***The One Step That Ensures Personal Happiness

I love interacting with positive people. The energy they emit is like fuel for the inspirational fire to those around them.

Years ago, in an early post-college job, I overheard an older co-worker ask another much younger associate why he was always in a good mood. Even today, the answer still sticks with me. When the question was posed, the younger guy responded, “I have a job to do. I can be miserable and do it or I can be happy and do it. Either way, I still have to do it. So, I choose to be happy.”

That was it.
Simple, direct, and powerful.

As a young man starting out in the business world, that moment had a tremendous impact on me. Here was a contemporary who embodied the type of peer whose characteristics I wanted to emulate.

Years after I left that job, I ran into him one day. He told me that a new Vice President had come on board and the old place had become quite different. The atmosphere in the office was, in his words, terrible. Nonetheless, he had recently left our old company because he was finding it difficult to be happy. I heard both a sadness and a familiar happiness in his voice.

The sadness seemingly originated from the fact that an enjoyable place to work had degenerated into an office of negativity, distrust, and belittlement. His happiness, however, was genuinely more personable. He had decided to start his own business. After some ups and downs, he began doing quite well. Most importantly, he was happy.

Isn’t that what life really boils down to?
Being happy?
Choosing to be happy?

It’s a choice. It may not always be easy. There are always going to be setbacks and challenges; but, if we can face them with a positive attitude, then overcoming them gets to be much more obtainable. Let’s try to adopt the attitude of my old co-worker. To realize whatever the task is, that we tackle it with positivity, and choose to be happy while doing so.

When have you looked at a situation, smiled, and chosen to be happy — even when the events unfolding before you weren’t what you planned or anticipated?

Live on Fire!

D. Luke Iorio, CPC, PCC, ELI-MPr
President & CEOr
Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)