This blog is going to be short because I’ve been neglecting my latest book project and need to get back to it. But I wanted to quickly share the 4 P’s I’ve been trying to live by. I share in the hopes they may help someone else. I didn’t invent these P’s. I collected them through the years. They’re fairly easy to remember, but I keep a sticky-note on my computer as a constant reminder.
First, Poise. Think “be like Grace Kelly.” Cool. Calm. Collected. I struggle with this. I fail at this daily. But when I find myself freaking out or losing my cool, a voice in my head screams out “poise” and I take a deep breath and channel a composed demeanor. For the younger crowd who isn’t familiar with Grace Kelly, perhaps channel Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, instead.
Second, Positivity. Focus on the positive. Don’t be negative. SPEAK only the positive. Think about silver linings, the bright side, and all of that. People might accuse you of having your head in the clouds – but I’m sure there’s an upside to that too.
Third, Posture. Sit up straight. Good gracious, I can hear my grandmother now. She’s always preaching good posture. If she had her way, I would have spent my teens with a stack of books balanced on my head. Good posture doesn’t only make you look more confident, it makes you feel more confident. There’s been studies on it – look it up.
And finally, Praise. Tell people when they’re doing a great job. Tell a friend or family member what they mean to you, and why. Sometimes it’s easier to point out the flaws of others. For some reason it can be hard to give a compliment, but DO IT. And do it often.
That’s it. Those are my 4 P’s. Some days I think my post-it needs to be bigger. Sometimes I swap Positivity for Pessimism and have to course correct. But at the end of the day, these are the 4 P’s that speak to me. Oooh … ooh. I’ve thought of a fifth. Procrastination. I don’t recommend this one. And on that note, I need to get back to my book project. Enjoy your day!