doug smith training

  There are good times and there are bad times. You've had both. What if your best time is still ahead? Your happiest time is always still available.  It's something to look forward to, and something to create. -- doug smith

Mirror, mirror on the wall Who's the happiest of them all? Could that be you? Could you be the happiest you could possibly be? There are circumstances beyond our control and events we'd never endorse but happiness is largely a by-product of your point of view. Don't believe it? Try it. Predict your own happiness if only for today.  Predicting happiness can be self-fulfilling. Suddenly there you are. Happy. -- doug smith

Moods are contagious. Leaders touch so many people -- in person and virtually -- that our moods spread far and wide. What kind of mood do you want to increase? What if we worked more at sharing happiness? Tell people the news that uplifts them about how their performance makes customers happy. Share recognition for that big project that you just finished. Smile as we greet our team members and our customers and our peers.  Sharing happiness increases it. Isn't that a great idea? -- doug smith

On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you? If you're south of 6 you've got some real work to do. If you're north of 7 you're doing great -- keep going in that direction. Now ask yourself this: on a scale of 1 to 10 how are you doing with your personal goals? Goals aren't enough alone to make you happy, but they sure do make it easier. When you can find a way to match them up. that's very happy indeed. -- doug smith

 There is more power in your smile than in anyone else's frown. -- doug smith

  What if your first goal is happiness? At first, that sounds a bit selfish. "But what about others?" some voice inside me says. That could exactly be the point. But what about others?  What if the source of our true happiness comes from helping others? What if by serving, we serve ourselves? By helping bring about more happiness we enjoy the overflow. Maybe your first goal IS happiness -- and that happiness comes from helping. -- doug smith

Are you happy? As tough as times can get, are you happy within those times? We don't ask for the times we are given, we are given the choice of how to respond. How are you responding? Are you doing the work that matters, that matters to others as well as to you?  Something that I've learned from working over forty years is that the work that I do always (yes, always) has opportunity for joy. I didn't grow up to be a basketball star, or a rock star, or a movie star. But, I've been blessed to have been given meaningful work that makes a difference for other people. What I've learned is that when my work serves others, it serves me best.  That makes me happy.  What if what makes you happy is what makes other people happy, too?  Do that. -- doug smith

Something someone said in one of my workshops keeps popping back and I'm glad that it does. We were talking about dealing with difficult people, with difficult situations, with difficult times, and he said he approaches everyone from the same hopeful stance of "unconditional positive regard." It's not something anyone has to earn. It's not something anyone can push away. It's a calm, focused, giving, loving way to look at those around us. Who around us? Everyone. I have failed at this many times, even since hearing the words of "unconditional positive regard" and yet I do not surrender to the negative that creeps in when I'm off my game. Like a gentle redirection, like a soft return to the breath, I can think "unconditional positive regard." Today is a great day to create a great day! -- doug smith

Improve and move in the direction of happiness. -- doug smith We have the choice of so many directions. Decisions confront us everyday. Reactions tempt us into emotions we can barely control. Name an emotion, I've chosen it, and probably so have you. Why not choose a better direction? Why not step toward what works? Why not move in the direction of happiness. It may take work. It will certainly take practice. But we can do it. You can do it. Improve and move in the direction of happiness. Isn't that where you want to be? -- doug smith