The right side of the bed...always.

We all have to make choices every day. And we get to make choices very day. One choice that a lot of people don't realize they own is their own mood, or attitude. I believe to be true, because i do it all the time, that a person can take a minute, when in the throws of anger, depression, or any undesirable emotion, and redefine the next few minutes, hours, even days.

All you have to do is get alone, take a few deep breaths define the emotion you are feeling; give it a name ( ie; I'm feeling very angry right) . The very act of naming it defuses it to a certain extent. Then imagine yourself in the outcome you would like to be in or would have liked to have been in.

Take yourself all the way to the end of the scenario, then play it backwards in your mind. For example: as a salesperson I may have just been rejected for a sale and I'm feeling disappointed and sad. Now I get in my car, take 2 deep breaths, close my eyes and say "that hurt, I'm feeling sad about the way that guy treated me. Now I replay the scene in my mind the way I wanted it to turn out, starting with the end in mind. I visualize myself walking out of the house with a contract in my hand. Now I see myself smiling and shaking hands with the person, then I here him saying "yes" and "I agree". I feel the emotion of satisfaction and happiness and joy just as if it really just happened. This all takes place in about 60 to 90 seconds. When I open my eyes I actually feel happy and satisfied.

This is something that you can also do prior to any situation that you know you will face. For example. I literally play out the desired outcome of a sale prior to the appointment. Amazingly, more times than not, outcome turns out very much like what I imagined in the first place. This way, when I walk into the meeting, I'm already feeling the joy and happiness of closing the sale. The customer doesn't know why I'm happy, but my mood rubs off on them and we end up becoming friend through the experience.

I challenge you to give it a try next time you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or "someone" put you In a bad mood. It may not be easy the first time. But the old adage practice makes perfect applies here. And it does get easier and quicker with practice. Let me know how it works for you.