Bad moods are inevitable. You can't be walking in the clouds all the time.

But wait!

If you let your bad mood take control of you, you're going to start attracting some pretty yucky stuff into your life. (Like attracts like, remember?). 

And that's no fun. No fun at all. You definitely don't want to end up in the sneaky hate spiral.

This past week, I was riding on cloud nine. I felt great!

And then suddenly I stumbled. 

On Saturday, I felt myself slipping into a crank-tastic shit-storm of anger. Once I realized what was happening, I pulled on my big girl pants and decided:

"I'm not going to let this bad mood take over. I'm going to do whatever I have to in order to climb back up! Go to hell, energy-sucking mood of doom!"

So what did I do to climb out of the nasty, no-good pile of yuck?

EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE.

You see, I have a Good Mood Tool Box: a collection of actions to take whenever I begin to feel angry at the world. 

If used haphazardly, it only takes a few hours to use the Good Mood Toolbox to snap out of a crap mood.

If used properly, you can go from major ick to happiest person you know in a few minutes flat.

Keep an open mind. Some of my strategies are a little woo-woo, but I promise that they work. Try everything! It's worth every ounce of craziness that you have inside of you to get happier!

#1 - CALL A TRUSTED CONFIDANT

Say this:

"Hey! I need to be totally selfish for a few minutes because I'm having a cruddy day. Can I just tell you about it? It would really help. I promise to only bitch for 6 minutes and then we can (a) talk about something else, and/or (b) I'm going to move on with my life. How does that sound?"

#2 - SAY "THANKS"

Say "thanks" to your trusty friend. Say "thanks" for breathing. Think about people who have totally awful problems. Say "thanks" that you don't have those problems. (This will help). 

Say "thanks" for a penny that you found on the ground -- yeah, the dirty one that you just ran over with your car. Say "thanks" for clothes and food and alive-ness. 

#3 - READ SOMETHING INSPIRATIONAL

Not sure what to read? I've got a whole library of ideas for you.

#4 - MOVE YOUR CUTE BUTT

Seriously. Stand up. Put on your shoes and go for a walk. Put on a happy song and dance. Run. Do yoga. Flail around in the air if you have to. Endorphins work WONDERS.

#5 - ACCEPT REALITY

All suffering comes from a failure to accept what is.

 If you can't change the circumstance, then you have a choice. You can:

(a) Complain about it.

(b) Embrace it.

The latter choice is never easy, but if you use the rest of the tools in the box, you'll get better at it. 

#6 - GET SOCIAL!

It's amazing how much hanging out around other people makes your problems seem less dramatic. Connecting with others is a fundamental human need. Call up a pal and grab coffee! It'll help you to get out of your own head.

#7 - DECLARE YOUR INTENTION

Take a dry erase marker and write on your bathroom mirror: I AM THE HAPPIEST PERSON I KNOW! Think about how you want to feel and scribble it down in your journal.

Psst! you can use this tool to get anything you want. For example, need a little motivation? Write down, "I am filled with excitement to finish ___________."

#8 - HELP A BROTHER OUT

Or a sister. Or a cat. Or a dog. Or a grandpa. Better yet, do something nice for a total stranger! Pay the barista for the next person's coffee (especially effective on Monday mornings). If you need a quick fix, THIS is the best way to get yourself in a better mood.

#9 - MEDITATE

Buy Sharon Salzberg's book, Real Happiness. (On my resources page). It comes with a meditation CD. I've been using this for over a year and it's the most simple, useful guide to meditation that I've found.

#10 - WATCH THIS VIDEO

This one. Especially if you've just gotten some negative feedback.

#11 - GIVE SOMEONE A COMPLIMENT 

I'd been holding a grudge against someone who had scarred my ego for a few months. I recently gave her a HUGE compliment (a genuine one!). She deserved it. I needed to get over my ass-hole ego. Making her feel good about herself was totally worth it!

#12 - GIVE AWAY YOUR MONEY

But not necessarily to charity. I've found a lot of value in the practice of tithing, or giving 10% of your income back to the people who feed your soul. It's scary at first, and I won't lie, I'm not perfect at it, but it makes me feel amazing to give back to the sources that make me even better at what I do.

#13 - WRITE A GREEDY LETTER TO THE UNIVERSE

This activity I stole from Denise Duffield Thomas, author of the amazing books Lucky Bitch, and Get Rich, Lucky Bitch!. Write down everything you want in life. Big and small. Extravagant and simple. The big house, the organic veggies, the iPhone, the successful business, the $10,000 client. ALL OF IT. This will help you to take your focus off of the crap happening to you and put it on what you want. 

Note: what you focus on expands. I bet you'd rather expand these desires than your crappy mood, right?

#14 - PAINT YOUR NAILS AND LAY IN THE SUN

I literally just did this. I feel glamorous. I feel rejuvenated. I feel like I've taken care of myself. Take an hour today to do something totally luxurious for yourself. Get a haircut, get a massage, spend time by the fire with a good book.

#15 - EAT PLANTS

Or, eat foods that serve your body rather than perpetuate the feeling of ickiness. My go-to items are smoothies and salads.

#16 - FIND LOOSE CHANGE SITTING AROUND THE HOUSE

Pay attention to the good things that come into your life, not matter how small. Also, I read about 5 books this month that recommended picking up loose change and thanking the Universe for it, so I figured I should mention it here :P

#17 - WRITE DOWN YOUR IDEAL, PERFECT, MOST AMAZING DAY

I've been doing this every morning on 750 Words. Keeps you focused on your goals.

#18 - BREATHE. LIKE, DEEPLY.

Get that oxygen into those lungs, yo!

#19 - DO NOT RESORT TO ALCOHOL (OR DRUGS). 

Tempting, right? They don't help! They make it worse!

#20 - LET YOURSELF OFF THE HOOK

So what, you didn't finish everything on your massive to do list this week? NEITHER DID ANY OF US. Go rent a hillarious movie (you know, one of them that picks fun at the life events that, if they happened in real life, would make most of us want to die). It'll help you realize this one major point...

LIFE'S NOT THAT SERIOUS!

Now go play. Have a ball. Laugh your ass off.

BUT FIRST you could share this article for all the people in your life who could use a little positive injection. (I know that's a lot of people).

The best way to get the word out?

That devilish little voice kept creeping up in my head saying, “You can’t tell people how to make as much money as they want because you aren’t making as much money as you want. Who are you to talk?”

But guess what? 

Yesterday, I reached a goal that I’ve been working on since August 2012.

I earned over $2,000 this month with my business (and it’s only the 8^th of the month)!

The best part? I know exactly how I did it!

I read every resource that I could get my hands on and figured out why I wasn’t earning the $2K per month that I wanted. Then, I took the necessary steps to overcome those obstacles and make more money.

Today, I’m going to tell you the top 3 reasons why you’re not earning as much as you want (and give you the strategies you need in order to change it!) 

These are the exact reasons why I wasn’t earning $2K per month a year ago. They’re also the reasons why I am earning that money now.

Watch the video to learn more...

Did you like the video?

Tweet it out on Twitter or share it on Facebook!

Disclamer: I am NOT a runner.

I've run a slew of 5Ks in the past (mostly by force), and yes, at one point, I was a pretty serious figure skater. But I have never been a runner.

In January and February, though, I knew that I had to keep running a few miles per week in order to be ready to start half-marathon training in March. I ran on ice. I ran in snow. I ran 4 miles in Boston in SEVEN degree weather. The four people outiside looked at me like I was nuts.

When my half-marathon training began in March, it was still snowing outside. It was cold. It was grey. The wind? MOTHER OF BRUTAL. I never saw a single soul on the sidewalk. My neighborhood was a ghost town. 

In April it was wet. On a six-mile run in Montréal, I spent most of my run (unsuccessfully) avoiding lake-sized puddles. A few days later, I gave up running after 2 miles because I was just so damn cold. I went home and took a nap instead. 

Let's just say that I haven't exactly followed the training plan to a T.

In other words, I'm not perfect.

Sometimes I skip runs because the couch is terribly comfortable.

Sometimes I convince myself that I should move the run to the next day because I really need to wash my shorts.

But despite the slip-ups, I haven't given up.

And last Sunday? 

Last Sunday I ran NINE MILES! NINE.

Normally, I don't even like DRIVING nine miles.

BUT I RAN NINE MILES.

Like, with my legs. 

Look at me go!

But wait! Here's where I get to the point. This is the part where I tell you how my sporadically imperfect training is the key to your life's success.

Yesterday, I went for a "short" 4 mile run.

And guess what: IT WAS GORGEOUS OUTSIDE!

Do you know what that means, my dear?

When it's nice outside, TROVES OF PEOPLE EMERGE FROM THEIR HOMES. People I hadn't seen ever before in life suddenly are out and about.

Middle aged women were speed walking EVERYWHERE. Probably inspired to get in shape or lose the winter weight. 

And here in lies the problem.

I can tell IMMEDIATELY that these women are not going to succeed at their weight loss or fitness goals. 

I'm not trying to be negative or condescending. I want these women to succeed. I'd love nothing more than for them to reach their goals. Given the opportunity, I'd help them out!

But they're not going to succeed.

Why?

Because they are only inspired to get outside and walk when it's 75 and sunny.

Because they waited for perfect conditions to start their training programs.

Because when it was cold and the sidewalks were covered in ice, they were no where to be found.

Want success?

Success is available to those who get going when the going gets tough.

Success happens when everyone else gives up.

Success is for those who make it through the dip.

As Seth Godin writes in his book, The Dip, 

"The people who set out to make it through the Dip-- the people who invest the time and the energy and the effort to power through the Dip-- those are the ones who become the best in the world."

Am I training to become the best half-marathon runner in the world?

Well, if you define "the world" as me. As in, I am training to become the best half-marathon runner that I have ever been.

(The bar is set fairly low, thank God).

But here's what's exciting:

I'M GOING TO SUCCEED. 

Because I overcame The Dip.

Have you hit a road block?

Congrats! You are now in place to make a choice.

Do you want to become the best in the world?

If not, quit! That's totally fine.

If you do want to succeed, however, this is your chance. If you persevere, you will be lightyears ahead of everyone else. This is the moment of do or die.

This is your winter.

Are you going to keep running? Or will you hide out inside until the weather gets nice?

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
The secret of getting started is
breaking your complex overwhelming tasks
into small manageable tasks,
and starting on the first one.

- Mark Twain

Like you, I’m a compulsive over-achiever.

At one point, I made a list of my projects/priorities and came up with 15 items. These items ranged from “apply to graduate school” to “launch a new eBook” to “take x, y, and z online courses”.

Instead of learning how to juggle one ball, then two balls, then three... I took on 15 balls and tried to juggle them all at once. (How many times can you fit the word “ball” into one sentence?).

I don’t care how good of a juggler you are. Due to the laws of physics, there’s still a limit on how many balls you can juggle. 

It was stupid of me to take on so much. Doing so caused me one hell of an anxiety attack. Ever since this great juggling failure, I’ve harbored an intense fear of taking on too many things. I never want to feel that crippling anxiety ever again.

For several months, I pushed success away because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I was afraid of having another anxiety attack. 

However, if you want to reach levels of great success in life, you’re going to have to put yourself in situations where other people will make demands on your time. It’s inevitable. 

If you’re great at what you do (which you want to be, right?) you’re going to have people begging you to help them... begging to pay you to do what you do. This sounds like great news, right? It is, until it comes time to deliver what the good people are paying you for. 

It’s going to be hard to say “no”, or “I’d love to work with you, but I’m really quite booked for the next six months” when hundreds or even thousands of dollars are on the line. The gremlin in your head will tell you that this is the only client who will want you. If you say “no” then you’re being ungrateful.

You’re going to think about the lost potential income. Maybe I could squeeze that in, you’ll tell yourself as you click around at your Google Calendar. Maybe God will grant me 3 extra hours a day for the next four weeks?

You know it’s impossible, but you just can’t say “no”!

Maybe you’ve already taken on more than you can chew. You may develop a jaw disorder, but you’re going to gnaw on it anyway.

If that sounds like you, here are 10 tips and tricks for juggling success:

• Make a list with three columns. Label the columns “projects”, “time”, and “due date” respectively. Write down all of the projects you have going on right now, how many hours each one will take (you will want to break down big projects into separate tasks on the list), and the due date for that project.

• To calculate how long it will take you to finish a project, be generous. Make your best guess and then multiply the total by 1.2 in order to add a 20% cushion.

• Write down all of your time commitments on your calendar. This includes your job, part-time gigs, yoga class, monthly lunch dates with your college friends, family parties, and anything else that happens at a specific date + time and/or happens regularly.

• Start blocking out periods of time on your calendar to work on the projects you listed above: to work on your résumé, write your first novel, re-design your website, etc... As you fill in your calendar, you may start to realize that you don’t have enough time to do all of the projects by their due dates, which means...

• Delete 2 things from your calendar right now. Make space for the necessary by getting rid of the unnecessary. Have 8 million things to do on Friday but also want to go for a run? Something has to go. You can’t do it all and you have to stop trying to be superhuman.

• Only schedule one creative/ thinking-intensive activity per day. For example, if you write, only work on one writing task per day. You can try to convince yourself all you want that you can handle more than that. Be my guest. But I’m warning you that it’s not a good idea. Time constraints put stress on your creative capacity and you will begin to resent the work. Don’t let this happen! (I only schedule one main task per day and two little tasks). 

• Please stop saying “yes” to other people’s requests. Instead, practice saying “I’ll have to check my calendar and get back to you.” This response will give you time to do just that. If you want to climb out of your hole of overwhelm, you have to stop digging deeper!

• Even if the coolest effing project in the world lands in your lap, you mustn’t say “yes” right away! Honor your previous commitments (or get rid of them). You must understand that time is a finite resource and you cannot keep cramming more projects into a finite amount of time without exploding. If the client really wants to work with you, they’ll wait until you have an availability. Command respect from others by having respect for yourself. 

• Everything takes longer than you think it will. People won’t respond to your emails on time. You’ll run into a technical error. Be realistic. That’s why I add a 20% cushion of time.

• Leave gaps in between tasks. I make an effort to never schedule to appointments or to-dos back-to-back. Space is good for the soul.

That’s what I have to say, but now it’s your turn.

How do you manage multiple projects?  

This is my adorable dog, Kona:

Kona is great.

Until 7:30 AM. Every. Single. Morning.

The minute I open my eyes, Kona immediately jumps off of the bed and starts flailing around the room.

Suddenly, he has to pee. His 8 pound body fills with anxiety as he dashes to the front door and starts thrashing his toys around furiously.

If I so much as take a minute to, oh I don't know... WAKE UP, Kona will seize the opportunity to pee on something, ANYTHING, in the house.

It's delightful.

That dog can be a fluffy little pain in the ass, if I do say so myself (though I do love him tremendously).

But there's nothing I can do about it!

He's a DOG, for Christ's sake, not a computer scientist (though this next picture of him may prove me wrong).

The point is, I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER MY DOG.

And... as it turns out, I also don't have any control over traffic lights, jack ass drivers, computer glitches, paper cuts, the fact that I forgot to take a shower this morning, my massive student loans, or the general annoyance that is the passing of time.

Damn.

This realization forced me to make a revitalizing decision:

If I can't change it, I might as well embrace it.

For the rest of the day, when annoying things happened (which they inevitably did), I asked myself the following question:

"How can I reframe this experience and turn it into a positive one?"

Here's how it went down:

• When the dog needed to go outside at 7:30 AM. Instead of yelling at him to hurry up, I seized the opportunity to take him for a walk around the block. Was I in my pajamas? Yes. Did I have a more pleasant morning because of it? Of course. 

• When I got the very last parking spot on the top of the structure. Instead of yelling in a fit of road rage, I thanked my lucky stars that I got a spot in the first place and saw it as an opportunity to get some exercise going up the stairs on my way back.

• When I spilled my tea all over the floor. Instead of cursing, I giggled. Worse things happen, as you are well aware.

• When a giant jack ass started tailgating me, laying on his horn, and flipping me off for no apparent reason (other than for going the speed limit in a neighborhood). At first, I flipped him off, too (I'm only human, and he was a HUGE jerkface). But as soon as I realized what I was doing, I let go of my road rage (difficult). Then, when he illegally passed me and ran a red light in front of a middle school while the students were walking home, I calmly called 911 and reported him. I didn't take it personally. I didn't let it ruin my day.

I'm not a saint. The news, for example, INFURIATES me. (I limit my intake. Don't worry.)

Nor am I saying that you can turn every bad situation into a Pollyanna moment. Hello - today is April 19, 2013 and I am glued to the couch watching CNN coverage of the manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombers. There is nothing good about that. It's sickening.

Fortunately, tragedies are rare (even if it doesn't seem like that at the moment). Ninety-nine point nine nine percent of your life's events don't go anywhere NEAR the tragedy of terrorism, war, or famine.

Paper cuts suck, I know. But hey - it's going to be O.K..

Earlier today I sat down and asked myself, "why do I like the things that I like?"

Why am I so intrigued by minimalism, zero waste living, and personal finance?

Why do I have such a great desire to travel? To run a half marathon? To run my own business?

The best answer I can come up with is that I'm curious.

I want to challenge myself to see if I can actually do these things! I want to see what it's like. I want to learn new things and summon my basic assumptions about life  to a duel and see who wins.

Every time that I've made a major decision, I've broken a life rule (oops!).

But! You can't break any rules if you don't ask yourself the right questions.

Here are 18 Questions that I've asked myself to become a rule breaker:

1. Do I have to have a full time job?
2. Do I have to live in the U.S.?
3. Do I have to get tired after running one mile?
4. Do I have to get fat as I get older?
5. Do I have to move out on my own at age 21?
6. Do I have to compare my lifestyle to that of my peers?
7. Do I have to hate my job?
8. Do I have to live in a big house full of stuff?
9. Do I have to work between the hours of 9 and 5?
10. Do I have to own a car?
11. Do I have to go to graduate school? To college?
12. Do I have to rush through life as if it were a race?
13. Does becoming a writer mean that I have to write novels or become a journalist?
14. Do I have to use credit cards to survive financially?
15. Do I have to get married?
16. Do I have to eat meat?
17. Do I have to live wastefully?
18. Do I have to win the lottery in order to become rich?

Are you a curious person? Craving more? Want to do something MAJOR?

It's time to start asking yourself these questions!

Today, I'm grumpy.

Winter will never end. I'm sure of it. It's been blizzarding for 74 days straight and I can't take it anymore. (Ok, that's not entirely true but that's how I feel and I'm sticking to it).

Last night, even though I took a bubble bath with bubbles labeled "SLEEP" from Bath and Body Works, I could. not. sleep. By the time the clock struck twelve and I'd already read 100 pages in a book, counted sheep, and put socks on my cold feet, I resorted to my last weapon-- the only thing soothing enough to carry me to dreamland:

I watched Twilight.

The creepy part? Twilight doesn't put me to sleep because it's boring. Twilight puts me to sleep because it makes me feel like people I love are in the room with me.

TMI?

It's probably not surprising that, this morning, I woke up 30 minutes after my alarm (which I do not for the life of me remember turning off) and thought, "Really? Another day? Do I really have to do this again? Why can't I just be a vampire and steal money and not have to sleep?"

And even though the only thing I wanted to do was watch more Twilight and read more Twilight and listen to more Twilight music and eat a bagel with loads of cream cheese while thinking about Twilight, I picked myself up out of bed, put on normal clothes, and drove myself to the coffee shop so that I could get some work done.

And here I am! Thus far, I've accomplished exactly TWO things (hooray)! (One of them includes writing this blog post).

Someone once asked me, "How do you do it all?"

And though I've given you a very theoretical version of how I plan my day and written a post on how a typical day goes, I thought that you should know that I am irrevocably and unabashedly human.

Though some days, I want to sit on the couch, I keep training for my half marathon because I want it that bad. (And because twice a week, I work out with my dad who would kill me if I didn't show up).

Though I have fleeting thoughts of waving a white flag and getting a normal job, I don't do that because I remember why I started this damn business in the first place. (It doesn't hurt that I so brazenly announced my goals in Project Moolah).

Though pushing "publish" makes me feel vulnerable, I do it because I know how important it is to keep my promise to deliver.

Though some days, I desperately want to throw it all up in the air and spend weeks watching Twilight over and over again, I don't do that because (a) I (unfortunately) don't own all of the movies, (b) it's creepy, (c) I'd have no friends, and (d)...

THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN DOING WHAT YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DO.

Want to get more done in this life? Tell everyone what your doing and then keep your promise.

It'll take a lot of decision making pressure away.

But what I really want to know is:What are the sad/pathetic/creepy guilty pleasures that you'd rather indulge in than doing your work today?

My running list for the day includes:

• Twilight
• Cheese
• Coca Cola
• Sugary scones
• Pinterest pinning of Taylor Lautner

(If you don't know about it, it's time to crawl out from your rock and get with the program here). 

The response to the Project Moolah Report has flattered and wow'd me. I'm so happy that you have found it useful to read about my stumbles and successes! Happy dance!

Since it's birth, I have received questions about Project Moolah. 

Most frequently, you ask me...

"Why $2,000? Is that really enough?"

So today, I'm telling you exactly how I came up with the $2K goal. Even better -- I'm telling you exactly how you can come up with your own, reasonable, achieveable goal.

Here are the steps I took to create my Project Moolah goal:

The first thing I did was ask myself, "What's the minimum I need to survive?"

• Write down all of your fixed living expenses and add them up (rent, car, food, loans, cell phone, etc...).

Then, "What would be, like, an AMAZING amount of money to make by next year?"

• $30,000? $40,000? 50, 60, 100? Say the number out loud and pay attention to how it makes you feel.

• Once you feel major butterflies and excitement (even a little fear), you've got the right number.

• This number isn't your goal, but it gives you an idea of the bigger picture of where you'd like to go even farther in the future. Having a bigger goal makes the baby steps worth it.

Next, I laid out exactly what I would exchange for that money.

• What services do I offer? How much do I charge? 

• What products do I offer? How much do I charge?

• What services/products would I like to launch? How much will they cost?

The fun part: Deciding on your number

• How much can you REALISTICALLY earn with your income streams? (This number should be about 80% of your goal income. You'll come up with new ideas along the way to cover for the last 20%. Besides, it's good to feel a little scared so that you can push the envelope).

Lastly, I made a plan.

• The above work means diddly squat without a plan. Your plan, however, is flexible and WILL MOST DEFINITELY CHANGE AND EVOLVE as you move forward and gain more information.

• When you create a plan, you get a crystal clear picture of where you are right now vs. where you want to go. The plan breaks down all of the steps that you need to take in order to get there.

• How much will each income stream have to earn each month in order for you to reach your goal?

Block off 30 minutes this afternoon to sit and think about these questions, whether you're an entrepreneur or working (wo)man. The answers create the foundation of financial freedom.

Aw, shoot. Here's a breakdown of the steps:

Truth: You won't start earning real cash money until you start acting like a Pro.

If you work hard, life will get easier. If you work hard, people will see how talented you are and reward you for it by giving you work that you actually want to do.

As I drove to work every morning in 2010, that's exactly what I told myself. You're young. Work's supposed to suck right now, just take a big gulp of coffee and swallow it down. 

So I did what we all do: I forced myself out of bed every morning at 7 AM and drove to work. I was a teacher for students who needed extra help. 

I'd accepted the job for the teaching company because I'd been told that I was great at teaching.

But something inside of me told me that teaching just wasn't made for me.

Did I listen to my body's obvious cues to move on?

No.

I figured that I just needed to suck it up and do the work. Pay my dues. No one else was complaining about their work, so I told myself that I was too whiney. 

And then one day, I snapped. 

My efforts to surpress my hatred for my job failed. That little feeling that this job wasn't right for me evolved into a full-blown anxiety attack.

So I quit my job.

And for a long time afterwords, I felt like a failure.

Logically speaking, it was a great job. In fact, I'd read a statistic reporting that special education is one of the happiest careers. 

The problem? SPECIAL EDUCATION WAS NOT THE CAREER FOR ME.

Rather than forcing myself to become great at a skill that I was supposed, I learned to focus on what I already loved to do--what I was already good at.

I asked myself: What did I hate about that job?

The answer was easy: I hated being micromanaged. I hated following systems that challenged my core beliefs. I hated being treated like a pawn.

And then I let myself dream about what I really wanted out of a career.

I wanted freedom.

I wanted the ability to travel.

I hated being tied to a location and wanted to be able to work from anywhere on the planet.

I wanted to build my own schedule.

I wanted to be creative.

I wanted to inspire people just like me.

And that's how I figured out that what I really wanted was to be an entrepreneur.

"As a young man, I thought I needed to go to college and then be employed, and that owning a business is for rich people. That was all wrong. It’s possible for almost anyone to start their own business, and while you’ll probably do badly at first, you’ll learn quickly. It’s a much better education than college.”

Leo Babauta, Zen Habits 

I'd be lying to you if I said it was easy. Starting your own business is, perhaps, the hardest thing you can ever do. I make mistakes every day that cost me time and money. I make a fool out of myself. I make typos. I forget to reply to emails.

But I wouldn't trade it for any other job in the world.

My challenge to you today is simple, but difficult.

I want you to let go of what's reasonable. Let go of what makes logical sense. Let go of the shoulds and the have tos. Let go of the idea that there's anything that you must do in order to get from point A to point B.

Instead, take out a piece of paper and answer this question:

What do you really want out of your job/career/business?

As Einstein said,

"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." - Einstein via @CourtRJ

I'd love for you to share your answers in the comments so that I can read more about what inspires you!

If you liked this post, you'll also want to read: How to Start Your Side Hustle in 3 Steps.

Psst: Are you an entrepreneur?

Utterly dumbfounded.

That’s how I felt in college when I heard someone in my political science class ask, “Kazakhstan is a real country?!”

Oh. Em. Gee, I thought to myself, Does this idiot ever watch the news?!

In fact, the Kazakhstan comment enraged me so much that I made a speech in my speech class (go figure) encouraging my classmates to read the news every day. (There were even more fools in that class than in my Poli Sci one, so I figured I was performing a public service).

These people needed some educatin’ and I was happy to give it to them.

And then something horribly confusing happened to me that made me question everything I had been preaching.

I realized that I HATE the news.

The news makes me feel icky, angry, and helpless. I’d even go as far as to say that the news is one of the causes of depression because it forces us to focus on all of the shit that's hitting the world's fan.

And it was through this realization that I learned a very important lesson:

There’s a huge difference between being informed and devouring information.

(That’s a tweetable. So tweet it out. Duh).

As it turns out, I can’t staaaaand negativity. Negativity turns me into a disgruntled old man. Negativity makes me want to sleep in until noon and blame the world for my troubles. NEGATIVITY = COOTIES.

And it’s not just the news that spawns negativity—so do many of the people in your life (and the other information that you read).

In the years since my “Why you should watch the news more” speech, I’ve started singing another tune. It’s a happy, optimistic tune that makes me feel good. In fact, I’ve become such a positivity activist that I came thiiiiiis close to applying to doctoral programs in Positive Psychology. (Unfortunately, they weren't going to let me curse in my research articles).

These are my strategies for kicking negativity right in the nuts:

1. 3 strikes, you're out!

Facebook friends. Real friends. Imaginary friends...BEWARE. If I see a whiny, negative, or otherwise irritating status update from you (especially if it includes bitching about your day or other people), you go on my naughty list.

Two more times? YOU'RE OUT. Unsubscribe. See ya later.

Listen—I get it. We all have bad days, difficult moments, stressful times.

I just don't want it around me 24/7/365.

2. News...eh.

The news. Stresses. Me out.

I wish it didn't. I honestly wish that I could watch CNN pundits spout nonsensical jibber jabber while meditating in a Zen-like world of peace and love... BUT I CAN'T.

Watching the news doesn't help me to be productive and make a contribution to the world.

The work I do depends on high energy, positivity, and inspiration. It's hard to write about my idealistic pursuits after hearing Erin Burnett ask "specialists" about whether or not Michelle Obama's nail polish is going to impact the economy.

I'm HUMAN. I get angry. The difference between me and you (maybe) is that I've created an environment where the negativity doesn't touch me. Defense!

3. Create an inspiration avalanche.

Sometimes I just get in a funk. Something stupid happens. I hear a stranger at the grocery store make an outlandish comment. I see something absurd. I'm tired. I'm hungry.

Neither you or I can operate at our highest function or as our highest, most edified self ALL THE TIME. Life comes in goes in cycles. It keeps things interesting!

What can you do? Strengthen your offence.

Not only do I block negativity from bursting my bubble, I also make my bubble stronger (think death star) by making sure to read something inspirational every day. A book. A blog. A newspaper article (shhh).

Not sure where to start? Here are three books that I recommend:

Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation, by Sharon Salzberg

The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg

War of Art, by Steven Pressfield

Do you have your own strategies for combatting negativity? I bet your tips could help others (the more positivity, the better).

Share your strategies in the comments!

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