Tiny Bites of Wagaliciousness

Let’s talk about control freaks and how to be the best kind of control freak. Wait – what? That’s right – I want you to be a control freak. We all flourish when we’re control freaks…the trick is to know what you are actually in control of and only try to control that. You’re not in control of other people’s thoughts, feelings or behavior. Give that up. You’re not in control of the weather, either, so quit railing against it and accept it as part of your day. You’re not in control of traffic lights or other drivers – being angry at either of them is just you, choosing to whip yourself into an unnecessary frenzy. Give that up. Control what you CAN control – how you act and react in your life. That’s the best kind of control freak, and those control freaks are some of the most successful people in the world. Let’s let one of them be you, ok?  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Think about the best boss you’ve ever worked for. What was it that made them great? That answer is simple - great leaders lift up their people. Poor leaders just boss their people around. Mediocre leaders carp about what hasn’t been done and participate in office politics. Great leaders educate and uplift their people. Tell your team what you love about them, the job they do, and the way they work with the rest of the team. When you are in the habit of doing that, people will live up to your expectations of them and you’ll need to do far less correction. Even better, you’ll have less turmoil and turnover, and doesn’t everyone want that?  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Do you have something negative happening in your life that seems to suck all the light and life out of you? That’s an awful way to feel, and it’s also perfectly normal. Life deals us challenges and losses and they can sometimes feel insurmountable. When that happens in your life, please remember that it’s temporary. No matter what is happening in your life right now, it’s temporary. It’s as temporary as a song on the radio – it will seem to dominate the airways for about 4 minutes and then it will be gone, giving way to the next song. And there’s always another song, on the radio and in life.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

What is your current dream? Is it an extravagant vacation? A move to a new location? A major life change like marriage or a child? The pathway from your dreams to your success is in front of you. Sometimes it can be tough to see, and you can trust that it’s there because it is. From childhood we are conditioned to toe the line someone else draws for us, and yet the best way to create the life you want is to toe your own line and walk your own path. Focus on your dream – how will you feel when you are living that dream? Daydream about your dream as often as you can, because when you do that, you’re telling your brain that it’s important. Your brain, without you even knowing it, will shift its focus to what you’re focusing on, gathering clues to help you achieve your dream and lighting the path for you. It’s neuroscience – trust it, use it and live your dream.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

One of my very favorite Facebook memes says “the difference between a flower and a weed is a judgement.” We value the rose and look down our noses at dandelions. Why? The rose has thorns that hurt, draw blood and sometimes leave the tip of the thorn under our skin, a reminder of the pain the rose inflicted. The dandelion has no thorns and as it matures, turns into a delightful, delicate array of lighter-than-air seeds just waiting for us to make a wish on and gently blow out into the world to grant that wish. Did you notice how I changed what is usually focused on? You can do that with people, too. Both flowers have value, though both flowers are different, just as all people have value in spite of their differences. Next time you’re tempted to be irritated by someone, stop and shift your focus. It’ll improve your mental wellbeing and your dealings with that person.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Do you feel like you need to explain yourself and your actions to others? Emblazon these two words into your brain: I’m good. You are a person of ability and integrity, and your actions are an extension of those qualities. When others fail to see you in all your glory, nothing you can say will change their mind. People make up their mind about who you are based on their life experiences, not yours. They see you as they are, not as you are. When you try to explain yourself, they’re hearing your words through the same distorted filter that made them misunderstand you in the first place. Explaining yourself frustrates you and makes you look weak to others. When you feel like you need to explain yourself, say these words either inside your brain or right out loud – I’m good. Because you are, and those who see the real you already know it.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Is there something you’d like to accomplish that you don’t feel quite prepared for yet? Oh, the terrible trouble that is caused by over-thinking and over-preparing because you don’t feel confident. Think about all that you’ve already accomplished – did you know at the very beginning of each endeavor exactly how it would unfold and turn out? Of course not – there’s always a surprise or two along the way, and you always learn more about the subject and about yourself as you pursue a goal. You don’t have to know all the steps – take the first one, and then the next one, and then the one after that. Trust that you have what it takes to discover a path that you’re already on, because that’s what you’ve done for your entire life.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Did you read Sheryl Sandberg’s book, “Lean In”? One of my favorite concepts in the book is her view on leadership. According to Ms. Sandberg the ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have. Think about it – the world is in a constant state of change and growth. A leader who doesn’t continue to learn and grow won’t be able to flex with those changes. A leader who values learning sets an amazing example for their people, showing them the value of continuing education, whether formal or informal. And a leader who values learning values employees who want to learn and grow. They don’t see them as a threat to their position or worry about them growing out of their current position, they understand that their people need to learn and grow, too, and they trust that no matter what happens, the growth of their people is vital to the growth of their business. Think about your team – who is leading and are they learning?  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

If you can hone it, you can own it. What the heck does that mean? It means that your brain wants to work on things. Your brain is designed to work on things, to figure them out and to get better at them. You can choose how you want to be – more forgiving, more accepting, more flexible – and you can make yourself those things, or whatever you’d like to be. Catch yourself when you’re not being what you want to be, remind yourself that you’d like to do better, and in that moment, make the better choice. This requires consistency and focus from you, because your neural pathways support the status quo, not the improvements you seek. If you can hone it, you can own it – pay attention to your thoughts and feelings, catch the ones that aren’t on your new pathway, change them and then pat yourself on the back for working to create your best self.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Like the seashell that’s tumbled in the surf for a long time, you’ve been polished by life. You’ve been tossed around a bit, regained your balance and basked in the sun of your accomplishments. You’ve been prepared for what’s next by what’s been. You’ve studied, you’ve learned and you’ve grown. No one remains the same and you aren’t the exception to that rule. Reflect on your growth…your wisdom…the knowledge you have gained and so freely share with those who want and need it. Appreciate where you are right now and where you’re going. You don’t have to know where that is – just know that the path you’re on will support and carry you to where you want to be, even if it doesn’t feel like it right this minute. Your life is now. Feel your way. Trust yourself. You’ve made great choices to get to where you are – you’ll make great choices to go to what’s next.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Is there someone in your life who needs a bit of coaching or behavior-correction? Maybe they’re a difficult person who isn’t coachable and teachable, but instead are defensive? This is a situation that can be tough to handle well and very easy to procrastinate about. Putting it off just means you’ll fret about it a lot more than is good for your physical and mental well-being, so here’s an idea that usually works well. Instead of coming from a place of authority, come from a place of compassion. Ask why they’re behaving the way they are, and don’t let them place blame. Gently keep the conversation focused on them and why they feel uncomfortable enough to misbehave. Ask questions and keep asking until you feel you’ve gotten to the heart of the person and their behavior. Then help them decide what they’ll do to improve. When approached this way, behavior problems often evaporate, never to be seen again.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

In your practice or company, what is the predominant atmosphere? Are your people supportive and helpful or are they guarded and maybe even a little bit suspicious? Which atmosphere would you rather have? OK…you can call me Captain Obvious for that question! At the beginning of everything good is generosity. People who are generous with each other are supportive and helpful. People who are guarded are hoarding their generosity, probably out of fear of looking weak or being taken advantage of. If you want to improve the atmosphere around you, think about what you and your people might be fearing. Fear is the wet blanket thrown over generosity. Find ways to remove the wet blanket and watch generosity, support and help pour out.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Do you find yourself evaluating the actions of others? The way they dress, talk, look? We’re not born judgmental, yet many of us turn out that way to one degree or another. Think about a time when you felt judged – it’s not a good feeling, is it? Maybe you even felt as if you needed to explain yourself…ouch! Sit in that feeling for a moment, and then ask yourself this question – do you want to make others feel that way? It’s not your job to be the judge of the universe. That’s exhausting because you’ll always see people not doing what you think they should be doing. They have their life to lead and you have yours. Give yourself the freedom to NOT judge others – you’ll be surprised at how much energy you’ve been giving to something that’s not your job.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

If you watch the news, pay attention to how it makes you feel. Do you feel anxious? Frightened? Depressed? Do you want to feel those feelings? The news is designed to give you all of the bad things that happened today in a short period of time with good production value. News programs are just like every other program on broadcast television – they have to do everything possible to generate ratings and revenue, and make you feel like you HAVE to watch or you’ll miss out. You won’t. If you like feeling anxious, frightened and maybe even depressed, then by all means, watch the news. If you’d rather feel better than that, turn off the news and do something that supports your mental wellbeing instead of sabotaging your mental wellbeing.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

When you’re up to your eyeballs in something you don’t love, that’s stress just waiting to happen. When you’re up to your eyeballs in something you love, that’s passion in action. The trick is – you can always be doing something you like or love when you use neuroplasticity to shape your feelings. For instance, I really don’t like anything that has to do with paperwork and numbers. When tax time rolls around you should see me finding a thousand other things to do besides organize things for my tax guy. When I finally remember to make it a game instead of a chore, my feelings shift from annoyance and avoidance to being intrigued and interested. Do I love it? No, but I don’t hate it anymore. Shift your perspective and you’ll shift your mood, which automatically eases your stress.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Surround yourself with people whose values are similar to yours. That doesn’t mean the same opinions – life would be boring and you would never learn anything new. People with a diversity of opinions, experiences and ways of being in the world are good to have around you. And it’s also good to have people around you who want to uplift, who want to help and who understand the value those attributes bring to themselves and to the world. Surround yourself with people who value happiness and success and who praise it when and where they see it. Let the wet blankets and the jealous people hang together – you don’t need them in your life, distracting you from your success and wellbeing.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Many people use pain as a wall to hide behind, ram into or as an excuse to not try. They do this because they don’t want to feel the pain and that’s a sensible desire. After all, who wants to feel pain? When someone hides from pain, continually butts their head into something painful or uses the pain as an excuse to not grow, that’s not healthy. Just as physical pain causes us to stop doing something, like holding a match that’s burned all the way down, emotional pain is there to help us make choices that serve us better. If you’re hiding behind a wall of pain, continually thrashing around in pain or using pain as an excuse to not move forward, choose a better reaction. Feel the pain, realize that whatever caused the pain is in the past and you have no power to change the past, and let your heart lead you out of pain and into a healthier, happier life.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Have you heard the saying, “we don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are?” That may sound woo-woo and weird, but it’s a truth based in neuroscience. In the last decade scientists using diffusion imaging have watched how the brain responds during learning. Something new goes to short-term memory for sorting, then moves to long-term memory where it’s compared with what is already known and stored with similar memories. Some neurological connections have been activated often, like the act of driving to work, so those conscious thoughts don’t even have to happen before you’re able to carry them out – you just know. Because your brain has millions of existing connections like that, they shape the way you view the world. Your existing memories and beliefs inform what your brain does with new information, so your life experiences shape how you see the world now. You see things as you are. And everyone else sees the world the way they are. Knowing this, isn’t it easier not to argue with people?  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

You’re so good at being patient and kind with others – why are you so mean to you? Ouch – are you feeling the need to defend yourself right now? It’s OK – I’m actually talking to me, too, along with every other human on the planet except maybe sociopaths. We are so good at giving others the benefit of the doubt, of helping them learn and grow, and being their shoulder when they are feeling down. And we are so not good at giving ourselves the same grace. What are the things you say to yourself when something not-optimal happens? I was looking for a receipt the other day, berating myself for being disorganized as I searched drawers and folders for the hundredth time. What if, instead of berating myself, I took a break and went for a walk to clear my head and settle down? Spoiler alert – that’s what I did and when I got home, the receipt appeared, almost by magic. Be patient and kind with yourself, as you are with others. Life works so much better that way!  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Maya Angelou said, “Remember – every storm runs out of rain.” How many literal rainstorms have happened during your lifetime? Hundreds? Thousands? The only way the number could be that high is because the storm subsided and the sun came out. That’s a literal version of what happens in life emotionally, too. In the depths of sadness or frustration or a sense of failure, remind yourself that every storm runs out of rain, and this one will, too.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Failing doesn’t mean you’re a failure. In the Irish culture, they have an interesting quirk of semantics that’s very empowering – instead of saying “I’m angry” they say “the anger came upon me.” It’s a very subtle shading that reminds the person saying it, as well as the person hearing it, that we are not how we feel. We can feel, and move on. So when you fail, you are not a failure. Failure came upon you, and you can move on. Every human being will fail many many many times in their lifetime – it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Let failure come upon you, learn from it and then shake it off and go on with your wonderful life.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Oh, new love – is there any better feeling than that? The reason love feels so good is that we are choosing to see the best in the other person and daydreaming of how wonderful the next meeting will be. That’s easy to do when love is new, and tougher the longer you’ve been exposed to the not-so-best in the other person. No matter how wonderful your new love seems, remember they’re human – inevitably, there’ll be some not-so-good pieces to being with them. Choose to see the best, anyway. When you do, you keep that “newly in love” feeling for a long time.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Have you ever wondered what goosebumps are? Y ou know, when you do something that feels so right, or say something that feels so true, that you get a warmth around your heart and little tingly bumps on your skin? You might even get puddly tears in your eyes. That’s you, connecting with the divine, however you define it, and celebrating a moment of perfect communion. When something gives you that feeling, remember what it is and vow to do more of it. Wow…telling you that just gave me goosebumps.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Do you get offended easily? Maybe you’re even tempted to quit Facebook because of the unpleasant things some people post. When you find yourself starting to get offended and defensive, stop. If you were out walking and saw a pile of dog poo sitting on the trail in front of you, would you walk around it or step in it? If you’d walk around it, then think of the things that offend you or upset you as dog poo…walk around them. When you choose to step in poo, it’s not the poo’s fault that your shoe is stinky!  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Everything is beautiful. Everything. It’s up to you to look at in a way that highlights its beauty, not its flaws. Every neighborhood has that one yard filled with dandelions, threatening to scatter their floating seeds all over everyone else’s pristine lawns. If you have one of the pristine lawns, you could be irate with your neighbor the dandelion farmer or you could remember how magical it felt as a child to make a wish and blow that round ball of fairy-seeds out to make your wish come true. Or you could look at the not-so-secret life of dandelions and appreciate how they feed bees, keeping them alive and thriving so they can pollinate other, more desirable flowers, fruits and vegetables. Highlight the beauty of things and feel the contentment that will bring into your life.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Did you know that you can choose not to react to things that normally upset you? The primitive part of your brain has a 1 to 3 second head start, and it reacts quickly and strongly to things that have upset you in the past, as well as to things that seem life-threatening, like a car backfiring. Take a breath – take control of the primitive part of your brain and tell it to relax while the frontal lobe lets you focus logic and reason on whatever just upset you. You can choose to just feel startled and shake it off, once you understand that the backfiring car was just a backfiring car, not a gang war breaking out. Choose a new way to look at irritations and watch your stress melt away.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

It’s been a while since we talked about “going to MSU” so let’s revisit that. Our brains like to group events together and weave a story from them. It’s part of how we learn so well, and it’s also how we miscommunicate so well. Going to MSU means that your brain is making stuff up – making up a story that might or might not be true, based on the evidence it’s picked up over time. Someone was grumpy with you at work…that same person was in the boss’ office with the door closed just now. Your brain might make up the story that the person is trying to take your job, when in fact they might have shown up for work hung over one too many times and are being let go. Understand your brain’s ability to make up very convincing stories. Make asking questions to gain clarity before jumping to a conclusion your default behavior…quit going to MSU and then reacting.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Give the gift of grace, just as you’d like everyone to give you grace. When someone doesn’t know something, give the gift of teaching without condescending. When someone makes a mistake, give the gift of gently reminding them what a better path would have been. When someone lashes out in anger, give them the gift of love, because that’s when they need it most. We’re all human and we all do stupid and sometimes even mean things. When that happens to you, give the gift of grace, and may you be offered the gift of grace when your human-ness shows.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Is something bothering you? Is it something you can do something about? If you’re not fixing something that’s bothering you, you are choosing to continue to be bothered by it. I know – it’s easy and tempting to hope that by ignoring something irritating, it will go away. Nope – it’ll just irritate you more and more as time goes by. If you have the power to fix it, fix it. If you don’t have the power to fix it, make up a better story about it and tell yourself that story each time you’re tempted to get irritated. Make a choice to either fix it or fix your perception of it and your life will feel soooooo much better!  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Humans have emotions and we’re meant to feel them. Sometimes it’s impossible not to feel them, and very annoying to have other people try to help by saying things like, “This happened for a reason and you just need to move on” when your heart is breaking over a break-up. It is perfectly ok to be sad. When you feel sad, you don’t have to spend energy to put on a show for anyone. Feel what you feel, fix what you can, process the rest and then, when you’re ready, move on.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

Has someone been unkind to you today? Has someone tried to manipulate you today? Has someone lied to you today? Since you’re dealing with human beings, you’ve probably experienced some level of all of those behaviors today, unless you’re hearing this right after waking up. You can’t control how other people behave, even those who are related to you. You can control what you’ll put up with in your life, and how other people’s bad behavior will affect you. Start by remembering who you are, why what you do matters, and how much value you give to others through the things you do each day. Be polite and unmoved by those who do wrong things to you. They have no power over you. None. When you take away your emotional reactions to their bad behavior, you gut their ability to control you.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction 

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” Mark Twain was known much more for his warm, folksy humor than for writing scary stories, though one of his masterworks is A Ghost Story. He takes readers on a trip through an abandoned old hotel, haunted by a spirt at first frightening and then pitiful. The idea of fear being normal and something to gain control of is illustrated in A Ghost Story and you can resist and master your fears, too. If you are afraid of something, study it. Learn about it. Master the knowledge of it. Once you understand how and why something is the way it is or happens the way it happens, you’ll gain courage over it in your life, too.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

Over half of Americans don’t use all of their vacation time. Are you in that group? You earned your time off, you use some of it and at the end of the year, you give some of it back. Would you give back your salary? I don’t think so, so why do you give back your sanity? Time away from work to do something soul-satisfying is one of the very best ways to gain and retain the work/life balance many people find elusive. Experience your life, don’t just live it – take all of your vacation time. All of it. How you choose to use it is up to you.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

My friend and colleague, Chad Hymas, is a very wise man. He said, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”  Chad is a fabulous example of the importance of who you are, not what you’ve done or what you have. Pursuing goals is one of the keystone habits that successful people share – not achieving the goal, but pursuing it. It’s the pursuit that creates focused action, a sense of accomplishment and a new place to dream of, create and achieve more goals. The sense of accomplishment, of confidence and newfound wisdom is part of what you become by achieving your goals.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

OK – stop. Listen to this with your whole self, because it’s important to your success in life. You can cause yourself to feel however you’ve decided to feel. Hear that again – you can cause yourself to feel however you’ve DECIDED to feel. This is neuroplasticity at it’s most powerful, and you are in complete control. For instance, when I see a picture of Mom, who died way too young of metastatic breast cancer, my practiced thought is that I was very lucky to have been her daughter. By focusing on a better-feeling thought, I caused myself to feel grateful, not sad. I had to do this a lot before feeling sad wasn’t the default feeling, and that’s how the brain works. With consistency, I taught my brain a different knee-jerk response. Neuroplasticity to the rescue! Decide how you want to feel and use your powerful brain to feel that way.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Be patient with yourself…you are still growing. Like a tomato plant from the garden center, you have your spine and what you think you will do with your life. And like a tomato plant, that can look different from one day to the next. One day it may have 8 leaves and a dream, and you might have an unreliable car and a job across town. Be patient with yourself. One day, like that tomato plant, you’ll be thriving in ways you can only dream of now. You are still growing, and your life is still growing. Be patient with yourself. You are a magnificent work in progress, no matter how long the world has been enjoying your presence. Until the very end, be the person who is still growing.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Albert Einstein said, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Sure, it’s good to have a method, logic and evidence to back up actions – it’s also good to notice how something makes you feel and either do more of it or move on. When your intuition tells you that someone is up to no good, you could talk yourself out of that feeling, wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt because that’s what good people do, or you could trust your gut and maybe stop a crime in progress by reporting what you saw. The intuitive mind is a sacred gift – trust in your gift more.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Plato said, “No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth.” He didn’t say it exactly that way – translations differ so that’s an English-language distillation of a two-sentence section of his Apology speech. When you find yourself in the company of people who flatter and praise to someone’s face and then whisper behind their back, you are among people who aren’t worthy of your friendship or even your time. If they’re part of your team, then it’s time to give them a tough-love lesson on tough love. It’s not kind to tell someone one thing to their face and gossip about the wrongness of that thing to others. It’s not kind and it’s a morale killer on a staff. It’s worth the risk to speak the truth, because then everyone is on the same page.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job" #podcast #vetlife #veterinarian #vethospital #vettech #notonemorevet #wellbeing #success #leadership #leader #lawofattraction

Do you blame your parents for problems you have now? Maybe they didn’t love you the way you wanted and needed to be loved. Maybe they were absent more than you would have preferred. Maybe they were even mentally or physically abusive, and so you believe that the life you’re living now is because of what they did to you. Parents are human. They can only do what they know how to do, which often is what was done to them. When you continue to use their lack of parenting ability to excuse your lack of progress in life, you’re selling yourself short. You, standing where you are right now, have the talent and ability to be and do and have whatever you want. You must let go of the blame, though – blame holds you in a stuck place. Stop being stuck – forgive your parents and get on with your fabulous life!  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

Happiness isn’t possible 100% of the time. Yes, my company is the Center for Workplace Happiness and you heard that right – 100% happiness isn’t possible. That’s OK, though, because it doesn’t need to be. Contentment is the baseline of happiness, as measured by researchers at Yale, Harvard, Cambridge and other universities with neuroplasticity studies. When you’re feeling frightened or stressed or just plain old blah, happiness can feel two continents away and completely out of reach. If it feels too tough to find happiness in the moment, how can you feel more content? What could you think about or do to help lift your spirits, maybe not all the way to happiness, but to contented? When you’re in a good mood, think about the things that always make you smile, and make a list. Then, when it feels like you’re drowning in negative feelings, pull out the list and put those things to the test. Even if you don’t make it all the way to happiness, you’re bound to make yourself feel better.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

Has someone ever come to you with a problem, wanting you to help them solve it? And you talk it out with them, help them see their options and then they ask you what to do? And then don’t do it, so they stay stuck in their problem? What other people do with your input is not your business. Well, ok, if they’re employed by you and your input for them has to do with the work they do for you, then they need to follow your directions. Otherwise, the very best thing you can do is lend them your ear, advise them if they ask you for it, and then let it go. You can give people information, teach them what you think they need and want to know and you cannot control how they receive the information or what they do with it. Be like a Disney princess…let it go, let it goooooooooo!  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

Want to feel better about yourself? Look for what’s right in the people around you. Look for their conscientiousness, their competence and their kindness. Look for evidence of their heart shining through their work and their interactions with others. Look for their faith in themselves and their trust of others. When you look for the best aspects of the people around you, you shine that same light on the best parts of yourself. Make it a habit to feel better about yourself by feeling better about others.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

It is human nature to believe that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. We are living our condition, warts and all, and see someone else living what looks like a much better life. Do you ever get stuck in that sort of not-enough feeling? Stop, and think about what’s right about what you’re living. Remember where you were, and how exciting it was while you were on the way to where you are. If you’re feeling stuck and you want more, then dream a dream of where you want to go next. Then look at the lovely green grass in front of you – it’s all on your side of the fence, just waiting for you to be ready to walk a new path through it.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

When you believe you’re beautiful, you are. When you believe you’re worthy, you are. When you believe you can do it, you can. This isn’t just psycho-babble from some happiness nut, it’s grounded in neuroscience and human behavior. You probably know at least one person whose looks are fairly average and yet people mention her beauty. You probably know at least one person who went to school on scholarships, two jobs and a car held together by a guitar string and a prayer, and yet she carries herself confidently. You probably know at least one person who seems to just put words to an idea, like writing a book, and boom – it’s done! Those people believe they have what it takes. They’re not narcissistic or egotistical, they’re comfortable in their own skin. And you can be, too. Because you are beautiful and worthy and capable. Believe it and it will be for you, too.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

No one can stop you. No one. I saw a man once wearing a shirt that said, “No one can stop me. No One!” Feeling playful, I got in front of him on the sidewalk and said, “Sir, wait – just wait a minute!” Puzzled, he stopped. And I celebrated. And we both laughed at how easy he was to stop, and then we went on with our lives. But really – no one can stop you except you. Think of the things you’d like to do that aren’t done, and then think of the reasons you give yourself for not doing them. Heck, I’m pointing my own finger at me on this one – it's very human to not prioritize our own needs, to put off doing things we don’t like to do, and to say “someday” on things that feel out of reach right now. No one can stop you except you. Evaluate the validity of the roadblocks you’ve put in your own way and figure out a way over, around or through them.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

Are you holding a grudge? Telling the story of pain someone caused you years ago? Avoiding someone because just being around them makes you feel sick to your stomach with dread? Forgiveness to the rescue! Forgiveness is HUGE and it’s not that hard to do, when you realize that all those bad feelings aren’t hurting the other person at all. They don’t care that you’re beating yourself up, and if they’re really so bad, they’d probably celebrate the fact that their mere existence is messing up your life. Quit beating yourself up with toxic emotions that set you up for stress and illness – put on your placid cow persona and forgive. Forgive the person you’re avoiding – just be a placid cow around them when your paths cross. Quit telling old, tragic stories – close your mouth and mentally chew your cud instead. And grudges are for 7-year-olds, and you’re probably just a bit older than that. Forgive yourself, and then forgive everyone in your past, present and future. They’re just doing the best they can, and that is all they can do.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

Want to feel better about yourself? Look for what’s right in the people around you. Look for their conscientiousness, their competence and their kindness. Look for evidence of their heart shining through their work and their interactions with others. Look for their faith in themselves and their trust of others. When you look for the best aspects of the people around you, you shine that same light on the best parts of yourself. Make it a habit to feel better about yourself by feeling better about others.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

Are there people who have abused your good nature in the past? Maybe you loved them and they betrayed you? Many people, in a circumstance like that, beat themselves up for loving someone who didn’t return that love. May I give you a different, more powerful way to think about it? You gave love. You have love inside you and you shared it with another human being. What they did with the love you gave was up to them – you chose to love, and you felt really good while you were loving. Remember that you have love and you give love and you feel wonderful when you do. Love is love – go spread your loving heart around generously, and feel really good while you are loving. There’s something to love in every single person on this planet. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find it and to love. What others do with the love you give them is their choice…meanwhile, cherish how good it feels to love for no good reason. The endorphins you create will be your own and you’ll sail through life hooked on dopamine, oxytocin and love.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

Notice how you feel. This sounds weird, I know – we’re so used to our own feelings that often we forget to feel them. The fundamentals of creating more success and happiness in your life is to actually recognize how you’re feeling, moment to moment. It matters to notice what you’re feeling as you feel it because so many of our feelings are patterns we’ve gotten in to that don’t serve us very well. For instance, if you get irritated because you’re in traffic behind a van and you drive a small car, ask yourself why you’re irritated? Is it because you can’t see through it? Is it because you think the driver is wasting gas? Is it because you think nobody needs a car that big? Taking things personally that clearly aren’t personal doesn’t serve you, your happiness or your success. So – notice how you feel. Right now, how do you feel? Do you want to feel that way? If so, yay! If not, what can you do right now in this moment to change how you feel? Do it, I dare you!  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"

When you feel happy, you are aware of more happiness around you. When you feel healthy, you are aware of the healthy opportunities around you. When you feel satisfied, you’ll see more things to be satisfied about. Are you sensing a trend here? The flip side of the coin is also true – when you feel sad, more things make you sad. When you feel pain in your body, you focus on the pain in your body. When you feel unappreciated, you’ll notice more things that make you feel unappreciated. What do you want to notice? Do you want to focus on your competent team? Then focus on what they do right and praise them for it. Do you want to focus on your healthy body? Then notice when it’s doing something wonderful, like carrying you up a flight of stairs or just across the room and appreciate the things your body lets you do. Do you want to focus on the good news in the world instead of the few not-so-good things that the news likes to focus on? Then notice what’s right in the world, starting with you. Catch yourself doing something nice for someone, or going out of your way to be of service to someone and congratulate yourself. Feel appreciation for the driver who lets someone turn into traffic in front of them. There’s a saying that your life will go the way the corners of your mouth go. Smile, focus on what’s going right and your life will go that way, too.  Want more? Click here for a free audio course, "Happiness is an Inside Job"