. You have a right to be here. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you use affirmations? Many people do, and they swear by the power of intentionally shaping their life experiences with affirmations. Many people have tried them and swear they just made things worse. Both groups of people are right – affirmations can help you shape your life experience positively, and can also keep you stuck or worse yet, can be detrimental to your wellbeing. The key is in your belief – when you believe the affirmation you’re using, it keeps you focused on your goals. When you try to use an affirmation like a magic wand to conjure up something you want but don’t believe in, it keeps you focused on something you don’t believe you can have. Maybe you feel it’s too outrageous for you to really ever achieve, or you’re not worthy of it - for whatever reason, your focus is on what you think is wrong. When you focus negatively, it’s almost impossible for you to see the possibilities that could lead you to what you want. Affirmations work if you believe in them and in yourself. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you have pets? The other day I saw a meme about talking to dogs and the silly things we say. I started listening to how I talk to my own two dogs and laughed, because the meme was right on target. Then, as I was headed to the kitchen to make something for lunch, I caught my brain telling me that I was too fat and flabby. Ouch! I thought about the “talking to dogs” meme and wondered how it would sound if I talked to me like I talk to my dogs. “Let’s go play outside for a while” instead of “you should exercise more.” “You’ve done good work today – here’s a cookie” instead of “you’re fat.” “Lemme see that belly” instead of "what shirt will hide this?” We spend a lot of words and emotions approving of our pets, and often spend a lot of words and emotions disapproving of ourselves. Try talking to yourself in the same loving, sweet way you talk to your pets. If it makes you laugh out loud, even better. What it will do is help you create more self-confidence over time, so make it a habit and practice it often, you sweet little cutie-patootie, you! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

When I was a teenager, having to work on Saturday night was a huge issue that felt like it could change the trajectory of my love life forever. Now sometimes I choose to work on a Saturday night and it energizes me. What changed? In that example, both versions of me are working on a Saturday night. The young version of me resented it bitterly, while the older version of me is fulfilled by it. What changed was my view of my own life, and my control over how I feel about it. Along with the grey hair, wrinkles and occasional aches, I gained a broader sense of perspective. Things that felt catastrophic as a 15-year-old are now just minor ripples in a calm life. I bet you can think of things that felt terrible just a few years back, and now, the older, wiser version of you can roll with them, too. If you’re struggling with something now that feels big, try to see it as the grey-haired version of you will see it. Let go of the drama that you now feel and imagine the broader sense of perspective that you’ll gain with age. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Think about your day today – what is the one, very most important thing on your to-do list? Pay bills? Close a deal? Get a mammogram? Now think about this year – what is the one, very most important thing you have done so far this year? Start a new job or business? Support a friend going through a tough time? Take that dream trip you’ve always wanted to take? Now think about your life – what is the one, very most important thing you will do in your whole life? Here’s a hint – it isn’t a thing, it’s a feeling. Love. The very most important thing you can do in your life is to love. Feel love for your family and friends and for yourself. Feel love for your home and your car and that person who just cut you off in traffic. Yes, people who behave in unlovable ways deserve your love, too. They need it more, and so do you. When you feel love for everything in your day to day life, your life gets better. Your relationships get better. You get better. The one, very most important thing on your to-do list every day for the rest of your life is to feel love. Ready…set…love. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

How’s your day going today? Is it flying by in a fit of productivity or does it feel like it’s already been about 6 years long? It’s so odd how some work days feel so good while some make you wonder why you’re even doing the work you’re doing. What’s the difference? Some days you feel inspired and some days you need external motivation to keep you moving forward. Those inspired days are wonderful – filled with things and people that hold your intellectual interest while also feeding your sense of belonging and purpose. The uninspired days might be filled with more mundane tasks, or they could include interpersonal squabbles on the team or some office politics that are upsetting. The way to make more of your days feel good is to teach yourself to focus on the things and people that feed your soul and pique your brainpower. When you feel the day starting to drag, check your focus – what are you thinking about that’s slowing you down? Interrupt that thought and focus on something you know will be more inspiring to you. Inspiration for the win! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

The most important thing in any conversation, especially sensitive or difficult ones, is what’s not being said. People hold words inside for many reasons – they don’t want to hurt the person they’re talking to, they have a hard time admitting they’re wrong or they need help, or maybe they fear negative repercussions if they say what they really think. Learning to respond to the words that aren’t being said is a skill worth honing, because when you can do that, people are more likely to open up to you. That seems counter-intuitive and it’s not. When people feel understood they trust you more. When you can seemingly read their mind because you’re paying attention to how they feel, not just what they say, then you are making them feel understood. In conversation, feel your way, don’t just listen and respond. Feel the other person’s mood and let it be part of the conversation, too. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

A friend calls people who love to talk about other people a “puddin’ stick” because they like to stir the puddin’. Do you know someone like that? At some point in nearly everyone’s life they are the target of a puddin’ stick. It’s not fun – I say that from personal experience. When it happened to me the last time, I discovered the way to gut the gossiping person’s power – ignore them. Don’t defend yourself, don’t explain yourself, don’t try to get others to see the real you. Ignore it all. This is harder than it may sound because it’s human to want people to like and understand you, and when someone is going out of their way to trash your reputation you want to defend yourself. Don’t. Ignore it all. When you don’t react, the puddin’ stick will move on to their next target. They’re all about the drama, and when you refuse to play then you take the fun out of it for them and those who were enjoying watching you squirm. When you’re able to ignore the gossips you completely gut their power. Isn’t that more fun that getting all defensive?   Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

When you feel all bound up in a problem, that feels pretty bad, doesn’t it? It can feel frustrating or disempowering or like you’re stuck in the center of a big ball of goo that you can’t see a way out of. When something in life has you feeling any of those feelings, use that big, wonderful brain of yours to solve the problem, or at least help you feel better until the problem is resolved. Here’s how – make a small decision and act on it. The decision doesn’t even have to be about the problem – set the problem aside mentally and move on to something else. Make a decision – maybe to go to lunch – and act on it. By taking yourself away from the mental angst of being stuck in a problem you give your brain the opportunity to quit spiraling in the problem and work on something else. Salad or sandwich? Chips or a cookie? Give your brain little problems to solve and soon the solution to the big problem will become clear. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Life handed me lemons recently. Really disappointing, really expensive lemons. Has that ever happened to you? Something you’d planned didn’t work out, or something you’ve worked hard to achieve didn’t happen? It feels awful, doesn’t it? Not gonna lie, the day my lemons showed up wasn’t my most productive day, by a long shot. A lot of people will tell you to dig deep, tough it out, fake it ‘til you make it, and I’m here to tell you it’s OK to feel the disappointment. It’s ok to want what you want and to not be happy when it doesn’t happen. We’re human and we have a full range of emotions for a reason. Mourn the loss of your dreams and plans and remind yourself that often when something feels like it didn’t work out, it really did. For reasons we may not know until later, our dream didn’t fit right now so it didn’t happen. That doesn’t mean it never will, just that it might take a bit longer. Slowly add sugar to the lemons as you think of ways to sooth your sadness, just like you’d do for a good friend. Then savor the lemonade – when you feel better, celebrate yourself and your resilience. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"  #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you love old Fleetwood Mac songs? The sound of Stevie Nicks’ voice enthralled me, and her lyrics inspired me. Her songs are often about the moment when life changes in a big way – like the painful betrayal that ends a relationship in The Chain and thinking about the mortality of a parent in Landslide. Even though her songs were often written as a way for her to get through the not-OK times in her life, she’s a role model for being OK. In an interview she said, “All the things you’re afraid of will come and they will go, and you’ll be alright.” Behold, Stevie Nicks, the scientist. When something bad happens, the brain gears up for it. Coping mechanisms are put into place without us even being aware. Have you ever looked back at a crisis that happened to you or around you and you’re kind of in awe of how you handled it? Hold that thought…hold that feeling. Stevie Nicks has it just right – when we focus on our fears we scare ourselves. When the thing we fear happens, we deal with it and move on. And often what we fear never happens, so here’s your tool for that – when you find yourself thinking what-if thoughts, add “what if it never happens?” and think about something else. You will be OK – you’ve handled everything so far, so trust yourself. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"  #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Wellbeing isn’t about your physical body, it’s about your emotional state. Wellness is physical, and often what ails you isn’t physical at all. Down in the dumps … bored … melancholy … moody… heavy hearted – those are normal human ways to feel. We don’t celebrate them and we don’t seek them out, and sometimes we find ourselves in the grips of a lack of wellbeing. When that happens, try this – step away from any screen you might be interacting with and go outside. Seriously…set the phone down and walk away from even that screen. Spend 10 minutes outside. Walk if you want to, run if the spirit moves you, or just sit on a bench or a rock or a tree stump. Spend ten minutes outside and let the magic of having no roof over your head soak into you. Spend ten minutes doing nothing and let the stress seep out of you. Don’t fret about whatever was bothering you – turn those thoughts off if they try to intrude on your outdoor time. When you’re ready, go back to what you were doing before with the goal of accomplishing one task. Just one, and it can be a very easy one. That’ll get a little momentum going and before you know it, you’ll notice your improved mood. Mother Nature for the win! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"  #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

We all have days where we might feel a bit unloved, taken for granted or unappreciated. I remember being a teenager and coming home from school, crying to Mom that nobody liked me and everyone treated me badly. She listened, and then did what felt like the strangest thing – she told me to stand up and walk across the room. I did, and then as I was about to walk back, she told me to look in the mirror as I walked back. Wow…I looked like a loser! My head was down, shoulders slumped and there was no pep in my step. She told me to imagine I’d just won some big award and to walk across the room again when I had that feeling. Wow again…this time I looked like someone people might want to get to know – head up, confidence radiating in every step. We teach people how to treat us by the way we show up – show up like a loser, get treated like a loser. Love yourself – feel confident – appreciate the day you’re having and the life you’re leading, no matter what it is, and people will treat you better. When you’re feeling unappreciated, remember that it all starts with you. When you turn your attitude around, others’ attitudes will change too. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"  #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Someone I know works in a difficult environment. She is surrounded by people who aren’t her co-workers, they’re her competitors. The company fosters the competition between employees, and while some of them thrive in that environment, my friend doesn’t. The money is good. The benefits are solid. And she’s miserable. Instead of being proactive and looking for an environment more suited to her strengths, she keeps beating her head against the wall and then complaining about the wall. She rails at how unsupportive her boss is, how cut-throat her co-workers are and how she’s not appreciated. And she is creating all of that angst for herself by not facing reality. Her boss got to where she is in that company by being competitive, and by fostering the competitive nature in her team members. Her co-workers are cut-throat because that’s what’s expected of them. And she’s not appreciated because she’s not a good fit. Maybe you can relate? Next time you’re in a spot like that, face reality. Take care of yourself and your needs – don’t expect everybody else to change for you. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"  #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Mac McAnally and Jimmy Buffett wrote a song called "Changing Channels.” It’s a song that speaks to the desire to stay in one place even as the world changes around you, and plays with the word “channels” as life events and also as waterways to new destinations. What if you could view the changes that happen in your life as simply changing channels? Can you see the end of a relationship as just a change of channels? Can you see the need to move to a new place of employment, or maybe even start your own business, as a new channel in your life? When you can view your life as something you’re in charge of, so in charge that you can choose to change channels whenever you please, then you remove most of the sources of stress in your life. You are in control, and you operate as if you’re the captain of your own ship, choosing your channel as you navigate your own life. Mac and Jimmy would be proud of you! Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"  #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Are there people who have abused your good nature in the past? Maybe you valued them, and they betrayed you, and you feel “less than” from that experience. Can I offer you a different way to look at it? You went into the relationship – work, romance, whatever – with trust and an open heart. That takes courage. You gave them the benefit of the doubt, even when there were subtle warning signs. That takes strength of conviction. And you’re here now, hearing this or reading this because you survived the betrayal. That takes perseverance. You aren’t “less than” – you’re literally more than you were before the betrayal happened. You are strong, brave and resilient. Please don’t beat yourself up because someone else abused your good nature – that’s you, doing to yourself what was done to you. Do better – appreciate your strength, your growth, and your trusting heart. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"  #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Are you a fan of something? Chances are, you’re a fan of a lot of things – maybe your college sports team, a sport you play, a certain musician or type of music – most of us are fans of a lot of things. When you’re a fan, it means you’re focused on something in a positive way – appreciating it, hoping good things happen to it and for it, and finding ways to incorporate the object of your fan-dom into your life more often. So as you make the list of the things you’re a fan of, do this – add your name to that list. Become your own fan – appreciate yourself, root for yourself, and find ways to celebrate yourself more often in your daily life. When you become your biggest fan, what you’re actually doing is paving the way for a happier, more successful life. I dare you – be a fan of yourself! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Pardon me if I burst into rhyme in this podcast – I’ll do my best to refrain from channeling Dr. Seuss. Did you have his books when you were a child? If you have children, do your children enjoy his silly words, rhymes and deep wisdom? Yes, wisdom from Dr. Seuss – his books are filled with wisdom and life skills tucked in among the colorful pictures. One of my favorite Dr. Seuss-isms is “you have to be odd to be number one.” Or maybe that’s a quote attributed to him and he never said it. It sounds like he should have so let’s say that he did. We’re all a bit odd in some way, and sadly many of us are more concerned with fitting in, so we try to hide our oddness. It’s that oddness that makes us unique, so embrace your inner odd, let it shine and get set to be number one! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Someone has done you wrong. You could probably tell the story of how they broke a promise, took something you valued or even physically harmed you. And to a lot of people, the worst part of that wrongdoing is that the person never owned it, never apologized, never made amends. They just went on with their life, leaving you to deal with the aftermath. How do I know this about you? Because everyone has at least one of these stories. Stop telling the story. Stop picking the scab off. Stop defining yourself by an old wound. They never apologized? So what – pretend they did so you can move on. We’ve talked before about how your brain can’t tell the difference between an actual event or the memory of the event – harness this brainpower to make yourself feel better. Change the story – the person is remorseful and wishes they hadn’t hurt you. They’ve grown and changed over time and one day they get the strength to show up on your doorstep, teary-eyed and full of apologies. You, being the gracious person you are, accept their apology. Behold the power of the intuited apology to change your life for the better. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Were you taught to say “please” and “thank you” when you were a child? In my family those words were called magical, and what we wanted didn’t happen without a “please” attached to it, so they did feel kind of magical. And “thank you” has a hidden, even more magical power. Most of us remember – at least some of the time – to thank those who do things for us. When we thank them we make that other person feel good, which makes them more likely to do nice things in the future. That’s a powerful way to impact the world, and yet there’s another power that “thank you” has – it’s a polite way to ignore unsolicited advice. People give advice because they want to help you, yet often the advice is unwelcome, unwanted and unuseful. (is that even a word?) Instead of arguing with or ignoring the person who’s trying to help you, say “thank you.” Nothing else – just “thank you.” You let them know they’ve been heard and appreciated and you’re free to flush the advice out of your brain right away. Powerful! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Possibly the most potent word in any language is “possibility.” The possibility of something is where innovation happens. The possibility of improvement is where change happens. The king of harnessing the power of possibilities was inventor Thomas Edison, who said “When you’ve exhausted all possibilities, remember this – you haven’t.” If something is feeling impossible to you today, shift your focus to something else. Dwelling on something that feels impossible usually makes it feel less possible, not more possible. Borrow my mental game – when I don’t know how to do something I give it to the committee in the back of my head. By that I mean I hand off the need to think about it until a good idea occurs to me. When it does, I give the credit to the committee in the back of my head and celebrate their brilliance. Behold the possibilities of possibility! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Have you ever counseled a friend and said something like, “you’re looking for love in all the wrong places?” Heck, there’s even at least one old country song with that title! Brain science is clear – humans gravitate to the familiar, even when it’s bad for them. This is as true of relationships as it is with food, tobacco and alcohol. One of the main ways most humans create their own stress is by looking to others for appreciation, acknowledgement and love. Maybe you know someone who is completely driven by the need for recognition – it gets exhausting, doesn’t it? Sometimes they’re sulky for no apparent reason, and it’s because they need to feel loved and appreciated and don’t. Love, appreciation, acknowledgement, and recognition feels good and here’s the secret – it feels real when it comes from us first. When you love and appreciate yourself, you don’t need it from others. And when you’re not needy it’s easier for others to love and appreciate you! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Are you a type-A personality? Driven to achieve, a bit of a perfectionist and someone who moves from goal to goal without stopping to celebrate your achievements? A lot of leaders are just like that, so if that’s you, you’re in good company. A lot of leaders suffer from stress, lack of work/life balance and disillusionment, and if that’s you, then here’s an easy tool to help you find more balance and pleasure in life – focus on the steps toward the goal instead of the goal itself. Let’s say the goal is to ride a horse from one end of a 5-mile road to the other – break that goal into the steps it will take to accomplish it. First, brush the horse down. Enjoy the peace of being in the company of a willing partner. Tack the horse up – bridle, reins, saddle blanket and saddle. Marvel at the training that’s gone into the horse as it patiently allows you to dress it. Get into the saddle. Enjoy your new view of the world from a higher stance. As you and the horse take your 5-mile ride, take in what your senses deliver to you. The goal is never the goal – the goal is the journey to the goal. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction