Sometimes it can seem like everybody else has life handled in a successful way that totally eludes you. And yet, you have unique talents, skills and qualities that others don’t. In this podcast, you’ll explore what comparing yourself to others really does and be introduced to ways to get out of that comparison game altogether.
Listen to all Up! Podcasts here.
Just how powerful are negative thoughts or words you launch at your partner? Do they really damage your relationship when they know perfectly well that you love them? In a word, yes! In this podcast, you’ll discover how to deal with those negative thoughts/words not by becoming an insincere Pollyanna, but with a way to work with them to make your relationship better and better.
Listen to all Up! Podcasts here.
Sure, office gossip is fun. Who doesn’t relish the latest dirt on you-know-who? But what if that “fun” interferes with your getting ahead? Hmm. In this podcast, find out why gossip is counter-productive to your success and how to handle it without turning into an anti-gossip snob.
Listen to all Up! Podcasts here.
One of my pet peeves (I, who spend entirely too much time driving the California freeways) is drivers who don’t use their turn signals. Come on, when traveling down the freeway, the last thing you need is some driver cutting in front of you without even the hint of a warning. Namely, said turn signal.
Turn signals were invented for a reason: safety! It’s just dangerous not to let fellow occupants of the road know what you’re about to do. Plus, to my mind, it’s disrespectful and discourteous. So there.
But the other day, after spending a good 10 minutes ranting, albeit silently and alone in my car, about the latest no-turn-signal driver’s behavior, a saying flashed through my mind: “Not my circus, not my monkeys.” As in, that driver’s behavior, and others like theirs, isn’t mine to fix or correct, so not my “circus,” and they are definitely “not my monkeys.”
Huh. So I just wasted 10 precious minutes of my life on something that isn’t my business in the first place, and about which I can do absolutely nothing. Talk about a wake-up call! I started logging how much time I focus on circuses that aren’t mine, trying to corral monkeys that aren’t mine either. In a word, too much.
I put myself on a “circus and monkeys” diet. Now, when I catch myself obsessing about something like that, I switch my focus as quickly as possible to something pleasing to focus on, like the beauty of nature all around us. Or on something that is in my “circus and monkey” domain, like how to handle a problematic work situation.
Life is too valuable to waste
on situations we can do nothing about. So give up other people’s circuses! They
are not worth your time or your energy. Tend to your own monkeys, your life
will be better for it.
Why is it the voice in your head criticizes you non-stop? What if you instead talked yourself up, not down? Would anything change? Yes, indeed! In this podcast, you’ll be introduced to some easy techniques that can power you into the land of “up” not “down” to greater happiness and success!
Listen to all Up! Podcasts here.
No, your world won’t come to a complete stop if you get your face out of your devices from time to time. On the contrary, in this podcast, explore how using your eyes as well as your ears to communicate with people puts you ahead of the game, whether that’s at work, at home, or even at the gym!
Listen to all Up! Podcasts here.
I don’t think my ballroom instructor/dance partner was concerned with my longevity when he barked “You gotta smile!” at me as we practiced for an upcoming competition. I’m like “Really? Besides remembering my patterns, keeping my upper body lifted, my feet grounded, my legs long, my head up and my elbows wide, all of which are taking 100% of my effort and concentration, I gotta SMILE?!” Apparently, yes. So fine, I will smile. There!
But really, smiling is good for a lot more than dance competitions. Namely, people who smile more tend to enjoy numerous health benefits such as lower blood pressure, more endorphins (the good-feel hormone) and less stress-enhancing hormones (i.e., cortisol). They also have a longer life span. Plus, people who smile are viewed more positively by others than people who don’t. What’s not to smile about in all that?
You may ask, so how? Run around with a dental-commercial smile pasted on your face? No. That’s phony and wouldn’t feel right anyway. Rather, simply allow your face to relax into a smile when you see or hear something that pleases you. It doesn’t have to be in public situations, although the barista will appreciate the smile that accompanies your “thank you” as will the cashier or your co-worker. You can smile at your pet, your child/partner (ok, sometimes anyway), that lovely flower or sunset or at the memory of a savored moment.
Smiling is more of a habit to get into than anything else. The slight relaxation that usually ensues when one smiles should be enough to prompt you to smile more.
Smile! And enjoy the
benefits.
As I stood in line waiting for a table last week, a couple of people were leaving the restaurant. One of them was complaining about the fo...
