1,2,3  Suggestions from Work Happy Now: “Your Attitude and How it Affects Your Career”:

1. Create a Happiness Plan

Every person who cares about his or her life should have a happiness plan. When you are happy, you are less susceptible to heart disease and you’re more creative. That means you need to figure out how to be happier. Yes, it does take a little work, but a simple plan can make a big difference.

If you want to learn more about creating a happiness plan then click the link and you’ll discover how to set up a plan that fits your needs.

The biggest improvement to my career happiness has been keeping a one sentence journal. It helps me assess my career and make adjustments.

You have to figure out what problems you keep running into and how you can improve the way you respond to them. Reflection is a much underused skill. The more you understand how to improve your attitude, the more you can cultivate a resilient mind.

2. Understand How You Transition Between Tasks

I’ve talked about transitioning between tasks before because this is a personal development opportunity that is often ignored.

When you finish an email, what is the next thing you do?

You probably just go to the next task. This is a bad habit. If you can create the habit of taking a few seconds to celebrate your previous task, then you can create a more positive attitude for your next task.

3. Know Your Kryptonite

There are certain tasks that will drain your energy. The more you can tune into this feeling, the less likely you are to subject yourself to these tasks.

Yes, there will be times when you’ll have to do work that you don’t like. It’s a part of every business. You can’t escape it. The idea is to do more fun stuff than crappy stuff throughout your day. Every person’s balance is different. You’ll have to discover what works for you.

The best way to do this is to create a routine. Can you figure out when to do your creative work that fits into your hot spot (the time of day that you have the most energy)? If you love to write and you are at your best in the morning, then block out this time to get into the writing zone. Use the afternoon to do the work that drains you, just take time to do some fun stuff in between to keep your energy at a high level.

4.From Mosey along:”putting on my shoes”:

“After returning from New York City last week, I plunged headlong into melancholia. No surprise, really. When my sister and nieces had left the week before, I consoled myself with the fact that I’d be seeing my sister again four days later when she joined me in New York. But as I flew back to the west coast on Sunday night, feeling all warm and fuzzy about the weekend and about seeing English hubby and Sweetpea again, I didn’t foresee the plunge.”

“And maybe just maybe PMS might have had something to do with it. Okay, most of it.”

“But as I skulked around last week, under dark grey skies, feeling depressed for my lemon tree and its tiny little lemons that have given up growing because the SUN HASN’T COME OUT IN TWO MONTHS, and feeling out of shape and bemoaning my continuing allergy woes, I had a couple of those gentle little pushes that add up to one big kick in the behind.”

“I had already been mentally preparing myself for change – reclaiming my health and getting more disciplined about being more consistently active. And while dumping a basket of dirty laundry by the door, I tripped over my funky new walkin’ shoes that I bought just before I went to New York (which were like pillows on my feet) and thought just get them on and get out the door and start right now. Soon after, I saw a post by cjane where a friend of hers shared her mother’s solution to a spell of the blues. Basically, put your shoes on.”
“So I did.”

“I dropped Sweetpea at day camp last Wednesday and instead of heading straight back home to start the laundry, I shouldered my camera and headed for the ocean. It was cold, it was windy, and yes, it was gray. But the cold kept me moving, the wind was invigorating and the gray made for some sweet lighting for photographs.”

5.  From “Depression, bipolar and trying to stay sober for richer or poorer” by Christine Stapleton’s Depression on My Mind:

“I had no idea getting sober could be so … extravagant and lavish and comfortable and posh and relaxing and rejuvenating and exclusive and I am running out of adjectives. California has some really nice ones. I called a couple: $56,000 to $78,000 for a month-long stint in rehab. Of course, there are some cheaper rehabs, but they don’t have down comforters, tennis courts, massages, swimming pools with waterfalls and stunning ocean views.”

“I don’t think I could have hit my bottom while getting a massage. But, hey, whatever works. What I especially liked about many of the rehabs I checked out is that they offer screening and treatment for dual-diagnosis: alcoholism/addiction coupled with another mental illness such a depression or bipolar disorder. I am not dual-diagnosed. I hit the trifecta. I am actually triple diagnosed: alcoholism, depression and bipolar disorder.”

“I learned the hard way that if I do not treat all three, I will very likely relapse or get depressed and/or manic. They are like conjoined triplets. Can’t separate them. I consider my depression and bipolar the biggest threat to my sobriety today. Some research shows that as many as half the addicts and alcoholics out there are dual — or triple — diagnosed. So it is wonderful that treatment centers finally realize this and are treating all of an addict’s mental illnesses.”

“But what about the folks like me, who do not go to rehab? The dual-diagnosed who cannot afford treatment do not learn about their companion mental illnesses until they are in a very serious crisis. Often they never learn. Six years into my sobriety, I slipped into a major depression. Thanks to friends in recovery who are dual-diagnosed, I was able to get help.”

“Even though I got help — therapy and antidepressants and a mood stabilizer — I got little support from many other recovered alcoholics and addicts. To many, antidepressants and mood stabilizers are mood altering drugs. According to them, you are not clean and sober if you take these medications. They even encourage others to stop taking their medications. In fact, just talking about your other mental illnesses or medications around 12-steppers is risky.”

“I am happy that the insured and wealthy addicts and alcoholics who can afford rehab are getting screened and treated for dual-diagnosis. But most addicts and alcoholics do not go to treatment. They try a 12-step program, which means uninsured and poor, dual-diagnosed alcoholics are less likely to get help for their other mental illnesses. The few who manage to see a doctor and are honest about their alcoholism and addiction are often given prescriptions for drugs such as Xanax — which often triggers a  relapse.”

“I do not know how to help.”

“Any suggestions?”

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