How You Can Let Go to Move Forward by Simon T. Bailey

The beginning of the year is a prime time to take inventory of what is working and what is not working in your life. Letting go of what is not working (and some of what IS working!) positions you to start 2018 in a place of growth and forward momentum.

But letting go is hard. Where should you start?

1. Recognize the signs. I encourage you to read a book by Dr. Henry Cloud titled Necessary Endings. If you don’t have time to read it, grab the audiobook and listen to it in the car. Dr. Cloud introduces the idea of pruning back to grow forward. There are countless examples and anecdotal stories illustrating what it looks like and feels like to let go in your life and in your career.

2. Make a plan. Take a good hard look in the mirror. Odds are, you already know deep down inside what you need to let go of. Toxic relationships, a stale role you’ve been in at work, habits, employees…there are any number of things we hang onto out of fear, comfort, or uncertainty. Identify what’s contributing to you getting in your own way.

3. Set up support. Letting go can be tough. It may mean separating ourselves from people, things, or situations that are no longer serving us but that we are emotionally attached to. Decide how you will move yourself through this process. Will you journal, lean into a good friendship, plan more time for self-care, or see a therapist?

You may not be ready to let go right here, right now. Even if it takes you a year to move through these steps, do not let what you need to let go of prevent you from growing forward into what you could be.

The original post appeared here on Simon T. Bailey’s website and has been slightly modified for republication. For more inspiration from the author, pick up a copy of his books Shift Your Brilliance: Harnessing the Power of You, Inc. and Brilliant Living: 31 Insights to Creating an Awesome Life.

The Power of a YES! Attitude by Jennifer Janechek

There is no shortage of articles about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. That’s because we know how much it benefits our work life and our home life, our emotional health and our physical health. The new edition of Jeffrey Gitomer’s popular Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude shows us how we can take positivity to the next level by cultivating what he calls a YES! AttitudeTM.

What is a YES! Attitude, and how does it differ from a positive attitude? According to Gitomer, a YES! Attitude:

assumes that everything you say and do will start with “YES!” even when it’s “No.” …A YES! Attitude is more declarative. It tells people—in a word—that their expectation will be met and that your answer to whatever they want or need will be “YES!” or in a positive format.

Gitomer explains how YES! is not just a response; it is a state of mind. And what makes it even more transformative than a positive attitude is that it gives you a concrete visualization of success. As Gitomer writes, “YES! is an experience you’ve had many times.” In other words, you know what it’s like to win at something, to enjoy the feeling of having achieved something important to you. When you recall these moments and apply the certainty of success you had then to your future endeavors, you are more likely to actualize your dreams.

So how might you bring a YES! Attitude into your life today?

1. Use self-discipline to train yourself to think with a YES! Attitude. Spend time every day reading personal development books that encourage positive thinking. Sound Wisdom regularly publishes books that will help you revolutionize your thinking and your way of being in the world so that you can write your own success story. See http://www.soundwisdom.com/publications for a complete list of titles.
2. Keep a daily journal that tracks your progress on your goals, allows you to reflect on your successes, and provides space for positive self-talk and the expression of gratitude.
3. Surround yourself with positive people as much as possible. Negative energy can greatly detract from your ability to maintain a YES! Attitude.
4. Smile and take pride in your personal appearance, in your work, and in every other aspect of your life. If you feel better on the outside, you’ll start to feel better on the inside. A YES! Attitude comes from the inside, but sometimes it takes positive external changes to motivate us to make the necessary internal changes.
5. Champion other people. Being kind, operating with an attitude of thankfulness, and saying good things about other people will make others feel better about themselves, which will make you feel better about yourself.

For more advice on how to develop a YES! Attitude, check out the new edition (updated and revised) of Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, available on Amazon and other major retailers in January 2018, and visit www.gitomer.com.