Daily Gratitude: How great is this? I believe so many people feel like a failure because they can’t come up with something new and shiny. After all, that’s what always makes the sale….and makes you famous, right?

But that’s not necessary. Taking something already created and finding a different way to use it or just make it more efficient.

You don’t always have to think “outside the box” but just look at what’s in the box with a different perspective. You can do this with your job, your relationships, your house, anything.

How can you look at something differently? Is there some way you can put a different “spin” on your life, making yourself happier perhaps?

What is it you’re always seeking but not getting? What’s the problem? Why aren’t you “succeeding” (assuming you consider that a success)?

Now step outside yourself and your problem and turn it upside down and all around. How can you look at it differently? Can you choose to see it as beautiful instead of ugly?

Can you decide to be happy no matter what is all around you? Remember that happiness is a choice. Can you put on your “glasses” and see everything with those new eyes.

You have the ability and the power to do this. The question is “will you do it?”

Daily Gratitude: Go ahead and pat yourself on the back for all you’ve achieved- even if there’s no award for that particular thing.

I pat myself on the back every time I pick up the phone without taking hours, days or weeks, to decide to do so. I congratulate myself when I go somewhere and don’t have all the horrible anxiety I used to have.

These are tiny things to the world but they they are major accomplishments to me. And who cares about the rest of the world when you’re trying to feel good.

Most people don’t know what you struggle with and you probably don’t want to tell them what it is. That’s ok as long as you recognize it yourself and can stand up proud when you overcome it even if for just a short moment.

Make a success journal or jar and put down everything (and I mean everything) that you feel good about. Why? So you can refer back to these successes whenever you’re feeling down or as if you’ve failed at something. We all need reminders.

Stand up tall! Stick out your chest and yell (even if it’s only in your mind) “I DID IT”. Then smile as if it’s your biggest secret ever. And it will be. But at least you’re smiling!

I allow myself to adapt to change

Daily Gratitude: Here’s another affirmation for you.

First ask yourself how you adapt to change. Or maybe first is do you adapt or do you resist to the end?

You have to know how you react or respond before you can hope to change that. The goal here is to minimize your resistance to change since that only increases anxiety and prolongs your becoming “ok” with the change (ideally you’ll become comfortable).

Saying these affirmations helps rewire the neural circuits in your brain. But as with all affirmations, you need to accompany them with action.

So ask yourself what small action you can take that will reinforce your affirmation. Perhaps it’s just taking time to imagine what good things could possibly come from this change. That may seem difficult but if you make it a game and divest yourself from the results and just do it for fun, it might be easier. Go for outrageous ideas, ideas that make you laugh because you know that won’t happen. When you go in with that attitude, anything else might be acceptable.

They’re doing some sort of construction on the trail I walk on. I don’t like it. But I have no control over that (they never asked me darn it). So to follow my own advice, I’ve imagined them finding major archaeological findings as they dig. Big bones, dinosaur skeletons. That made me laugh.

It works. Try it.