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Soulati-'TUDE!

The Happy Friday Series: Seven Happy Peeps

12/27/2013 By Jayme Soulati

Soulati-thank-you.jpgUsed to be, I’d look out the window and be able to spot my social media BFF in the stream. Today? Not so much…times, they are a-changin’. People come and go, and this The Happy Friday Series has seen so many amazing contributors who have been part of this community since the earliest days. It’s not that friendships are fleeting, it’s just that we know how much of a time suck social media truly is. When there are bills to pay, mouths to feed, and billable gigs at which to work, that means there is less time to stay connected.

This multi-tribute recognizes seven authors in this highly popular and longest-running series. Without each of you helping with your personal stories and shares, there is no way I could have made this series happen. Fact. Where else have you seen a year-long series every Friday without fail about a toughie topic like happiness?

Happy Friday Gratitude

Nowhere. You guys made this happen; I am forever grateful. In no particular order, here is my gratitude for this Friday:

  • Geoff Reiner. Oh where oh where has the little dog gone? Geoff? Your contribution to this series was so heartfelt and showed the work you do to always grow into maturity. Geoff wrote about the science of happiness and do-overs. I still love this post because it shows that Geoff isn’t going through life happenstance; he’s a serious young man on a mission. Come back and see us again, Geoff! Happy New Year!
  • Betsy Cross. Ahhhh; there’s absolutely no one on the interwebz more genuine and generous with her love, blessings, carings, and friendships. She writes the most heartfelt posts on her blog, and she wrote here about being the sun and about serving. If you ever need a dose of authenticity, please stop in to Betsy’s house. About now, she’s snowed in huge and perhaps without electricity (be safe Betsy!), so perhaps you’ll consider waiting for spring?
  • Stan Faryna. Oh, Staneo, Staneo, wherefore art thou? I miss you profusely, Mistah. I have not had the pleasure of hearing your voice on the phone, and I haven’t seen you about these parts in quite some time. We established a strong thing, you know, and I really want to rekindle; stop in, Friend…say hi, let me know you’re well. Miss you mucho. Happiest of the season! Thanks for contributing here with your so-fitting piece.
  •  Brian Meeks. When Kaarina Dillabough and I decided to blogjack Brian’s lonely blog one day it was the start of a firestorm. Brian, who goes by @ExtremelyAverage (I have never liked that negative, but there’s a story about it that pertains strictly to him), was a budding author back in the day, and now he’s quite famous. He timed a series of guest posts and interviews on a number of blogs, including this Happy Friday Series so he could launch his first book, Henry Wood Detective Agency Series https://soulati.com/the-happy-friday-series-five-seconds-and-happy. Brian is one analytics guru; I’ve never met anyone who knows his book sales to the minute. I need a bit of his sauce to give a care about mine! Thanks for writing, Brian!
  •  Nancy Jean. Although we’ve never had the privilege of speaking, Nancy pops up in the stream to tell me she’s paying attention (when I least expect it and what a lovely surprise!). She jumped in to write, and her piece is so personal and therapeutic; I applaud her for sharing the work she does to create and sustain happiness. As a communications professional, she is one of the most private personally. We spend our lives promoting others, and that means we don’t want or wish the spotlight. Get further acquainted with Nancy here.
  • Brad Lovett.  Of all the gems on this page, I’ve had the privilege of meeting Brad not once, but THREE times IRL at Social Slam in Knoxville! How’s that for the odds? Brad was a Dayton, Ohio resident (gahh, we never met here); yet, I had to drive five hours annually just to say hi to Brad in person. If you don’t know Brad, he’s a trivia treasure. I cajoled him to write here because I knew it would be a tribute to a walk down memory lane in the days of radio. Heck, he just posted something on Facebook about Larry Lujak on WLS in Chicago when I was there, and I went crazy! Hey, Brad…why don’t you resurrect Social Slam?
  •  Sharon Gilmour-Glover. I have had the privilege of getting further acquainted with Sharon in the last several months of this year. There’s absolutely NO ONE on this Earth more committed to our planet, to curing the heart of a company, and for nurturing businesses one person by one person. She’s brilliant, and in tandem with her husband and business partner, Tim Glover, the two are formidable. She is co-owner of Jump-Point and is the voice and trainer in the amazing online business course, Clarity For The Boss. Sharon knows that happiness drives success; read her piece and see if that’s so. Thanks, Sharon, for your contribution! Here’s to awesome 2014!

With that? Indeed…here’s to an awescious  and #RockHot 2014!

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Filed Under: Happy Friday Series Tagged With: Brad Lovett, Brian Meeks, Geoff Reiner, Happy Friday Series, Henry Wood Detective Agency, Nancy Cawley Jean, Sharon Gilmour-Glover, Social Media

The Happy Friday Series: Let Go Of Sad

04/12/2013 By Jayme Soulati

sad.jpgWhat really intrigued me about Jayme’s invitation to write for her Happy Friday series is that for the past couple years I have been on a mission to be more positive. So the first thing I did was scour this wonderful little Happy Friday series she has going and I LOVE it.

One of my favorites was the science of happiness and do-overs by Geoff Reiner. Geoff is in the midst of re-training his brain to be happy, and that’s exactly what I did, but not quite so deliberately and scientifically.

In my mind there are some folks who always have that “glass half full” attitude. I am not one of those people, but I’ve secretly envied them. It took me many, many years to recognize that I come from a family who just seems to see things negatively. There’s always something to worry about, there’s a dark side to everything. Having grown up in that atmosphere, it just seems normal and natural. But when someone points it out to you, then you stop and think.

I thank my husband for being the one to really point this out to me. I honestly didn’t realize how negative my attitude and my outlook could be. I would see faults in people often before I saw positive traits. I’d recognize the down side of a situation without seeing the benefits. For the most part, I was NOT a happy person, even if I seemed it outwardly.

So two years ago, I decided to change that. I bought a journal called “Gratitude” that helped on this journey. Each day had little tips or tricks or positive sayings, or little assignments for the owner to do. For instance, one of the daily assignments was to “find three things that went right in your day and figure out why they went right.”

And so I kept my journal, and made a conscious effort to find and be grateful for little things. I had to teach myself to recognize the positives each day, and even help others see the brighter side of things. Through this, I’ve discovered that sometimes you have to really look for things to be thankful for, but when you do, they’re always there. It also helped me come to a conclusion: happiness doesn’t just happen; it’s something you must choose, and something you have to work at.

And now? I’m SO much happier. I am not saying that every day is a joy, but there are definitely days that would have been much darker if I hadn’t adopted this new approach. It’s still a challenge because it doesn’t come naturally for me. I know I have to make a conscious effort to not dwell on the down side of things and remind myself that it’s important to see the positives in a situation.

If something goes wrong with our house, I now think of how much worse it could have been, and how lucky we are to be able to have this home. Now, when I’m talking to my mother and she’s focusing on the negative, I try to steer her in a more positive direction, rather than wallowing in the negative with her. When my company was having a difficult financial year and said “no raises,” I was thankful I still had a job. When I had a medical issue arise last year, I thought of how much worse it could have been and how lucky I am to have the good health I enjoy.

Through this whole experience, I’ve realized that it’s not how you’re born and raised and it’s not about luck. It’s all in how you look at things and about training your brain to choose the positive, count your blessings, recognize there are things to be grateful for, and find  happiness in your everyday life. Because let’s face it… life is way too short to be unhappy.

So, how full is your glass?

About the author

Nancy Jean is a communications and media relations professional now specializing in social media for healthcare. She is currently with the Lifespan health system in Rhode Island, managing social media for five hospitals and a women’s health practice. A lifelong Rhode Islander, she is a mom to two rescue dogs and a diehard Red Sox fan who loves reading, writing, music and the beach. Follow her @NancyCawleyJean.

 

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Filed Under: Happy Friday Series Tagged With: Geoff Reiner, happiness, Happy Friday, Positive psychology, Rhode Island, Social Media

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