Is Your Glass Half Full?

With Special permission from Sandy Dixon I would like to share these wise thoughts from the director of IRIS:

Ideas to Share -- From The Director's Chair TWO TIP TUESDAY...helping you build a better business (LIFE)!

The NØ Moan Zone

Dear Bonnie With all the bad news we are bombarded with daily from the TV, radio, and newspapers it's no wonder we are affected by all the negativity and tempted to look at things with a 'glass half empty' perspective. However taking such an approach is not only bad for your mental and physical well being, it can have a detrimental effect on your business (and livelihood) as well. So how do you overcome the tendency to grumble and complain when you are surrounded by less than positive media AND negative people you may come in contact with every day? By creating and practicing a No Moan Zone philosophy both in your personal and professional life.

Tip #1: Watch Your Words

First of all, it's important that we monitor our conversations on an ongoing basis. Listen to yourself---do the words coming out of your mouth sound positive or are they instead complaints laced with a few moans and groans? Sometimes we get caught in a pattern of negative thinking and complaining without even realizing it. Pay attention to and spend time with upbeat people---the ones that make you smile, turn your day around and who make you feel better being around them. Their positive demeanor and outlook have an influence on those around them and will rub off on you. Ask them their secret to staying positive and then put that information to good use! IDEA: Start your own 'Positive Posse' and make a point of sharing a half full (or better yet 'brimming over'!) attitude with friends, family and strangers alike. Encourage others to do the same. Make a pact with friends, family and coworkers to stop one other from negative talk when you catch each other in the act. Reinforce positive conversations by refusing to participate in negative ones. Sometimes all it takes is someone making us aware of our behavior or habits. Next, turn off any source of negativity that you can control. Take a hiatus and don't watch TV news or read the morning paper. Instead of listening to the radio, opt for a no-news option like satellite radio, CD's or your MP3 player.

Tip #2: Laugh, Linger and Lend a Hand

Keep a sense of humor and eliminate time you spend with people who feed the naysayer in you. Take some time off to rejuvenate. Spend some time outdoors or doing something you have always wanted to do. Volunteer for projects working with nature, animals, or people in need. This will not only give you a renewed sense of purpose and a fresh perspective, it will confirm that you can make a positive difference. IDEA: With the holidays just around the corner, consider working in a soup kitchen during Thanksgiving, visiting a local nursing home, being a Secret Santa for a family in need, walking animals at your local shelter. When we find ways---big or small---to help brighten the day or life of another, it has a way of brightening our life as well.

Quotes to Note

What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens. - Thaddeus Golas Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.---Willie Nelson Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; love more and all good things will be yours. ---Swedish Proverb Sandy Dixon 2008 IRIS Executive Director