Life With Happiness

Down Time is Productive Time

jsmith — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:09:51 +0000

Have you ever watched an auto race? Cars race around the track and race around the track at high speeds, and occasionally pull into the Pit where their Pit Crew come screaming into action. The car is jacked up on hydraulic lifts and instantly the crew swarm the car like ants on a sugar cookie. [...]

John Gottman on Relationships

jsmith — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:00:57 +0000

Studies in the workplace have concluded that the best leaders hit or exceed what’s considered the ideal balance of positive interactions to negative ones. Well, guess what? It’s not just about the workplace! In this less-than-90-second video, John Gottman shares what he knows from two decades of studying personal relationships. (John is the guy who who’s [...]

You Can’t Change Other People

jsmith — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:52:58 +0000

“You can’t change other people. You can only change how you respond to them.” I first heard this life lesson from a mentor when I was a newly minted supervisor 30 years ago. At the time I was struggling with how to manage several very difficult personalities on my team. What I learned [...]

Say Cheese: 15 Fascinating Facts About Smiling

jsmith — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:48:01 +0000

Ken recently contacted me to share an article he thought my Happiness audience would also enjoy — on Smiles. Of course! Ken’s audience is nurses (www.nursingschools.net), so he’s really grounded his research in the medical world — proving that smiles are GOOD FOR YOU! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Everyone loves the quote “laughter is the best medicine,” and as a [...]

Assertiveness: You Can Do This!

jsmith — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:11:24 +0000

Any emotion that you WANT to experience more can become more natural if you play the role, or practice it, more often. Let’s look at assertiveness. In assertiveness, you are able to stand up for yourself or your position from a place of confidence. When you practice assertiveness, you are more likely to get your own [...]

Put the 13 Happiness Principles into Action

jsmith — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:42:46 +0000

For the past 32 years I’ve been married to an amazing woman who has partnered with me in raising a great family, but who pretty much left me alone when it came to running my coaching and consulting business (except for balancing the books!). A few years ago, however, she started to pay more attention [...]

No Excuses

jsmith — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:46:29 +0000

I’ve been whining to my marketing mastermind group about how I can’t find the time to get all my assignments completed. I’m not the only one. And then Thomas sent us all a link to this video. OK, that’s a WHOLE different perspective. If you SAY it’s important, don’t make excuses.

Is Your Open Door Policy Killing You?

jsmith — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:28:44 +0000

A common concern I hear from my executive clients is that they have great difficulty with strategy time. The issue usually presents itself like this: “I can’t find the time to think when I’m constantly being interrupted.” OK, why are you constantly being interrupted? The response is usually a form of, “we have an Open [...]

Create Space for Happiness: Just Say No

jsmith — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:22:45 +0000

I just finished the most overwhelming month I’ve encountered in a LONG time. I had a major client project coming to a close (with tons of final meetings), an enormous amount of work for a training program I’m enrolled in myself, a peak of client work, and several out of town trips for work… PLUS a [...]

Life Lessons from a Coffee Cup

jsmith — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:33:19 +0000

When I bought a cup at the airport coffee shop, I expected warm caffeine. What I got was a list of life tips written on the cup. It made me smile, and thought I’d share: Thank a Teacher. Listen 1st, talk 2nd Learn to dance a jig Start right now Continue a conversation OFFline Take all your vacation days Dance to your [...]