Success. If you’re like me, you can’t get enough of it. And you’ve probably spent way too much time – and possibly money – searching for it. In books and videos. You dress for it. You chase it. You fake it ‘til you make it. You travel far and wide!  

But let me ask you this: Do you feel successful? Truly, fully, mind-contentedly successful?  

Of course you don’t. If you did, you wouldn’t be here. And let’s face it, if it was really that easy – if everyone was doing it – you wouldn’t need me. No one would. And while that would mess with my business plan, it’d also make this world such a better place. But I digress…  

So are all of those methods and products and shortcuts and paths just a bunch of hooey? Are you being bamboozled and scammed? And taken and flimflammed?  

The short answer, believe it or not, is… 

NO.

None of these success-minded offerings are wrong. But all of them in and of themselves can be incomplete. Every single one of them. Especially the fancy ones!  

Success isn’t a destination. It doesn’t come in a box. It’s not something you can buy or barter. No one can tell you exactly how to get it because…and here’s the simple truth that no one ever wants to tell you…success is already a part of who you are. It’s been inside of you all along.  

Here’s the part where I offer up the caveat: Only you can find your unique path to success.  

And here’s where I give you hope: By simply doing a few ridiculously easy things every day, you can absolutely be more successful.  

And now for the part that seems to trip most of us up: There is no try…you must actually DO! 

So are you ready to do? Are you ready to unleash the success you so desire? Well look no further, Dorothy, you’ve always had the power my dear… you don’t need to leave Kansas because I’m going to tell you the 3 not-so-fancy habits for success that have been within you all along!  

Mentioned in this Episode:

• #127: Beyond Thankfulness: 4 Things You Need to Be Grateful For If You Want to Grow 
• #128: 3 Ways to Celebrate Yourself on Your Birthday 

My guess is that you are extremely important. There are probably dozens, hundreds, even thousands of people holding their collective breath and waiting on your every move. You are the glue that holds everything together in your world.  

It’s exhausting. It’s overwhelming. You are constantly doing at least 10 things at once at any given time. And if you stop – if you even dare to take the tiniest of breaks – the universe as we know it would immediately unravel and cease to exist.  

And how could you ever live with yourself after that?  

Now is the time when someone shakes you, you open your eyes and rejoin the rest of us…here in what I like to call reality.  

Don’t get me wrong; I am not judging you. I’m the last person to do so. In fact, would you like to know a little secret? I used to be just like you. And if I’m honest, I still find that I can slip back into those patterns of belief and behavior.  

But it doesn’t have to be this way… 

What if I told you that you have the power to release yourself from this no-win rollercoaster ride? And what if it were surprisingly easy? Would you jump at the chance?  

Furthermore, what if instead of having to do some more things to get there – instead of holding tighter to what you have – the key to an easier, less stressful, less over-extended, less busy, less daring, happier and far more fulfilling life turned out to be quite the opposite?  

Buckle up… 

Wait. Scratch that. Back that thing up and unbuckle, Buttercup. Sit back, take a deep cleansing breath and listen now as I reveal the 6 Things You Need to Let Go of This Year. That’s right, less really can be more. And you deserve it!  

Mentioned in this Episode:

• #132: Don’t Let Auld Lang Syne Trigger Your Ol’ Anxiety 
• #133: Embracing the Letdown 

Last year was a rollercoaster ride for nearly everyone I know. Lots of changes and losses and upheaval. Some sweet moments, of course. But in so many ways, it seemed like one of the most tumultuous years ever. At least in my lifetime.  

So how about you? What are the things that happened in 2017 that you can’t wait to leave far behind you? What did you lose? What went wrong? Where would you love to press the reset button? And what would you change if you could?  

I know a lot of people don’t like to dwell on the negative. In fact, I’ll jump in and say that I’m definitely one of them. But there’s a huge difference between dwelling and processing. Between sweeping stuff under the rug and taking the time to sort through it and deal with it accordingly.  

It’s okay to think about these things. In fact, it’s necessary to reflect. It’s part of grieving. It’s part of growing. It’s how you begin to design a new blueprint for a new chapter. And it’s probably the healthiest way I know to ring in a new year.  

When you move on too quickly, you often miss the important lessons that life is desperately trying to teach you. And if you don’t learn them, you’re probably going to repeat the same patterns and behaviors again. In fact, you may just destine yourself to relive the same mistakes and tragedies over and over.  

How ridiculous is that? Especially when there’s a very simple way to avoid it.  

I’m in the same boat. 2017 was a challenge for me to say the least. And I found myself groundhog-daying some pretty pervasive themes that I’ve been grappling with most of my life. I’m soooo ready to get 2018 started. Good riddance, 2017. Sayōnara. Buh-bye!!!  

But wait. Before I throw the 2017 baby out with the bath water, I bet there are some good lessons in there somewhere.  

So sit back and let me share my top 3 lessons From a kind of Crappy Year!

Mentioned in this Episode:

• #133: Embracing the Letdown 

We’re barely into the new year and you’ve already used, lost, grown tired of, or broken all of your favorite holiday toys. The leftovers are gone. Or worse…you’re still wearing them under your “fat” pants. The next decent excuse for a merry celebration is months away and those resolutions are feeling impossible to keep.  

Any of this ringing any bells? Chances are you’ve had this feeling before. And not just after the holiday season. My guess is it’s happened to you repeatedly. Anytime you build up expectations. Anytime something extraordinary inevitably ends…or becomes just plain ordinary.  

It’s almost as if this huge, deflating beast is waiting in the wings to ruin anything really good in your life. Poised to fill you with boredom, apathy, and displeasure. Whispering in your ear as soon as the fun begins, “Is that all there is?”  

Well, Buttercup, that something may be super stealthy and illusive. But it has a name. I call it: The Letdown.  

That’s right, The Letdown. Be honest, you’re not strangers. We’ve all been there. And while it can strike at any time things are going your way even for a nanosecond, The Letdown thrives on ceremony and Kodak moments. The Letdown feasts on the holiday season just as much as you do. Only YOU are it’s Christmas dinner; your joy and cheer its brightly wrapped holiday presents. And unlike you, The Letdown knows how to drag its party out way past the end date on the invite.  

Let’s face it: what goes up must come down. It’s basic physics. And you cannot fight that. So you have a decision to make: You can wallow…or you can embrace the letdown.  

If you chose door number two, listen now for 3 Sobering Strategies designed to bring you gently down from your holiday high.  

Mentioned in this Episode: 

Episode #132: Don’t Let Auld Lang Syne Trigger Your Ol’ Anxiety 

It’s here again. That time of year when you’ve run out of…well… 

Year!  

Where did the time go? How did another entire year just slip away in the blink of an eye? And more importantly, how did you not make good on that laundry list of resolutions? Why are you still in that job, that car, that house, those pants? You may ask yourself, my God, what have I done? https://youtu.be/98AJUj-qxHI  

So. Many. Questions. And some regrets. And do I detect a hint of anxiety?  

Let’s face it: New Year’s is a time that often seems literally designed to get you to dwell upon these things! You look back, you assess, maybe you even stress and beat yourself up a little.  

If you’re like me, you’ve spent many a year’s end in the grips of this vicious cycle. Checking old lists. Making new ones. Or, more likely, just manically expanding the ones which already exist. Bargaining and negotiating with imaginary versions of yourself – past, present, and future – and most likely making outlandishly unrealistic promises that you already know full well you couldn’t keep even if you seriously intended to.  

Your heart is racing, your palms are sweating, your breathing is shallow, and there’s no chocolate left anywhere in the house!  

Seriously, knock it off. Don’t let Auld Lang Syne trigger your ol’ anxiety.  

Look, 2018 is right around the corner, ready or not. So you can do this the easy way, or you can make yourself crazy. If you choose crazy, walk away; we’re done here. I wish you much chaos, drama, and turmoil.  

But if you’re ready – really and truly up for the challenge – I have 4 tips that can make this your smoothest New Year’s transition ever. Including 1 that may surprise you.  

So pour yourself a glass of the bubbly of your choice, sit back, and let me walk you through it. 

You’ve got this!  

Last week I talked about how to deal with those rude, obnoxious people you’ve undoubtedly been encountering in spades this holiday season. Bad drivers, selfish shoppers, lazy, incompetent customer service people…and the list goes on.  

We joked a little, tongue in cheek, about 5 ways to handle these Grinchy Grinch Grinches without loosing it completely and hauling off and punching anyone in the face. We can all agree how tempting that sometimes is. And I suspect we can all agree that it’s never a good idea to actually follow through. My hope is that my suggestions snapped you out of that festering frustration and neutralized any lingering visions of a smackdown.  

But what if they didn’t? What if – bear with me here – what if that anger caused your heart to shrink a little? Maybe one, maybe two, possibly even three sizes too small!  

That’s right. What if YOU have become the very Grinch you so dread and despise?  

Here are some simple questions designed to determine if the unthinkable has indeed occurred: 

1. Do you have a case of the bah-humbugs?
2. Feeling the urge to kick an elf?
3. Any desire to knock over a few glittery trees?
4. Does the thought of stealing gingerbread men out of the mouths of cheery little children produce a deep sense of satisfaction?
5. Does this song sound romantic to you? https://youtu.be/tWFaP1tkGgM

If you can answer yes – or even maybe – to one or more of these questions, you may be suffering from a classic case of Grinchitus. Left untreated, you could actually kill Christmas. 

That’s right; I said you could potentially murder the most wonderful time of the year!  

Do I have your attention? Are you ready to nip this thing in the bud and return to your formerly holly jolly self?  

Good. Sit back, hit play, and lighten up, buttercup…’cause I’ma tell you exactly what to do. With not 1, not 2, but 3 surefire tips to grow your heart 3 sizes – back to its original warm and fuzzy Christmasy-ness – STAT!