Happiness Hack – How to Find Your Burning Desire

04/30/202002/13/2018 by henry

My quest to find a burning desire took time and an honest soul-search (owwwwl!) But I can’t underestimate the happiness and life satisfaction benefitsI gained. I wish I’d done it sooner …

Remember how good it feels when you dive deep into something and time melts … you might look up startled 10 hours have passed, that your angry stomach feels growlingly hungry, that you have a beard or hairy legs. Discovering this upswirl ignited my soul. In fact, due to my burning desire to create my new business, I was up until 2:30 a.m. last night/morning writing a Wikipedia page.

Am I crazy? Well, yeah, but I’ve never googled anything on Wiki that didn’t have a page. I’m in uncharted territory, whoa … creating something new and it gives me chills.

And anyway … who needs sleep when you have a burning desire? You all felt mightily inspired by last week’s blog and are now passion-focused, right?

Well, no, I had to do laundry.
No, but maybe next month?
Compassion please, the dog ate my homework

I used the procrastination excuse du-jour for years when considering What To Be When I Grew Up and my life zoomed by, a silent scream building inside.

I was suffering from a smartache … my kids keep growing up (though I begged them not to) and they rarely needed me (sob!)

Plus, I dearly love my kids, but the house is never fully clean, life is never perfect, and nobody bursts out, “Wow, Mom what an outstanding dinner!”

With my kids mostly on auto-pilot, I needed to do something that would relieve my smartache, but what?

Mom, We’re Out of Underwear

Startled, I looked up from tweaking my business plan this morning… my 10-year-old daughter stood in her PJs grimacing at our laundry room. Yikes, indeed there was a towering laundry mountain with teeth. (Pause while I fix this urgent crisis.)

Deep calming breath … so how did I find the burning desire to create a business that keeps me happily working long past midnight, and recently caused underwear-gate? Thanks for asking … here’s my cheat sheet.

Find upswirl activities. If hours pass unnoticed, and you might forget to eat, sleep or make dinner (it’s cheating if you overlook dinner on purpose) you’ve found your passion. For me it’s creating happiness for me … and for you. Find a creative way to work at what you love.

If you aren’t sure who you are, prioritize your core values. Yeah, I know this is hard. Decide who you want to be and be that person. This will transform a vanilla life into a spicy adventure. It worked for me, hallelujah and amen.

Narrow down interests with a quiz if you feel lost. TestQ offers interesting job and lifestyle quizzes that can help you find favorite interests.

Force yourself to thinkthinkthinkthinkthink and then think till your thinker is sore. Don’t stop until you come up with three ideas that zing your heart. Set a deadline (I gave myself two months), choose your best idea, and tada … you now have a burning desire.

Thomas Edison failed 1000+ times before he made a successful light bulb. Without his passion we might all still be in the dark.

What creates upswirl for you? Please comment, like and share …

Shellee Godfrey

Shellee Godfrey creates happiness for her clients as a Systems Analyst and writes comedy screenplays based on her smart and sassy 80’s diva background.

Keep Your New Years Resolutions – Quick Tips For Success

04/30/202002/12/2018 by henry

New Years resolutions are like chocolate-chip pancakes served at my daughter’s slumber party, easy to make but hard to keep. A study of 3,000 people at the University of Hertfordshire found that 88% of people that made New Years Resolutions failed.It’s why my health club is packed in January but crickets are chirping in April. If you’ve resolved to lose weight you’re not the only one enjoying holiday fudge.USA.Gov lists weight loss as the most popular resolution followed by volunteer to help others, get a better education and get a better job.

These are all achievable goals, but how can we boost our chance for success? Use the tips below to ensure you’re in the 12% of people toasting success next January.

Try, Try Again

Our willpower starts out strong but businesses and life’s stresses can derail resolve over time. Deciding to quit smoking, or vowing to avoid chocolate, works great until facing a marathon work deadline.

If your resolve slips, don’t beat yourself up, and more importantly don’t quit. I’ve had to hire more than one programming team, each of which disparages the other … sigh, but I’ll never give up on my dream. Dust off your willpower and try again tomorrow.

Make a Measurable Plan

Instead of just resolving to lose weight, chose a result you can measure, like losing 15 pounds. It helps to craft small milestones to keep focused. For instance, deciding to lose 1-2 pounds per week until achieving your ideal weight provides energizing momentum.

For my website, I challenged myself to get 100 Facebook likes, 1000 views of my blog and 1000 preregistered users. Thanks to everyone that helped me exceed these goals.

Daily Reminders

A recent Forbes article states that writing down goals increases success. Last January I wrote a statement of purpose on my phone’s list app and I read this every morning. It reaffirms my resolve to meet my goals and keeps me committed.

These tips have helped me meet my goals and I’d love it if they help you. What’s your best tip for achieving New Year’s resolution success? Please comment, like and share ….

Shellee Godfrey

Shellee Godfrey creates happiness for her clients as a Systems Analyst and writes comedy screenplays based on her smart and sassy 80’s diva background.

Help Ignite Teenage Brains – Support Later School Start Times

04/30/202002/12/2018 by henry

What’s that “zzzzzzzzz” sound coming from your local high school? It’s teenagers sleeping through first period. As the mom of three teen morning-haters, I support the American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement recommending that middle and high schools start at 8:30 a.m. or later.

The statement says, “Research studies of sleep patterns in adolescents demonstrate that delaying school start times is an effective strategy to reverse chronic sleep loss, which can impair mental health, physical health, safety, and academic achievement.” Numerous studies and support information can be found at The National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) website: http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/school-start-time-and-sleep.

According to the NSF, teenage biological sleep patterns shift towards later times for sleeping and waking. This means teenagers naturally have difficulty falling asleep before 11 p.m. Teens need 8-10 hours of sleep, and early school start times result in sleepy students.

My son, Max Johansen, a high school senior; struggles during first period to comprehend complex AP Physics concepts. He feels physics, and other difficult classes, would be understood better if taught later. A NSF poll shows as many as 28% of students are falling asleep during 1^st period.

U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D- Calif.) leads the fight to adjust school start times for adolescents. Her legislation would address the effect of school start times on teenage mental and physical health, as well as academic performance.

Bussing Best Interests?

Research supports late starts for teens, but why aren’t all high schools adjusting? Bussing challenges are the biggest hurdle to overcome. Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education says, “Too many school systems are designed to be good for buses rather than children.”

Opponents to later start times worry about bus scheduling conflicts and financial concerns. Schools in 43 states have overcome these obstacles and have implemented later start times for teens or will do so next year. In fact, suburban school district Edina, MN (6,800 students) and urban district Minneapolis, MN (50,000 students) use the same bus routes and have adjusted the bus route times without increasing transportation costs. Other districts have voted to keep start times later for all schools and have found investing in additional busses worthwhile.

Schools Find Solutions

Other “hot” issues include teacher staffing and sports/extra-curricular activity impacts. Although many teachers oppose later start times due to traffic concerns, decreased family time, and other issues; the Edina and Minneapolis school districts have found solutions. These schools have used flexible teacher schedules and teacher buy-in to trade late starts for alert, engaged kids. One year after the Minneapolis Public School District switched to an 8:40 a.m. start, the majority of teachers surveyed reported students were more alert during the first two periods of the day.

Students have overcome negative late-start issues as well. Teens needing flexibility for athletics and extra-curricular activities have scheduled study halls and free periods at the end of the day. Also, in some cases, student athletes have received exemptions from P.E. credit requirements. Additionally, some schools have raised funds to light outdoors fields.

Unless Someone Like You Cares a Whole Awful Lot …

Teenage brains aren’t wired for morning thinking, but how can concerned parties help change school start times? Some school districts are already considering this. My school district (Park City School District in Park City, UT) is on board. Dr. Ember Conley, PCSD Superintendent, has assembled a task force of school administrators, staff and parents to research start times. Ask about your district’s stance on this.

Additionally, concerned parties can start a local petition, like Park City community member, Dr. John Hanrahan. His petition: Help Our Teens Thrive Better In School (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/help-our-teens-thrive-better-in-school?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend) has 379 signatures. Or sign a national petition along with 10,885 others: Promote Legislation to prevent public schools from starting before 8 a.m. http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/promote-legislation-to.fb1?source=s.fb&r_by=1521139. And finally, voice your opinion to community stakeholders and legislators. Please help ignite teenage brains by stoking this fire.

What do you think about late school starts for teens? Please comment, like and share …

Shellee Godfrey

Shellee Godfrey creates happiness for her clients as a Systems Analyst and writes comedy screenplays based on her smart and sassy 80’s diva background.

Tired of the Rat Race? Create Your Dream Job — They Did and So Can You

02/12/2018 by henry

Make Money And Find Happiness With Your Dream Job

Do you wake up exhilarated for your day and thrilled for work? Many of us aren’t that lucky. We dream of making money doing work we love, but that’s not easy.

Or is it? Use the success stories below to think creatively and monetize your passion.

Attorney Nicky Lecher enjoyed practicing law, but she really wanted to work for herself doing something creative. “It was a matter of finding the right product and following my dream,” she says.

She searched for an idea. Her brother told her about a paint-your-own-artwork studio in NYC, and when Nicky visited the business, it intrigued her.

After conducting a thorough due diligence process, she created a unique business model to fit her small community, which caters to local residents and tourists. The Paint Mixer Paint and Wine Studio offers a unique mix of art and fun. Guests follow a 2-hour step-by-step instruction process to create a featured painting, which they bring home.

Nicky encourages upcoming entrepreneurs to find a business idea that brings a smile. She says, “After choosing an idea, learn your business inside and out. From that you will know your strengths and weaknesses and you will know what to delegate to others.” She also recommends getting sound advice from seasoned business owners who have already solved issues you might face.

Nicky loves the freedom of choice that The Paint Mixer provides. She thought managing people would be her biggest challenge, but she hired passionate workers, and found that keeping things simple is sometimes hard. “It’s easy to get caught up in offering more, but if your product is working don’t diversify too much and dilute it,” she says.

This formula works well for The Paint Mixer. Nicky has already painted her way into a second location.

Hockey Hat Trick

Rick Parisi skated away from a lucrative engineering career to start Weekend Warriors Hockey Adult Hockey Academy. He got the idea for his business while balancing his engineering job and MBA program. For a school project, Rick wrote a business plan for a hockey camp and thoroughly evaluated what worked and what didn’t. He started dreaming about opening his own camp.

He finished his MBA, and then founded Weekend Warriors, an adult ice-hockey experience offering fun, learning, and camaraderie. He spent the next three years juggling his corporate career with his new business.

It wasn’t easy but it was worth it. “I thought I would start this and immediately be successful and quit my job,” he said. Weekend Warriors brought him joy and happiness, and then he used hard work and patience to grow his dream.

After a layoff he decided not to search for a new engineering job and focus on hockey full time. He increased his earnings steadily, and last year he surpassed his engineering salary.

“My passion was wanting to make my own creation and be my own boss,” he says. He loves the lifestyle freedom and flexibility of self-employment. “I can work in the morning and ski in the afternoon,” he says. He can now live anywhere he chooses. Rick relocated from suburban Chicago to Park City, Utah to ski and enjoy outdoor activities.

Living his dream makes Rick happy and others too. “We build a lot of camaraderie in camps and have fun, both on the ice and off with teambuilding events customized for each city,” says Rick. He advises new entrepreneurs to focus on customer satisfaction. “This is what brings people back over and over,” he says.

What’s your dream job? Please comment, like and share …

Top 20 Dream Jobs

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Kendeyl Johansen has a background as a Systems Analyst and B.S. degree in Behavioral Science and Health. She’s an award-winning journalist with 200+ published articles, including work in New York Times bestsellers. She serves as Webmaster for several volunteer websites and cherishes time with friends and family. Her hobbies include writing, reading and skiing both on water and snow.

Want to use this article on your website or in your publication? We’re happy to share, just include the text below.

This article is courtesy of YayHappy.com.

Make Money With Your Dream Job: Art + Passion + Dog = Painting Success Story

04/30/202002/12/2018 by henry

Corinne Humphrey left her 25-year career as a Delta international flight attendant to pursue her passion: art. Inspired by her rescue dog from Furburbia, Rudy, she took a creative flight, picked up a brush and started painting. A year later her first book, The Tao of Rudy, was published. The book features inspirational and motivational paintings of Rudy and Humphrey. She says, “I would love to have a “do-over” and pursue art and writing in school instead of waiting until I was an adult.”

Thanks to Rudy, she’s painting now; but rescuing a shelter dog wasn’t always easy. Rudy struggled to overcome his fear of other dogs and humans caused by neglect and mistreatment. As Rudy acclimated to his new life, Humphrey realized that she could teach him many tricks, but the things he taught her were much more valuable, such as “Don’t be afraid to leave the path.” This insight inspired her most-popular painting.

Each of her paintings features an inspirational message. These messages and vivid paintings appeal to both children and adults.

The Tao of Rudy won several awards, and two more books featuring Humphrey and Rudy followed: Shoot for the Moon: Lessons on Life From a Dog Named Rudy (another award-winner), and Wake Up to Love: Lessons on Friendship From A Dog Named Rudy.

Rudy keeps Humphey on task. She says, “When I procrastinate, lying on the couch watching senseless reruns, Rudy, my dog and muse; will come into the room and nudge me, then walk into the studio and sit by the easel. If I don’t follow him, he will come back and poke me again until I get to work.”

Humphrey paints with acrylics using a modern style. Her paintings are inspired by Canadian artist, Shelia Norgate, who paints only beaks and muzzles. Norgate told Humprey to let the wild woman inside out. Humphrey’s work is also, of course, inspired by life with Rudy.

Humphrey loved art as a child, and took several classes through grades K-12, but her parents were worried she couldn’t make a living as an artist. They encouraged her to find another career. She turned her back on her art dream and received a degree in sociology. Although Humphrey enjoyed her years as a flight attendant, she decided to use her career to visit France for two painting classes, and then reignited her childhood dream of painting. “If you feel passionate about something just do it,” she says.

Using Rudy’s brave attitude to never fear leaving the path, she took a leave of absence from her airline job in hopes of making a living as an artist. Humphrey enrolled in an advanced painting class in Park City. She had just adopted Rudy, and she started bringing his “lessons” to life via painting

After she had completed several paintings, she gathered them up and brought them to the Children’s Writing and Illustrator conference at Brigham Young University. She received a lot of encouragement from fellow artists, and met the publisher for her 1^st book at the conference, Sage Press. She loves working as an artist. “I enjoy my very flexible schedule and the pure joy of doing something that I love!”

Shortly after the conference she was given a show at the Kimball Art Center, in Park City, Utah; where critics called her work “bold” and “whimsical”. Besides selling books, she offers originals and limited edition prints on-line, and at the Park Silly Market in the summer. One of Humphrey’s bestsellers is Focus inspired by Rudy’s ability to zero in on what is important.

In addition to painting, Humphrey’ resumed flying to gather research for her newest project: Roaming With Rudy, kids’-only travel guides that are filled with illustrations, photos, activity pages, fun facts and more. She just released Roaming With Rudy, Paris! and was recently at NYC at the Book Expo America promoting her books. Humphrey is well on her way to achieving her pie-in-the-sky goal of publishing a travel series and would love to follow it up with board games and other products.

For others wanting to make money with a dream job she says, “Inspiration comes from weird unexpected places–overheard conversations, a headline or even taking a different route to work–be awake to people who cross your path and start noticing all those serendipitous moments that will help you achieve your goals, then focus, show up and follow up!”

When not painting and traveling, Humphrey creatively monetizes her passion with lectures about art and writing at schools and conferences. She also teaches art classes, such as “Pet Painting” for adults and kids and ArtsKids after-school painting classes and networks through Park City Art.

What’s your dream job? Please comment, like and share …

Happiness Hack: How to Find Your Burning Desire

3 Keys To Making It As An Artist Without Starving

Ask the Art Professor: How Can I Become a Professional Artist?

Want to use this article on your website or in your publication? We’re happy to share, just include the exact text below.

This article is courtesy of WorkWizards.com. Make money and save time with micro jobs, plus ignite social good. Join our movement: workwizards.com.

Shellee Godfrey

Shellee Godfrey creates happiness for her clients as a Systems Analyst and writes comedy screenplays based on her smart and sassy 80’s diva background.