In the Wizard of Oz, the perfect life was always beyond reach, in a world over the rainbow.  If happiness is only possible ‘when’ or ‘if’, then it is always out of reach.  If we can build a habit of finding joy, successes or learnings outside of perfection, we are more likely to find contentment.  It is good to be ambitious, but we should never aim for perfection, otherwise, we leave ourselves no room for improvement and more susceptible to disappointment.

Experience has taught me, the quicker the rise, the faster the fall.   I remember, jumping for joy with my sales mentor when I made a huge sale on the spot (selling high end retirement).  He was not so encouraging or enthusiast as he normally would be.  I was disappointed.  He warned me, that when people make quick impulse decisions, they can equally make quick impulse decisions to back out and often do. He was right. They did.  Success doesn’t happen over night and it’s not easy being patient, but anything worth doing takes time. When you feel frustrated, stay focused on your important goal and value the lesson in every struggle.

Without the valleys, the peaks will never seem as high.  It’s those lows that will help us appreciate the highs when they come.  Quite often our journey serves as a story for us to demonstrate our knowledge.  This may be to justify decisions in our business to another, to advise a client or when mentoring another person.

Avoid comparing yourself to others.  They are definitely not like you, nor you like them. That’s what makes you unique and special. No one’s life is as picturesque as it appears on the surface and very few have overnight success. Most people who are successful (and maintain their success) have had to survive challenges as well. Remember, the life you see online is also the one that has been self-curated.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. To the contrary. Research has shown that those who demonstrate resilience, those that can roll with the punches, are comfortable with reaching out for help when they need it.  Vulnerability shows maturity, mindfulness and awareness that comes with emotional intelligence.  Better to be self-aware than painfully ignorant or suffering in silence.

Don’t let worry consume you.  Focus on the things that are within your control.  Try not to be consumed by the What-ifs, rather trust that you will be able to deal with what will come your way when it does.

Remember to celebrate the wins.  Find the silver lining in your day. What things are you grateful for? What are the little miracles that have occurred in your day? Even if it was just finding a carpark when you were running late or in a hurry.  Take a moment, the celebrate that little miracle and let loose an internal cry of “yes!”.