Has someone ever said to you, “You just need to turn that frown upside down”? Ugh! The sheer Polyannaness of this statement and seemingly oversimplification of being happy is maddening. But hold on a sec- there is far more depth and truth to this statement and many of us just pass on by, mistaking a flippant cliché for the sheer brilliance that it is.

It has been said that in the end the only regrets we have are the chances we didn’t take. How many times have you thought to yourself that you should have spoken up and didn’t? How many times have you wished you would have taken a chance on going for something that seemed out of reach? How many times are you going to relive these moments from the past?

Turn that frown upside down! This isn’t just some stupid psychobabble phrase, it’s a reminder that everything is perspective- and there are times when we need to just shift- turn away from self-pity, doubt, regret, fear, and what could have been and smile at a wide open world of opportunity.

We only regret because we choose to focus on the past. We choose to focus on lack and what we haven’t achieved. We just haven’t got there yet! Keep going. Keep trying. Turn that frown upside down means, SHIFT! Shift MUST happen if you are to recognize that although we can learn from our past, we can’t stay there if we want to move forward.

Every time we stop and say to ourselves, I wish I had…. fill in the blank….we are moving backwards, no matter how hard we are trying to move forward. I wish I had is a binding statement of regret that holds us to the past. Let it go. Shift.

Your new opportunity statement then becomes I am. I am going to take advantage of the next opportunity to….. I am going to create an opportunity to….. The power of I am, shifts you into an opportunity perspective and away from a regret perspective.

Benjamin Franklin stated, “To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.” Shift! And shift quickly! Turn that frown upside down! And make people wonder what the heck you are smiling at.

Opportunity is a beautiful thing. Carpe Diem. Seize the day by letting go of what you can do nothing about. Shift to see the world of what you have not yet achieved. Shift to realize your opportunity awaits. You are only confined by the walls you build yourself.

Now go turn your frown upside down and see how different your world looks! Have a productive week full of opportunities and possibilities.

Jolene Church is currently working on doctoral research on critical thinking in organizational leadership. She is an accomplished motivational speaker, success coach, and the co-author of the newly released, Thinking 101: Fundamentals of a Successful Mindset- available now on Amazon in paperback and Kindle or at www.successfulthinkingmindset.com

An acquaintance of mine recently took a lengthy road trip with his three children. He said, “If I hear, are we there yet, one more time….” You could hear the frustration in his voice as he recanted the story. Yet many of us can relate.
Do you remember long trips as a kid and asking or wondering the same question? It was a combination of boredom from our confined space and anxious excitement about the destination. We just wanted to get there-wherever that ‘there’ was.
It has been said that anticipation is nine-tenths of delight. Why is this so? Because our mind is a developer, processor, and generator of creative amazement. Without feeling the sand beneath our toes, we can imagine ourselves walking on a warm, breezy beach. Without being the CEO of a major firm, we can see ourselves sitting behind the big desk in that corner office with the sun pouring through the windows.
Our mind does not require that we purchase “add-ons” to exploit this incredible feature- It’s standard equipment. We have the built in capability to supercharge our lives through the power of delight of thought, anticipating our desires and dreams- the power of imagination.
So how do we use this power so that we don’t constantly ask, “are we there yet?” How do we unleash this power so that we do not feel like we are wandering down a path, or turning down many paths, wondering, where am I going or will I ever get to where I want to be? Most importantly, how do we use this power to achieve and succeed, realizing that our destination is never nor should be final.
Certainly there have been moments when we have made statements like, “I could just stay here forever.” But this really isn’t true. There may be aspects of that place or experience that we may greatly appreciate, but complacency should never be something we strive for. It is natural for us to continually grow, change, and move. The very nature of our cells is a continuum of energy and motion.
I remind people all the time that we really need to appreciate what comes out of the mouth of babes as their honest and curious questioning is really at the core of our success. Yes, even the embarrassing questions in the grocery line like when your three-year old asks, “Why does that man have a baby in his tummy? He’s not a girl?” This truly was a question asked by my granddaughter while my daughter was trapped in line wanting to hide. Okay, so we don’t blurt them out like little Athena, but we have to take ourselves back to the questions we asked as a child. Are we there yet? Shouldn’t we ponder this question regularly instead of being disturbed by it?
Where am I? Am I where I want to be? If not, why? What will take me to my temporary destination? I say temporary because the intent should be to remain in motion but to reach the milestone of each temporary destination.
Just like an old steamer trunk covered in stickers of destinations, so too should our lives be plastered in accomplished destinations as a part of a larger journey. Yes, we may arrive, but we need to have a plan for the next trip, next destination, and our next sticker.
There will inevitably be flat tires along the way. We fix them and move on. We might run out of gas. We find a fuel station, even if we have to push the vehicle uphill to get there (hint: others can help make this task much easier- find people that will help you push when you need it), and we fuel up.
The power to take these actions is within the mind. Think about it. When you get a flat tire, you must think, what do I need to do? I need to go to the trunk and grab the spare and the jack- or you pull out your Auto Club card (I rather like this thought better). Either way you fire up your creativity generator and resolve the problem.
When we ask ourselves if we are there yet or aiming for the place we want to be, we are firing up the generator. The key is to keep the generator fired up with follow-up questions- something like this:
Am I there yet?
No.
Where is there?
There is the top sales representative in my organization.
What is it going to take to make that happen?
What are steps I can take each day to get myself there?
What am I going to do when I run out of gas and I need help pushing?
Who do I have to help push me?
How can I enlist the help of others?
Keep it going. Keep thinking. Always keep thinking forward. This is the key to your journey. Ask yourself if what you are doing today is getting you closer to where you want to be?
"I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, and he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours…. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them." Henry David Thoreau- Walden or Life in the Woods.
Fire up the generator. Are we there yet?!
Jolene Church is currently working on doctoral research on critical thinking in organizational leadership. She is an accomplished motivational speaker, success coach, and the co-author of the newly released, Thinking 101: Fundamentals of a Successful Mindset- available now on Amazon in paperback and Kindle or at www.successfulthinkingmindset.com

Life is not a race, it is a journey. It is so easy to rush along life's path, hugging every corner like a Ducati at high speed- but there is no prize to finish first- so why sabotage  the true prize? 

Dieter Uchtdorf said, "Sometimes we get so focused on the finish line that we fail to enjoy the journey."

I once read- life is short so live it; love is rare so grab it; dreams are real so chase it; fear is awful so face it; memories are sweet so cherish it. 
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It seems preposterous that we need to be told to remember to savor the aspects of our lives that make up our life experience- but we seem to forget quite often to stop and enjoy the ride. It's not the destination that brings us joy, it's the journey. 

As the passenger on a trip, be it by car, train, plane, rail, or sail, it would seem we have an advantage over the driver wherein we can take in additional scenery. Or do we? At face value we are not bogged down by focusing on the direction that we are headed or  in steering the machine. We view the experience through a different lens and are provided opportunity to enjoy the ride- that is, if we choose. 

Rushing along and missing the beauty is just as easy from any angle. 

The ride of life is not a missed opportunity for the driver. Just ask an avid Harley rider, equestrian, runner, or surfer. Being in the driver's seat provides full control and the greatest opportunity. The rush of wind in one's face- the beautiful gust filling a sail. We are in the prime position to see what's coming, obstacles and opportunities. We have the power to change direction and slow down or speed up. 

As the wave gains momentum, swelling the sea behind the surfer, the rider quickly springs into position to savor the experience of the wave. The pulse of the rushing, driving, wall of water propels the board and rider into a rush of exhilaration. 

Fear could grip a novice who then chooses not to ride the wave. The choice to savor  experiences, both good or bad, the choice to take chances and to live life as the driver is in each of us. 

We are our choices. Our journey or our race- a choice. Each moment- a choice. Our fulfillment, joy, success- a choice. Our fear, our courage- it lives within us- only as we choose to create it. What we think is what we
create- and it's a choice.

Choose to live your journey- not merely exist. Slow down- enjoy your journey.

Life is really simple. We insist on making it complicated- Confucius. 

Jolene Church is currently working on doctoral research on critical thinking in organizational leadership. She is a mindfulness practitioner and the co-author of the newly released, Thinking 101: Fundamentals of a Successful Mindset- available now on Amazon in paperback and Kindle or at www.successfulthinkingmindset.com