Tiny Bites of Wagaliciousness

Are you someone who finds yourself in arguments more than a couple of times a week? Or maybe you live with or work with someone who likes to argue?   What’s the argument really about? Arguments are almost never about what they seem to be about – it’s not whether or not the trash is staying in the kitchen too long or the pants are hanging on the hanger wrong or the copier paper trays were all left empty…again! People who argue a lot do it because they want recognition and validation, and if they have to argue to get it, so be it. In a supportive environment, that recognition and validation will happen naturally – that’s how great teams operate. In an environment that might be lacking empathy and understanding between team members, arguments are the natural outgrowth. People want to find a solution that will solve a problem, once and for all. In a supportive environment, they work together to solve it. Otherwise, they argue and nothing gets solved. If you’re surrounded by arguments, examine the environment. Arguments are really about a lack of understanding, recognition, and validation. Fix that and the arguments will fade away. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

When did that phrase “use your words” become popular? Best guess is sometime in the late 1980’s or early 90’s when it started showing up in parenting books, television shows and comedian’s stand-up routines. While it’s an odd way to phrase it, “use your words” is great advice. We all think people understand us way more than they do. Even those closest to us don’t know what’s really going on inside our heads and our hearts. So – when you’re feeling frustrated, say so. When you’re feeling elated, say so. Sad? Share with someone close to you how you’re feeling. Angry? Don’t make people guess why – say what you need to say. Feel like you were wrong? Apologize. Out loud. To the person who needs to hear it. Our ability with language sets us apart from most of the other mammals on the planet. Our inability to use it when emotions are strong is the cause of almost all the misunderstandings in our lives. When your feelings are feeling strong, use your words. Let people know how you’re feeling by using your words on purpose. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Are you facing a problem right now? Does it feel big, like something you’re not sure you can handle? Usually I tell you to let go of the past, but at times like this it can be good to embrace the past. Specially selected pieces of the past, though. Grab a pen and paper and give yourself a few minutes to think of times in the past when you faced a big problem. Don’t concentrate on the problem, just jot it down. Jot down as many as you can think of in a few minutes, and then stop and look at your list. Look at your list, then notice your heartbeat. Look at your list, then notice the temperature of the air around you. Look at your list and appreciate the fact that you survived all the things on your list. You’ve done it before and you will do it again. Problems are part of life. Confidence is knowing you’ve been through problems before and you can and will get through this current one, too. Use this exercise whenever you feel like you have a too-big-to-handle problem. You don’t. You’ve got this. You always do.   Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

A lot of people are in leadership positions they didn’t really seek out. I’ve been there once or twice – you, too? Maybe you’re perceived as the leader because you’re in a decision-making position, even though you’re not technically the staff supervisor. That can be tough – you have all of the responsibilities with none of the authority, and yet the staff still looks to you for direction. Even if you never wanted to be a leader, you need to act like one, and this one tip can help. Do your best to understand each person you work with. What lights their fire? Where did they grow up? Where are they in the birth order? Where are they where significant relationships are concerned? If money was no object, what would they do with their time? Find out who they are at a heart level, not just a head level. When you reach for understanding you invite understanding, and when a team understands each other, they work well together. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Do you know anyone who’s trying to find themselves? Maybe you? The feeling of being lost in your own life is disconcerting – it can feel like you’ve been set adrift in an ocean of unknown. The feeling of needing to find yourself often happens in the wake of a major life change, like the loss of a loved one or relationship, or a life milestone like graduation or marriage. Suddenly there’s a very new, different dynamic and it feels unfamiliar because it is unfamiliar. The secret to finding yourself when you’re feeling lost is to realize your brain knows the old pattern and it will take a few days for it to get up to speed on your new life and new routines. Be kind and patient with yourself while your brain figures out the new pattern. You won’t feel the need to find yourself anymore because you’re not truly lost. You’ve been there all along. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Are you stuck in a land of fairy tale expectations? No, I’m serious – many people grow up believing that life should be like a fairy tale. They don’t intentionally believe it – they read and heard those fairy tale stories so often in their lives that they internalized a false narrative filled with heroes and villains. In those fairy tales, the villains get their come-uppance, and the heroes live happily ever after. Life isn’t like that at all – life is a series of decisions we get to make, then we see if we like the way it turns out, and then we make some more decisions. There isn’t some hero who’ll ride in and magically make your life OK – you are the hero in your life. You are the one who will choose what looks like “happily ever after” to you, and then decide if you want to change it. There’s not one event in your life that will magically make your life good forevermore – there’s one you, deciding that you are your own hero, in charge of your own happily ever after. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

There are a lot of cliches about laughter: Laughter is the best medicine. Laugh until you cry. Laugh all the way to the bank. He who laughs last laughs loudest. I’ll be having the last laugh. I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing with you. There is no doubt that laughter is good for you, body and soul. Laughing releases your body’s feel-good chemicals, lowering your blood pressure and easing stress. Laughing with a group of people creates a release of oxytocin, the hormone closely related to feelings of connectedness, community and caring. Laughter therapy has even been incorporated into chemotherapy regimens, which seems to help cancer patients handle the chemo better and has been associated in some research studies with better long-term survival rates. There’s a ton of evidence that laughter is good for you, so making ways to intentionally add more levity into your day is a great idea. The bad news about laughter is that, no matter how hard you try, there’s no evidence to support laughter as a derriere-reduction technique…sorry! We can't just "laugh our @$$ off! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Your life is created by the stories you tell. What kind of stories are you telling? And are you mentally arguing with this premise right now? It’s ok…many people would. My Grandma Faught told stories of her poor health, poor bodily functions, and poor relationships with people. She was always the unfortunate, sad focus of her stories, and her life, just like her stories, was filled with doctor visits, unpleasant procedures and neighbors who didn’t like her and wouldn’t help her. There’s brain science to back up how your life is created by the stories you tell – in every moment, there’s far too much input for your brain to be able to capture all of it, so it captures and catalogues the kinds of things you are generally focused on. Our brains unconsciously shape our perception of reality to meet our needs, desires, and past experiences. So once again, take in this thought and apply it to yourself – your life is created by the stories you tell. What kind of stories do you want to tell now that you know how powerful your story-telling is? Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership

Do you know someone who is the strong, silent type? Maybe you? People who seem to go through life meeting every challenge, quietly dealing with major life problems, and being the rock for others are easy to take for granted. They don’t ask for help. They don’t even seem to need help. The strong, silent type is the person others go to for help, and then move on when their problems abate. The strong, silent type of person has problems, too. If you know someone who fits this description – maybe you – that person needs a friend who’ll listen. A friend who’ll ask questions until the silent one starts talking. They need a place to be vulnerable and ask for a listening ear, a caring heart and maybe even a little bit of help. We all need someone like that. If you know a strong, silent type, please be that friend. If you are the strong, silent type, please let your friend in. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership

What do you love? I love stars, sand on my toes, silliness from my dogs, pumping tunes when I’m rolling down the road, and the toy that grows out of the top of my head, my hair. I love my independent streak, my pretty, fun-to-drive car, clouds, and the sound of moving water. What do you love? Make a list of the things you love and beside each item, rate it for how often you focus on and enjoy that item. Give it a 1 if it’s not very often and a 5 if it’s something you experience and enjoy daily. Now, for the next week, keep your list handy and see if you can create more 4’s and 5’s from the things that might only be 1’s or 2’s right now. When you focus on what you love, you create more contentment in your day, and when you have more contentment in your day, you open the door to more happiness and success. Just by focusing on what you love. So…what do you love? Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership

Are you good at what you do? Sure you are – because that’s who you are. You show up and do the best you can do every day. Are you an expert at what you do? If you’re like most people, you might resist calling yourself an expert out of modesty or maybe even a bit of imposter syndrome. You know things. You have experiences. You have a unique point of view, and when that’s added to your experience and knowledge, you are literally the only person on the planet who can do what you do the way you do it. What is your goal for your next career move, and why aren’t you moving towards that goal? There are people who are doing what you want to be doing who have less knowledge and experience than you, and yet they’re doing what you want to be doing. Do you think others look to them as an expert? Those same people would value your expertise, too, so go for it. One life, as far as we know, is what we have to play with, so go for your goals and dreams, you expert you! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership

There are a lot of examples of overcoming adversity in the world around us. Salmon swim upstream and leap up waterfalls – it’s their only way to keep the species going. Trees sway in wild storms, sometimes losing branches but remaining flexible enough to remain standing against Mother Nature’s worst. Airplanes take off against the wind, not with it – it’s the only way to get the lift needed to defy gravity. Adversity happens to everyone – no one gets through life without having to overcome obstacles. When someone you care about is in a tumultuous place in their life, it might help them to hear about the salmon and the trees and the airplanes. The salmon don’t stop at the top of the waterfall to tell all the other salmon how hard the climb was. People in painful conflict often do just that – they wallow in the difficulty instead of growing through it. Help that person you care about – maybe you – flourish instead. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership

Do you have a manager who behaves badly? What if, instead of expecting them you change, you embrace their style as an opportunity for you to grow? Radical thought, right? First, you can’t make them change. Second, you’re part of their team, which means you report to them and they have a certain amount of control over your livelihood and advancement. When you break it down like that, you have two main courses of action – either choose to leave the company and hope you’ll find a better manager at your next job, or use this manager grow your ability to relate to and work with all kinds of people. When you take the second decision, you embark on a journey of personal growth and become the kind of person more companies want on their team. And who knows – your current manager may watch you cope and grow and start behaving better with you! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Would you like to know how you can be a more compassionate person? Would you be thrilled to learn that you can become more compassionate in the privacy of your own life, without having to go anywhere or learn something new and complex or even break a sweat? And would you be chomping at the bit if I told you that the same thing that’ll make you more compassionate will also help your physical health? OK, I’m through teasing you – dozens of scholarly research studies show a link between healthier vital signs like blood pressure and stress hormones and meditation, and now new studies show that a person becomes more compassionate when adding meditation to their daily routine. Build 5 to 15 minutes into your morning routine for an eyes-closed, sedentary self-care session and watch your blood pressure drop and your caring heart enlarge. There are meditation apps you can put on your phone, and the Center for Workplace Happiness has a meditation podcast called the Mind Body Soul Sessions in the success tools store. Meditation is not magical or mystical or weird – it’s just a few minutes of brain-calming peace. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

A friend recently gave money to a woman sitting in car that had a flat tire. Something told her the woman wasn’t fine, even though she said she was. When she shared the story, she said, “May we love those who are in front of us.” Does that sentence hit you like a prayer, too? May we always love those who are in front of us. Do you have a hard time asking for help? Most people do, so when you feel that someone isn’t OK, love them enough to help them. The help may be to give them cash, like my friend did. The help may be to keep asking questions until they’re willing to talk to you. The help may be to sit with them in silence, just letting them know someone cares. May you love the person who is in front of you enough to know the help they need and may we all remember to love those who are in front of us more often. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

When you’re around someone who’s in a really good mood, does that make you feel uplifted, too? Researchers at Harvard and University of California San Diego conducted a study of about 5,000 people over the course of 20 years and found that one person’s happiness affects those around them positively. They put data to anecdotal evidence and in so doing, showed just how powerful that one person’s happiness can be – three degrees of separation from the happy person still showed an uptick in happiness. What does this mean for you? When you’re the happy person, you affect your friends, family and co-workers, PLUS you affect those people’s friends, families and co-worker, PLUS you affect all of their friends, families and co-workers. By intentionally keeping yourself in a contented mood, and allowing the moments of humor, happiness and joy to shine when they hit you, you are literally changing the lives of the people around you. Happiness is powerful – pass it on. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

We’re taught from childhood to solve problems. Weigh the pros and cons of a situation and choose the appropriate plan of action. We learn well that when we can figure out what’s wrong, we can fix it. What we’re not taught is to evaluate a problem and decide whether or not it’s ours to fix. Much of the stress many people feel is because they’re struggling with solving problems that they simply can’t, because it’s not in their power to fix. Want that new job you interviewed for last week? It’s out of your hands – the hiring decision belongs to someone else, so let go of the anxiety of waiting for news. Want your co-worker to carry her weight? She either will or she won’t, so unless you’re her manager, quit expecting her to behave in a way she clearly doesn’t want to behave. Want someone to love you? You can’t make them, so please stop changing yourself into something you’re not. Be so focused on being the best version of yourself that you can be that you don’t even notice what other people are doing or not doing. Live your life on your terms and let others solve their own problems.   Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

There are times in every life that are tough. Been a teenager may seem like a wonderful time, except that for most teens there are conflicting expectations from adults coupled with the struggle to understand their changing bodies. Graduation may seem like a wonderful time, except that for most people it’s a huge shift in focus coupled with the uncertainty of putting that degree to work. Marriage and parenthood are life milestones that are touted as wonderful things and yet the joys are mingled in with new, stressful experiences. When someone you know is going through one of these life events that are celebrated, remember to watch for signs of stress. Help them put the new stress into perspective so they can navigate to the joyous parts faster. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

“People might think I’m weird.” “I might not get it right.” “What if it turns out badly?” So many people limit their own horizons because of thoughts like these. I’ve limited myself with those kinds of thoughts…I remember never wanting to do sports in school because I wanted to be good at it and feared I wasn’t. Have you limited yourself too? In a conversation with Mom when I was about 16 years old, I confided that I was afraid to go to the prom because what if I made a fool of myself in front of the cute boy who asked me? Mom answered simply, “what if you don’t?” When the voice inside your head starts asking you limiting questions, take Mom’s words and use them to stop limiting yourself. Who cares if people think you’re weird, or if it isn’t perfect on the first try, or if it does turn out badly? Heck, even Albert Einstein took eight tries to mathematically prove the theory of relativity. We’re human, which means we’ll get things wrong. The fun is in the trying and then trying to do better. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Have you been hurt by someone you loved and trusted? Most people have at some point in their lives. We know what our hurt feels like and have no idea how others feel about the broken trust and broken heart, so it’s easy to discount the pain of others while feeling like our pain is different, and maybe even worse. Stop. Stop so many things about that scenario. First, stop comparing yourself to others. It’s unproductive and often undermines your confidence and sense of self-worth. Second, stop focusing on what someone else has done to you in the past. The past is done. You can’t do anything to change it, and when you keep focusing on it, you keep it alive in your mind and your body. You do physical damage to your physical wellbeing because your brain floods you with the hormones associated with pain and loss all over again. That’s why you feel bad – because your brain can’t tell the difference between the event and the memory of the event. When you’re rolling around in the pain and loss, break out that Disney princess song – let it go, let it go! You’re the only person in charge of your feelings, so take charge! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Maybe something like this has happened in your office or your life: someone tells you something about another person, and what you hear makes you feel a bit guarded about that person. Maybe you think back on something that happened that you didn’t understand, and now, with this new information, it makes perfect sense. That person is bad! They’re stirring up intrigue…they’re trying to take your job or your significant other or whatever. You stew over this new revelation about that person and you vow to not fall for their games. You put up your guard when you’re around them, and maybe even warn others about them. Oops…you have violated the Golden Rule. Can you think of a time when someone misjudged you? Remember thinking, “why didn’t they talk to me about it?” Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you. Instead of going with the flow of your brain making assumptions, do something crazy – ask them. Talk to them. Understand them. Things go so much better that way. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

My friend Arvind is as wise as he is outspoken. His Facebook posts always garner a lot of attention and a fair amount of debate. So when he wrote, “What a boring world it would be if we all agreed on everything. Respectful debate, engaging conversations, and varied opinions make life flavorful and colorful. No one ever has to agree for me to know I am right” I laughed out loud and asked permission to quote him. It would be boring if we all agreed on everything. It is important to be respectful in our disagreements so that we can have engaging conversations and incorporate varied opinions into our lives and maybe even beliefs. That last sentence – “No one ever has to agree with me for me to know I am right” cracks me up and reminds me that, inside our own heads, we’re all right. Trying to change someone’s mind is like trying to change the weather – impossible and frustrating. Enjoy the differences in life, including differences of opinion and beliefs, without trying to change the other person’s heart or mind. That’s where your peace lives. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Do you notice when something feels wrong? Do you feel the little hairs on the back of your neck bristle? Do you get that “iceberg in the pit of the stomach” feeling that’s apprehensive to the point of being fearful? What do you do when you notice your body reacting like that? Please get into the habit of paying close attention. Your body can sense things in ways that science is only just now beginning to discover. The incredible neural network in your intestinal tract talks to your brain about more than just hunger and digestion. The largest organ in your body, your skin, is in contact with the world outside your body and is able to perceive tiny changes in sound, air movement and other important clues that something might be amiss. So when something feels wrong to you, get into the habit of paying attention to the feelings and to the world around you. Your body really is trying to tell you something. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Is life feeling hard for you right now? In everyone’s life there are times when it feels like we’re the punching bag and life is just landing blows hard and fast. First, remember that it’s just a chapter in your life, not your whole life. Second, instead of focusing on the hard things, look for what’s softer and easier to focus on. Things like the fur of your pet, the feel of the sun on your skin, the sound of the breeze through the leaves, the flicker and fragrance of a burning candle, the familiar comfort of your favorite blanket or favorite book. Focus where it’s soft and easy and soon you’ll be through the hard chapter and on to a more enjoyable chapter in your life. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

What are you thinking of right now? What are you doing right now? How are you feeling right now? And why am I asking so many nosey questions right now? Because right now matters. A lot. Right now is your life. You can spend right now thinking about the past, and you’re using up your right now by doing that. You can spend your right now procrastinating, and you’re using up your right now doing that. You can spend your right now feeling sorry for yourself or mad at someone or just feeling blah, and you’re using up your right now by doing that. Right now is your life. Use it wisely. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

If I asked you what bothers you most, you could probably tell me a list of things pretty quickly. It’s ok – that’s a very human trait. Even the most positive people focus often enough on what bothers them that they could spit out a list, too. The thing that very positive people have in common is that they also focus on what delights them. They created the habit – consciously or not – of noticing and appreciating good things as well as noticing the irritations in their life. Did you hear the very good news in what I just said? If you want to learn to be more positive, teach yourself to notice and appreciate the things that most people take for granted. Enjoy your body’s abilities, whatever they are, to help you navigate your day. Walking is amazing, and if you can’t walk well, isn’t it wonderful that someone created canes, rollators and wheel chairs to get you where you need to go? The taste of food…the smell of your child’s hair…the feel of a light breeze across your skin…the sound of your favorite song. If I asked you what you enjoy most, have that list ready to share, too. Teach yourself to focus on the good and soon you’ll be bursting with positivity, too. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Are you a leader, either in your family, your job or your life? Most of us are leaders in one way or another, whether we know it or not. People look to us for cues on how to navigate a problem in the office, how to deal with yet another break-up, or maybe it’s your child looking to you for reassurance that there really are no imaginary monsters. In order to be the best leader possible, tap into your loving self, especially when your angry self wants to take over in a difficult moment. Instead of thinking the worst in a situation, think of the most benign reason something might be happening. Instead of condemning, try to commiserate. Instead of blaming, try forgiving. Your anger only teaches others to hide their mistakes from you. Your compassion teaches them to trust you and learn from you. As a leader, how do you want your people to feel about you? Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Are you looking for love? Lots of people are – they are either looking for a better relationship than the one they’re currently in, or are looking to be in a relationship. Often, in the looking, people choose relationship partners that are just like the ones they’ve had in the past…some people like to be with people they can help, some like to be with people who like to argue…you’ve seen it in your friends. Have your friends seen it in you? If you’re looking for love, stop looking for a moment and examine your previous relationship partners. Our brains like patterns, and look for patterns that are familiar. If you’ve chosen partners who had similar behaviors, it’s normal, and it doesn’t have to be your destiny. If you want something else, then teach your brain to look for that. When you see a trait in someone that you would like to see in your ideal life partner, appreciate it. Mentally celebrate it. Turn the memory of that wonderfulness over and over inside your head, reveling in the deliciousness that being with someone like that would bring to your life. Teach your brain what you want, and your brain will look for that new desire, instead of the same old same old. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

A few years ago, I was training one of my dogs in the local park. We were working on a musical freestyle routine – basically a string of dog tricks set to music, so we appeared to be dancing. I overheard someone say, “wow she has no inhibitions at all!” as if it was a bad thing. When Duffy and I finished up our training session, loaded up and headed home, and as I drove, I thought about the person who made that comment. It’s pretty normal to assume others should have the same sensibilities we have, and to be shocked or surprised when they don’t. I thought back to times when I had judged someone else by my life rules, and realized I didn’t want to do that to people anymore. You may have heard me say in these podcasts, “what other people think of me is none of my business,” and yet that day, it was my business. That person reminded me that I have no business expecting others to behave the way I think they should, either. Food for thought for you, too? Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

A colleague of mine was cleaning her office recently and ran across a box of childhood paperwork. She found something she’d done in kindergarten, a fill-in-the-blank sheet that the teacher handed out. Her 5-year-old self loved having gym class, making things and defined happiness as “when somebody makes somebody else happy.” Fast-forward to her grown-up self, and Christine often reminds audiences that “it’s good to have a good day, and it’s better when someone else has a good day because of you.” The brain science backs that up – when you make someone else happy, witnessing their happiness, or even just thinking about it, boosts your happiness hormones, too. To have a better, more satisfying, more successful life, make at least one person happy each day. That guarantees that you’ll be happy each day, too. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

There is one word you need to remember when you’re feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t matter what is going on in your life that is creating the feeling of overwhelm – it could be personal, financial, professional, or even all of the above all at once. There’s still only one word you need to remember… ONE. All of life is one step at a time, one task at a time, one moment at a time and one breath at a time. One. Just one. You can’t fix everything you think needs fixing all at once, so focus on one thing you can fix and fix it. The focus on one more thing. And then one more. Time will pass…tension will ease…and most of the time whatever has created the feeling of overwhelm will loosen its grip and move on. And because you’ve focused on one thing, accomplished one thing, and then focused on the next thing, you’ve shown yourself that no matter what is going on, you can still handle it. One step at a time, one task at a time, one moment at a time and one breath at a time. Remember one. You got this. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Today I got some push-back on creating success through creating mental wellbeing and happiness. “It can’t be that simple or everyone would be doing it” is what was said. And I agree – it does sound easy, these little game-braining tools I throw out there for you to use. The process is simple – but not easy. The tools are simple – but not easy to remember to use. Remember, the same brain you’re trying to train is running a pattern it’s run for your entire life. It takes focus and commitment to notice a thought that is part of a pattern you’ve followed for years, interrupt the pattern your brain is running and intentionally shift your focus so you can create a new, better-feeling pattern that supports your growth, success and happiness. So yes, it’s simple and everyone can do it. It’s not easy, which is why everyone’s not doing it. And you can still do it if you want to. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Doubt is the destroyer of magic. Don’t doubt me on this. You know that feeling when a great idea pops into your mind? You can’t wait to see how it will play out…can’t wait to start working on the planning stages…can’t wait to tell friends and loved ones all about it. And then that little voice inside your head pipes up with all of the reasons why it can’t and won’t work. Doubt begins, and once doubt takes hold of your thought process, those good feelings of anticipation, preparation and sharing the excitement just dissolve like morning fog as the day warms up. The magic of the idea…the magic of the moment…the magic of those great feelings vanishes. Doubt is the destroyer of magic. Next time doubt tries to throw a wet blanket on your great idea, thank it and usher it right out of your mind. Your ideas are too good to let doubt destroy their magic. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Is there someone in your life who tries to control you through their expectations of you? It might be a parent or a boss or a friend – anyone. They might look at you after your latest hair appointment and it looks like they smelled something stinky. They might ignore your good work and point out your shortcomings on a project. They might make passive-aggressive comments about your weight or your car or your income. Those people, if you let them, can gut your self-confidence, so don’t let them. If you’re in a relationship where you can voice your feelings about their behavior, do it. If not, when they try to control you through their disapproval, remind yourself that they are out of line and aren’t living your life. You are living your life – you are in charge of you – and what you believe about yourself has nothing to do with what they think. PS…please let that last part sink in so you can move through your day and your life confidently, no matter how that judgmental person feels about you. Want more? Click herefor a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

Do you ever find yourself comparing where you are in your life, your career or your knowledge with someone else? It’s very human to measure ourselves against others, and it’s also very human to believe they’re better off, smarter or luckier than we are. It’s that negativity bias at work again – our brains are wired to go to the negative conclusion more than to a positive one. When you find yourself starting down the comparison road, remind yourself that your brain has that negativity bias, and then remember this: you’re never making an apples-to-apples comparison when you judge yourself against someone else. You aren’t living their life, you don’t know the troubles and triumphs they’ve had, you don’t know what comes easily to them and what comes hard – you don’t really know anything about them. And they haven’t lived your life, either – you’re both on completely separate paths, even if you’ve been best friends since kindergarten and have attended exactly the same schools and classes. You’re two completely different people, with two completely different sets of life experiences. Celebrate where you are instead of comparing yourself to where someone else is. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #veterinarian #vettech #notonemorevet #petindustry #wellbeing #success #leadership #lawofattraction

When you think about your day yesterday, does it feel like it was a successful day, a so-so day or a frustrating day? Stop whatever you’re thinking about right now and think about yesterday. Who did you smile at yesterday? Who were you kind to yesterday? Who did you compliment yesterday? Whose life did you save yesterday, maybe even without knowing it? Now how does yesterday feel? We’re so good at focusing on what we think went wrong that we forget to focus on what we did right. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” Every day, remember to focus on the good you did the day before. Because every day, you do succeed. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Are you a recovering perfectionist, too? One of the ways that perfectionism showed up in my life was that I wouldn’t try things I felt I couldn’t do. Can you imagine what that did to my self-confidence? Yep, if you just thought “gutted it” you’re exactly right. When we’re hard on ourselves, expecting perfection from even our first try at something, it often means we lead self-limiting lives and lack confidence. If you think you might be doing that to yourself, even a little bit, try this – once a week, try something you’ve never done before, just as an experiment. Be playful with it and with yourself – you’re a scientist running an experiment just to see how it goes. When it goes well, great! When it doesn’t go well, put your scientist thinking cap on and try to figure out how it could go better next time. Get playful with new things and soon your scientist self will boot your perfectionist self right out of the laboratory that is your life. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you worry? Have you been called a worry wart? What the heck is worry, anyway? Worry in a person with a normally-functional brain is a bad habit that the brain has created – that’s all it is. Our brains have a negativity bias, which means that it’s easier to think a negative thought than it is to think a positive one. Over time, you have let the brain focus on potential negative outcomes, which created the tendency to worry, because the brain developed the habit, or pattern, of focusing on potential negative outcomes. Has worry ever fixed anything in your life? Probably not. And if you really think about it, the things you’ve worried about probably haven’t even come to pass. When you worry, you flood your body with stress hormones as it prepares to deal with the bad situation. Put up your mental stop sign at the first sign of worry, and do your best to think of a potential positive outcome instead of a negative one. Get in the habit of anticipating good outcomes instead of bad ones and watch your worry wart tendencies fade away. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Can I give you a piece of advice? Most people don’t need advice. Oops…I think I just screwed up right there! When someone is struggling and needs help, it’s human nature to want to help them, and some help is great and some help is very unhelpful. I’ll give you a ridiculous example – say someone has fallen on the sidewalk and you rush to help them up. Helpful – yay, you! If you then go on to tell them that their choice of shoes is wrong and they need to wear something more appropriate, that’s unhelpful. You may mean well in the moment, and yet you know nothing about what caused the fall. You know nothing about them at all, you’re just dishing out facts that may or may not be helpful. Lift them up, literally and figuratively, by letting them know you see them and care about them. That’s the best way to help anyone, no matter what they have going on in their life. If they want your advice, they’ll ask for it.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Are you in a place in life where you’re feeling out of control? Like the river of life is sweeping you downstream and you not only don’t have an oar to help you steer, you don’t even have a canoe? What if I told you that’s one of the most powerful places in life to be because of the potential to learn and grow? When you feel out of control, don’t fight the feeling, believe it. Most of what happens in every single person’s life is out of that person's control, and yet most of us try hard to create the outcome we want. How has that worked out for you in the past? Yeah, me neither! When you feel out of control, embrace the feeling. Examine the feeling. Love the feeling, because that out of control feeling is reminding you to let go of the outcome and trust yourself to be able to deal with whatever happens. That’s where your power is. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you ever get advice from people, warning you that when you’re old you’ll wish you did things differently?  I’m childless by choice. Even when I was only single-digits old I knew I didn’t want to raise children. Well-meaning people said things like, “who will take care of you when you’re old” and “some day when it’s too late you’ll regret not having a family.”  People who say things like that are trying to get you to measure yourself against their yardstick. They might be even a little jealous of your braveness in making a decision so different than what they would do. When you hear their well-meaning advice, think about this – do you want to make your decisions based on what feels right to you, or do you want to shape your life based on what someone else thinks you should do? Shake off the “shoulds” of others and live your life on your own terms. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Is there someone you know who is unkind to you, or unkind about you behind your back? At some point in most peoples’ lives we have to deal with a petty, insecure, bitter person who targets us with gossip, hostility and even bullying. It’s not fun to be the recipient of this kind of treatment – believe me, I’ve been there! – and it’s easy to feel like we have to defend ourselves against it. Don’t. You just give the other person more energy and ammunition to torment you with. Instead, can you ignore them? Can you find compassion for them? Can you know, in the depths of your soul, that what this person is doing to you isn’t about you at all, it’s about them? When you can truly understand that they are broken, when you can feel compassion for their brokenness and be OK with keeping them at arms’ length, then you are making the best of an uncomfortable situation. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you feel good when someone compliments you? Most people like when someone else notices them in a positive way. And yet it can be tough to acknowledge the compliment. Often, instead of accepting the compliment, they parry back with something like, “oh, I just threw this outfit on – it’s nothing special,” or “you think my hair looks good? It’s so unruly today!” If you respond to compliments in a self-deprecating way, can I suggest something else? Smile and say thank you. That’s all you have to do and say. Look the other person in the eye, smile, and say thank you. With their compliment, they’re acknowledging that they see you and appreciate you. When you argue with them, you negate their lovely action. Instead, acknowledge them – smile and say thank you. The bonus is when you accept compliments graciously you bolster your own self-confidence! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Have you ever pushed through physical exhaustion? Have you ever kept working on something when your brain was fried? Have you ever been on the brink of tears, swallowed hard and hidden your feelings from those around you? Society puts up statues for people who’ve done heroic things, which makes us think that we should push ourselves hard – far too hard sometimes. When you deny your body the rest it needs, you invite injury. When you push your brain to focus when it is screaming for rest, you invite injury and mental breakdown. When you swallow your feelings instead of addressing them in the moment, you lie to yourself and those around you and you undermine your own sense of self-empowerment. Honor your body when it needs rest. Honor your brain when it says it needs a break. Honor your feelings, understand them, own them and move through them, as you would move through a rainstorm and come out fine on the other side. You matter. Honor you. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you feel ashamed when you fail at something? Many people do – it’s almost like we’re hard-wired to beat ourselves up when things don’t go as we planned. Can I give you a different way to feel? And remember that you can feel one way, decide it’s not the way you want to feel, and talk yourself into a different feeling – that’s called neuroplasticity and you can rewire your brain by intentionally changing your thoughts and feelings. When you try something and it doesn't turn out the way you expected, banish the automatic feeling of shame and congratulate yourself. You tried. You went for it. You learned something new – at the very least, you learned a way that won’t work. Next time you try it, you’ll have a different, better outcome because through the failure, you learned and grew and changed. Yay, you! Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Someone I know lives in a bubble of her own creating. She can’t see beyond the bubble, and inside her bubble everyone has the potential to be evil. She sees bad motives nearly everywhere, even in what the rest of us would consider very benign behavior. When anyone tries to suggest that not everything is bad, she’s very good at pointing out the badness in even the best things. Do you know someone like that? They’re very tiring to be around, and no matter how hard you try, you’ll never speak words that will touch their heart in a way that they’ll see the world in a more balanced way. The best you can do is set a great example of love and acceptance. Yes, you even have to accept their choice to live inside their negativity bubble. People like this can be hard to be around – use them like free weights to help you build up your love muscles. Love them in spite of the bubble they’ve trapped themselves in. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “perception is reality.” In marketing this is proved over and over again as people pay more money for an inferior product that they’ve been led to believe is superior and necessary in their lives. There’s a more personal application though – what you believe is what you see. Your perception of an event is shaped by all the life you’ve lived before that event, and by what the people who raised you believed about such events. Their perception becomes your perception, and so when you see this event in your life, you think and feel and behave accordingly. If you believe it is bad to run a red light, you’re far less likely to run a red light, plus you’re far more likely to have a negative perception of someone who does. That’s a simplistic example, and here’s the point: Everyone’s life has shaped them differently, so their perception and reality could be quite different than yours. And you’re both right. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Can you give yourself 5 minutes at some point today? Five minutes alone, just you and a pen and a blank piece of paper? Just five minutes…can you do it? When you do, here’s a mental game you can play that can help focus you on what matters in your life. When you’re alone, take a minute to think about your dream life – who’s in it? What’s in it? Where is it? Write it all down on that blank piece of paper. Be as detailed or as general as you want – write down your dreams. If you run out of paper before you run out of time, great. If you run out of ideas before you run out of time and paper, that’s ok, too. Give yourself five minutes a day to write down the ingredients of your dream life – when you make it a habit, your dreams come into clear focus for you, making them easier to achieve. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Do you ever look back on things you’ve done in the past and felt bad about how you behaved? Maybe you think you over-reacted, or maybe you think you were unfair or unkind. Maybe you even feel shame to the point of blushing or wanting to cry every time you think of it? That’s your body, reminding you that your brain can’t tell the difference between the event and memories of the event. Here’s the deal – you can’t change the past because it happened. It’s over and done with. You can change the present – which is new in every moment that you live. Right now, stop dredging up memories that make you feel bad. Stop. Stop it!! There is nothing you can do about it and while you’re thinking about it, you’re damaging your physical and mental wellbeing. Your physical and mental wellbeing are of paramount importance, don’t you agree? So much more important than re-telling old stories you don’t like the ending of, anyway. Each time a bad memory tries to rear its ugly head, laugh and say, “that was then, this is now, and I’m in charge of my now.” Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"    #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction

Quick…do a body-check. Where are your muscles tight? In your forehead? Your jaw? Your neck or your hands? Chances are that at least one of those places in your body was holding some tension instead of being relaxed. Do you ever wonder what that is? That’s stress hormones expressing themselves in your body. One of the most common places we hold stress is in our shoulders, clenching upper back muscles and shoulder muscles so hard that our shoulders rise significantly. Know why that is? Because the neck is a very vulnerable stalk that connects the brain to the being, so it’s the first place the body tries to protect in a stressful situation. Make a point of doing a body-check for tight muscles several times a day, and when you find tight shoulders, ask if there’s really anything in your life in that moment that is truly threatening your neck? Of course not, so laugh, relax, and get on with a less stressful day. Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"   #veterinarian #petindustry #wellbeing #leader #lawofattraction