Finding Inspiration

Some days you’re the fly and some days your the windshield.

I love that quote because it really does a great job highlighting the fact that life is one big roller coaster ride.

There are days when everything seems to go your way. And there are days when everything goes against you.

It’s easy to feel upbeat and inspired when things are going right but it’s very difficult when things are going wrong.

So, when things are going wrong, how do you find inspiration to keep moving forward?

This is really all about maintaining a positive mental outlook on life. When something goes wrong, those with a positive mental outlook are able to grind it out and power through because they believe that right around the corner, things will get better.

So, the real question is:

How do you maintain a positive mental outlook?

This is a habit. It takes daily practice. There are certain daily rituals that you can employ to keep you positive:

• Morning Daily Exercise – No matter how bad your day turns, you can always reflect on the fact that at least you did something good for yourself – you exercised. I use this positivity technique all the time when things are going against me. I say, “well at least I ran four miles today.” And I immediately feel better about myself and my day because at least one thing, one thing I control, went right.
• Help Someone – Doing something that improves the life of another person just makes you feel good about yourself. So, if your day is going badly, do something good for someone else.
• Call an Upbeat Friend – When life is throwing pots and pans at you, take a break and call someone you know who is upbeat and positive. They will invariably say something that will make you feel better.
• Look at Family Pictures – If you’re a parent, this is an easy one. When your day is going badly, pull out some pictures of your children. Think about all you’ve done for them. Focus on the goodness within each child. You will immediately feel better about your day. This is really big picture stuff.  It forces you outside your narrow daily woes and allows you to consider the big picture – that these bad days have a purpose – to help you raise your children.

There are many other ways to find inspiration when things are going wrong. These just happen to be in my tool belt. But you may have other things in your life that make you smile, no matter what wrenches life tosses along your path. Find them and use them.

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