Rita B Allen Associates

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Rita B. Allen Associates offers customized career management consulting and coaching services to individuals and organizations with specialties in a variety of talent management content areas including:

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Spring 2015

Dear Colleague,

Spring has almost arrived…or at least it is working hard to make its presence known! I am sure you have all been as anxious as I have to put the snow behind us, see sunshine and enjoy warm weather. Although it's been a long winter, let's look at all of the positives that have come along with it. Here are a few of my favorite advantages to being snowbound:

Most of us have spent more time at home, enjoying the company of our loved ones
Experimenting with new recipes and culinary explorations
Deep recognition and gratefulness for the people who plow, shovel and/or clean our walk-ways for us
Stronger muscles and lots of personal work-outs for those who have had to do the shoveling themselves
Catching up on reading, movies and music; and last, but not least…
A true appreciation for the privilege of being a Bostonian and experiencing the beauty and richness of our four seasons

Whether it is about getting through a difficult winter, traveling through the trials and tribulations of life, or pursuing our career peaks and valleys, it is essential to be optimistic and look at the positive in every situation. Stay positive and be happy - these are such true, powerful words I have grown to live by! It is as simple as that, even though not always simple to practice. We are the only ones who own our happiness and make that choice every day.

"Positive thinking… is the key which unlocks the doors of the world."
~Samuel McChord Crothers

"Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within. It is not what we see and touch or that which others do for us which makes us happy; it is that which we think and feel and do, first for the other fellow and then for ourselves."
~Helen Keller

Yes, it is much easier said than done. If we choose not to stay positive throughout every step of our journey in life and career, however, then what is the alternative? We all know the alternative is not a sustainable place to stay. Managing our mind, body and spirit sets the foundation for staying positive and being happy. The truth is, we all have the ability to do this, some perhaps more easily than others, but it starts with the desire to shift our mindset to then build upon. Let me share some of the following suggestions to help do so.

Tips and Strategies for Staying Positive and Being Happy:

Make a list of the positives in all scenarios while identifying best and worst case
Laugh and smile often
Connect with other positive people
Practice good time management skills
Acknowledge your blessings and be thankful
Express gratitude and appreciation every day
Know yourself very well as well as your energizers, triggers and stressors
Seek to understand first and then to be understood
Be goal-oriented, have a plan and then go with the flow
Accept yourself (the good, the bad and the ugly) and believe in yourself
Take care of yourself - emotionally, physically and mentally
Focus on your strengths and leverage them in everything you do
Find and develop your spiritual self
Have a good sense of humor
Expect some ups and downs every single day
Embrace mistakes as learning experiences and don't be afraid to make some
Realize there is no such thing as perfection
Allow yourself to take some risks
Control your self-talk
Let go of the past and live in the present
Make wise choices for yourself
Be present in everything you do

I imagine you are all familiar with these strategies. What I have learned and like to say frequently is, we need to get comfortable being uncomfortable and pushing ourselves in new ways. These strategies can be difficult to practice but yield incredible rewards/results such as greater energy, empowerment, creativity, peacefulness, fulfillment, self-esteem as well as performance, just to name a few. Stay positive and be happy!

I've written about positivity and happiness before but believe it's important and relevant to revisit given the essence of how powerful it can be in our success, both personally and professionally. Developing our emotional intelligence and social intelligence can be an effective place to start. In addition, I'd like to, once again, share a few resources that can be helpful in understanding the theory of positivity.

Power of Positive Thinking, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
Positive Intelligence, Shirzad Chamine
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, Dale Carnegie
Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill, Matthieu Ricard (Foreword by Daniel Goleman)