#ANTS #AutomaticNegativeThoughts #Youarewhatyouthinkabout
If you Google the acronym ANTS, you may not see material about insects.
You may see something about Automatic Negative Thoughts.
To dig deeper into that, when you wake in the morning, do you automatically think about what bad things might happen today? Or, do you automatically think about all you have to do during the day, and dread it?
The opposite of that, of course, is to wake thinking about how GREAT the day is going to be, how many worthwhile things you will get done during the day and how you will celebrate those worthwhile accomplishments at the end of the day.
Earl Nightengale’s book, “The Strangest Secret,” says, to paraphrase, you are what you think about. To expand on that, you BECOME what you think about.
Certainly, you can think good thoughts, or thoughts of success, every day. And, not every day sees those successes you thought about.
The point of the ANTS message is to presume what you will do each day WILL be a success. And, if you don’t achieve what you were thinking, to use the failure as a learning experience. Ask yourself: “Was it something I said?” “Was it something I did?” Was it something I didn’t say, or didn’t do?”
Chances are, when you don’t succeed, it will be a combination of thoughts AND actions (or inactions).
ANTS, the thoughts, are like ants, the insects. They can overwhelm you. When they do, you have to get rid of them.
How? In the case of the thoughts, you have to teach yourself NOT to think that way. That starts with always looking first at what is good in your life. Focus on that to start. Then, as you compile tasks for accomplishment, think that you will do all you can to accomplish them successfully, no matter how small.
Envision success on the other end. Soon, those ANTS will become APTS – automatic positive thoughts.
Let’s say you are at a place in life that you seek to rise out of. Your job is not what you want to do the rest of your life. Or, your job has become – or will become – unstable. You wait for the day you walk into work and hear that you no longer have a job.
If you are indeed ambitious and see yourself as a success, and feel you need a different vehicle or route to get you there, know that there are many programs out there that can show you the way out and provide the mode of transportation.
You don’t need specific education, experience or background. You do need a willingness to look at something you may have never thought you would do. Plus, you need a willingness to be coached.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
Meanwhile, stomp out the ANTS from your mind, by creating APTS. Wake up with the intention and presumption of success. Then, do what you need to do to make it happen.
ANTS can indeed be pests. It is up to you to exterminate them.
Peter
Monthly Archives: June 2021
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX: IS IT ALLOWED?
#Thinkoutsidethebox #Breakingdownbarriers #breakingdownwalls #humanresources
Think outside the box.
Many have gone to job-related meetings and seminars in which they were encouraged to think outside the box.
Others have gone through job interviews in which the interviewer may have said something like: I’m looking for a candidate that’s going to break through that wall and show me he or she is transformational.
These rather bold concepts have been normalized in the human resources/ employment world.
But here’s the rub: After being motivated to think outside of boxes and break down walls, one may go back to his or her job and actually be DISCOURAGED from doing those things. Perhaps, he or she would even be PROHIBITED from doing those things.
You see, employers have boxes and walls for a reason – to keep employees in line and to pigeon-hole employees into categories. After all, there are products to be made, quotas to be met, operations to preserve and, of course, executives to be protected.
Very few employers want a whole staff of out-of-the-box thinkers and wall breakers.
In fairness, this does not describe EVERY employer. There are some companies that not only encourage, but also reward, such rebels. These are the companies usually voted among the best places to work among employees.
But, as we all know, not everyone can work for such a company. In fact, not every company can become such a company because, in certain industries, certain rules have to be followed. Certain ways of doing things have proved to be optimal over time, in some industries.
So, where does that leave the out-of-the-box thinker and wall breaker who happens to work in one of these confining industries?
There is good news here. There are several programs out there through which, by devoting a couple, non-work hours a week to start, can allow you to earn extra income without being confined, pigeon-holed or otherwise trapped. Full disclosure: some of these programs have routines and systems to follow that have proved successful for many others doing the same thing.
But, you have to think outside the box to check them out. To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
Certainly, the boxes at work of which you need to think outside are made of steel – welded shut. They are tough to escape. If being in such a box is treating you well, by all means stay in it.
If it is not, then you may have to look at other ways out.
At the same time, if you work for a company that values and rewards outside thinking and wall-breaking, take full advantage of that.
What you do may not necessarily be your entire self, but it may be part of you.
What you do may not satisfy all your needs and wants, but it may be a step toward getting what you need and want.
What you do may not be a part of your dreams, but it can give you a jumping-off point that will get you toward your dreams.
In summary, thinking outside the box and breaking down walls may not be part of your JOB – but it may be part of you. It may be time to find an outlet that will allow more of you to shine and get you closer to the kind of life you envision.
Peter
SUBURBAN LIFE IS CHANGING
#suburbia #suburbanliving #changingsuburbs #competition #sameness
We think of suburbia as a place where people compete with one another to see who can have the most gadgets and other stuff.
“Mothers complain about how hard life is, and the kids just don’t understand,” to quote a lyric from “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, and recorded by The Monkees decades ago.
The song is an anthem about the sameness, competitiveness etc. of suburbia.
The suburban lifestyle is something to which parents wanted their children to aspire.
Suburbia represented contentment. It represented achievement. It represented security.
But, not long after The Monkees released that song, things began to change. The kids who grew up in suburbia were now having trouble affording to stay there. Housing prices went through the roof.
Now, suburbia is becoming as much of a melting pot of diversity as the cities from which they spring.
More to the point, let’s look at why the suburban lifestyle became a goal.
We mentioned contentment and security. Do current suburban residents feel content and secure? Chances are, if they are smart, they know that they are one reorganization, or one bad manager, away from a lost job, or even a dead career.
What does that do to contentment and security? It makes both less so.
A lost job could mean, ultimately, a lost house. A lost house could lead to a lost lifestyle.
Furthermore, do you really want your children to aspire to a life of sameness and competitiveness with neighbors? Or, do you want them to explore dreams, learn what and who else is out there, make new friends and explore the world?
Yes, the end of World War II sparked the growth of suburbs. The GI bill allowed those who came home from war to easily buy, or build, new homes in places yet to be developed.
That led to the age of the automobile, and the growth of GM, Chrysler and Ford.
Today’s younger folks may aspire less to sameness and more to diversity. They may not dream of a life of contentment, and security. Their definition of achievement may be different from that of their parents.
That begs the question: do you aspire to the sameness and competiveness of suburbia? Are you certain that the path toward that lifestyle will be smooth for as long as you travel it?
If you have doubts, or are looking for the “change of scenery” that the Monkees’ song talks about, there are many programs out there that can help you achieve whatever you are looking for.
They can help you regardless of your education, experience or background. They can help you out of the sameness your parents may have wanted for you.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
In summary, the suburbs are changing. Some still insist on a degree of sameness, with homeowners associations etc. But just because the houses look similar doesn’t mean the people have to be similar. Your neighbor may have a completely different set of goals and objectives from yours.
But that’s OK. It’s also OK to pursue whatever makes you happy, regardless of what your elders may have wanted for you.
Contentment and sameness may not be your goals, or those of your neighbors.
Peter
PANDEMIC PROMPTS CAREER SHIFTS, BUT COMPETITION FIERCE
#careerchanges #coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #employment #jobs
Erica Hanley was a business development representative for a travel company.
She was laid off when the pandemic hit.
A year later, Hanley, 37, gainfully employed in a new career – mortgage data processor for a local bank.
She was trained for the job through Rhode Island’s Back to Work program, a public-private partnership that was launched during the pandemic to help out-of-work residents learn new skills to find jobs in other industries.
Hanley’s story, and the program in Rhode Island, was told in an article by Andrea Noble, who writes for Route Fifty, a digital news publication that connects people and ideas advancing state, county and municipal governments. It was published May 31, 2021, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Lots of folks, undoubtedly, can see themselves in Hanley’s shoes. Though many employers are gearing back up after the pandemic shutdowns, and are desperately looking for workers, many workers have had to change course in mid-career.
It’s not easy. It’s probably not fun. Plus, not every state offers what Rhode Island does to help workers through the process.
The coronavirus outbreak has prompted other companies to re-evaluate what they do, and how they do it.
The work-from-home experiment was difficult for some, but very convenient for others. As companies saw little to no change in productivity among some employees working from home, many are now rethinking how much office space they actually need.
Will we see a glut of empty office buildings, or, at least, a decline in the number of new ones being built? Time will tell. It may suggest that the commercial real estate business may not be a preferred career for those who have had to change careers.
So, how has the pandemic affected you? Has it put you in dire financial straits? Has it made you re-evaluate your life and lifestyle? Has it forced you to prioritize differently?
And, here’s a big question: If you were laid off temporarily, and your employer wants you back, will you go back? Is that job, or workplace, really worth going back to?
If the answer is yes, great. Go back. There’s a very good chance your old boss not only will welcome you, but also, perhaps, treat you a little better.
If the answer is no, and you don’t know where next to turn, there are many programs out there that allow you to earn money — potentially a lot more than you made at your old job. The work can be done regardless of any pandemic, albeit a bit differently. And, you can base yourself from home.
There is no specific education, experience or background required. You just need an open mind, and be willing to be coached.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
The pandemic has created a new normal for employers and employees. Some could benefit greatly by the change. Others, not so much.
So, it’s important to have an attitude that YOU are going to succeed no matter what changes are made. If the changes don’t suit you, find the changes that do.
Remember, too, that as good as the Rhode Island program looks on paper, retraining has its pitfalls. You could work hard to learn a new job, only to have it go away as your old one may have. Then, you have to be retrained yet again and face the same peril.
Do what’s right for you. Plan on change. Then, plan to find where you fit in that change and prosper.
Peter