SELF-APPLAUDING: LOVE WHERE YOU ARE TODAY

By Eliana Barriga
Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer

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Eliana Barriga

Last month, I decided to ditch the resolutions, stop reading the “find out what’s wrong with my business” and “fix my life” articles and started to read ones that were more inspirational and self-applauding. What do I mean by self-applauding? Well, exactly that. Patting myself on the back for all of my accomplishments and lessons learned up to this point. And focusing in on what I want to happen today rather than what’s wrong with today. And I have to tell you, it’s a wonderful way to start the year and live out your day-to-day life.

Are you ready to kick-off that angel/devil dance we’ve all been doing for years and start looking in the mirror each morning proclaiming (and believing) that, “Everything is just fine the way it is right now.”

You may think that not focusing on your to-do lists and what’s wrong or missing in your life is just blind faith and not how things get done. When actually the opposite is true! You will get more done by turning off your Mr. Fix-It or what social scientists call the reactive brain. That’s because when we are in reactive mode, we are slowed down by anxiousness, stress and fear. When we are working from our creative brain, our ideas and solutions flow easily so we work more deliberately, making us more productive.

Of course, I still have a plan so that there is a clear picture of what direction I’m headed in. I’m just working on not being led by the stress of what’s not getting done or needs to get done. Instead I’m fueled by the motivation that if I stick to the plan and take just one step towards my goals each day, eventually it will all get done. And I won’t be dragging myself across the finish line either, I will be smiling and walking upright, waving to the crowd, and self-applauding.

Keep your eye on the goal! 

Eliana Barriga 
eliana@retailobserver.com

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