Sometimes in your business or personal life, nothing seems to be working for you. You get upset, frustrated, angry, or confused. Nothing you do or say seems to be right. We all have these days and our own ways of trying to deal with these downers. Or at least we should have ways to step back when nothing seems to be working for us.
Over the years I have witnessed many who have had that look of trouble. And sometimes I have looked in the mirror and seen someone with that same look. I think we would all agree that our lives are full of stuff that can lead to these bad days.
So when nothing is working for you, how do you handle it?
Look Inward and Speak to That Person
Looking inward means to literally talk to yourself through the rough time. This involves self-talk directed at refocusing your intention and reminding yourself what you are trying to do. We all know bad days and crises occur in short spans of time and that they will pass. Make your objective to keep yourself aligned during the troubled times and focused on your task. Have positive self-talks. Step back, reorient yourself, and think. It is okay to go away alone if you must. I have known some who would just disappear for a few days. Pick a physical activity or a place you have never been to rid yourself of all the craziness. Talk to yourself. Give yourself positive things to think about. Tomorrow can be better.
Find Ways to Give to Others
As much as any group of people I have ever seen, the loss prevention world is remarkable in giving to charities and causes that help others. That is one powerful positive. A more personal way is to find someone who needs help and give. Dont drown in thoughts about anything other than just lifting someone higher than you. Find ways to give. Make it simple and constant. Make it who you are. I once heard someone say, If you dont like what youre getting, take a look at what youre giving. Try it. One of those bad days for you may turn out to be one of those special days for someone else.
The True Value of a Moment
Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory. Someone other than me made that statement, but it is a way of making yourself feel better. We have all had good things happen to us, done things that make us feel wonderful. Those memories are what we need to focus on. It could be as basic as a long walk with a loved one, with hands held warmly. It could be a get-together with a group of friends, sharing our lives with each otherjoking, laughing, and having a good time. It could be last years Thanksgiving dinner listening to the constant chatter of family or seeing who got the long end of the wishbone. It could be a childhood experience with a loved one that brings back special memories of that day.
I recently had a chance to visit a museum in a very small town in southern Indiana. As I stood there in this converted branch bank, I recalled the time I had a sat with my grandfather watching a high school basketball game on a twelve-inch black-and-white TV. It was a game between a big high school up north and our small high school of 161 students. It was the final game of the state championship. We won! It was such a great story that Hollywood made a movie about the game called Hoosiers. And, yes, there was a star player who made a last-second shot to give Milan (not Hickory) the miracle of high school basketball in Indiana. At the time, I was too young to grasp the significance of the game but witnessed the exuberance of everyone in that small living room watching the game. It makes me feel so good to recall that story and can overcome any bad day. Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory. So true.
A Day of Remembrance
This is the September issue of the magazine. Everyone reading this column can remember the events of 9/11 sixteen years ago. To those 2,977 who lost their lives and their families, lets offer a moment of prayer and silence. We are privileged to live in a great country, not a perfect one. There is much each of us can do to make it better for everyone if we will try to make it a good day.
