A Smile a Day Keeps the Frustration Away

“People are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

—     Abraham Lincoln

There are many things you can’t control in your daily life. The freeway traffic, the national economy or whether a winter storm delays the receipt of that new printer you’ve been waiting for— the list is pretty extensive.

One thing you can control is how you respond to these challenges. 

Start the day out right. The first events in any given day will often set the tone for the rest of it, so make sure those moments are great. Create a morning routine and fill it with things that boost your confidence, soothe your nerves and put you in a good mood.

Have solutions when pointing out problems. Rather than complaining when things don’t go your way, work on finding a way to fix them. It gives you a sense of order and lets you use your mental energies on a positive solution rather spending them wallowing in negative frustration.

Get rid of ‘If.’ Conditional happiness is often an open doorway to disappointment. So instead of thinking “I’ll be happy ‘If’ I can sign this client”, try to focus on just being happy first. You’ll be surprised how often a positive attitude allows the other things to fall into place.

Talent and hard work are critical ingredients to success, but attitude does matter. In fact it can be the key ingredient. So start the day with a smile and see where it leads you.