You're Right

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Golf anyone? Historically I haven’t been a very good putter but last weekend I delightfully sank the longest putt of my life. Then the crazy part was that a few holes later I did it again! Of course today’s sunny note isn’t about golf, it’s about what we believe we’re capable of and how that belief shapes our achievements. Quite simply, to achieve more:

Think bigger.

We’re each capable of so much more than we currently believe is possible, we just have to expand our thinking. This applies to every area of our lives, not just on the golf course where my recent improvement came about after playing with a friend earlier this spring who kept saying “you can make that,” as I faced lengthy putts that I used to assume were impossible.

In business, at home and on the golf course, let’s set our sights higher – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right." Henry Ford.

P.P.S. To receive Sunny Notes each Friday morning in your email, simply Visit This Link to sign up.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Finish Line

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Did this feel like a marathon week? I'm reminded that life itself is a marathon. At home and at work, anyone can sprint at the beginning of an exciting new project or opportunity. It's easier when we're inspired. However, to be successful we need the ability to "stick with it" long after the initial excitement wears off and the inspiration fades.

Persevere.

Don't get distracted. Personally, I have to admit that sorting my inbox often seems more urgent once tasks I'm working on lose their appeal, but those are the times when it's critical to stay focused regardless of whether or not it’s fun anytime. The results of persevering beyond the point where others might quit, can be simply amazing.

Let’s make it to the finish line - and have a sunny day!

Clarity

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.” Benjamin Franklin

P.P.S. To receive Sunny Notes each Friday morning in your email, simply Visit This Link to sign up.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Cheerleaders

Good morning,

It's Friday! Earlier this week I was talking with a friend of mine who is job hunting. He was telling me he'd found a posting for the perfect position for him. Then he added, but they probably won't think I'm qualified. Have you ever done this? Let self-doubt talk you out of something before you even start?

Believe in yourself!

Many of us are our own harshest critic when we need to be our own biggest cheerleader and encourager. Confidence is believing in yourself and then acting accordingly, without waiting around for someone else to say "you can do it."

The best part is that it's a self-fulfilling prophecy, the more you believe, the more you can achieve.

Let's go for it - and have a sunny day!

P.S. "The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you. Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." William Jennings Bryan

P.P.S. To receive Sunny Notes each Friday morning in your email, simply Visit This Link to sign up.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Independence

Good morning,

It’s Friday! I hope you had a nice week and a happy Independence Day. How wonderful it is to be free as a country and free as individuals to stand up for our own principles, beliefs and values. This morning I’m reflecting on our freedom to:

Think freely.

Each of us has the opportunity, and perhaps the obligation, to form our own opinions and forge our own path. Other people may try to tell us what to do and even how to think, but we are free to make our own decisions.

Let’s be independent – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "Independence – is loyalty to one’s best self and principles, and this is often disloyalty to the general idols and fetishes.” Mark Twain

P.P.S. To receive Sunny Notes each Friday morning in your email, simply Visit This Link to sign up.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Courage

Good morning,

Wow! Monday seems like it was just here but today really is Friday. Yesterday a friend of mine was anxiously worrying and our discussion brought to mind some wise words from Dale Carnegie.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

Taking positive action, however small, can get us moving in the right direction to overcome challenges and conquer fears.

Today let's have courage - and a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "Fortune favors the brave." Publius Terence

P.P.S. Please help spread the sunshine. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Have you ever gotten a new car and then suddenly you see the same model everywhere? Last time I bought a car it seemed like everybody followed my example and got the same one in the same color no less. Of course what really happened is this.

We find what we’re looking for.

This is true in pretty much all areas of our lives and when it comes to managing employees, apparently it’s been scientifically proven, according to an article in yesterday’s Science Daily.

“How leaders view their employees tends to become a self-fulfilling prophecy,” according to Thomas Sy, assistant professor of psychology at UC Riverside and a longtime business leadership consultant. In what he describes as the first study to examine leaders' conceptions of followers, the psychologist found that "if managers view followers positively -- that they are good citizens, industrious, enthusiastic -- they will treat their employees positively. If they think of their employees negatively -- that they are conforming, insubordinate and incompetent -- they will treat them that way," he said. "Manager beliefs about employees impact organizational outcomes."

This study is an interesting reinforcement of an important piece of common sense, that having positive expectations increases the likelihood of positive results.

Let’s stay positive – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being." Goethe

P.P.S. I always enjoy hearing from you and I thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Let's Face It

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Have you ever noticed that things we're afraid of or worry about most, often turn out to be nothing when we finally confront them? Instead of wasting energy on worry:

Take action.

Taking action to confront a fear is like turning on a light to confront the dark. You do it, and it usually turns out there was nothing there.

So whatever is worrying us most today, let's shine a light on it - and have a sunny day.

Clarity


"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." Plato

P.P.S. I always enjoy hearing from you and I thank you for sharing A Sunny Note with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Field of Dreams

Good morning,

Happy it’s-almost-Spring Friday! Earlier this week during a Yes! Network seminar, motivational speaker Niurka made the point that ‘Whatever you feed grows. Whatever you starve dies.’ So, this Spring as we’re nourishing our lawns and gardens, let’s also…

Nourish our dreams.

Attention is the life blood of dreams. As we go through each day paying bills, raising children and chasing seemingly endless tasks, the easiest thing in the world is to stop paying attention to our dreams. Yet once we neglect them by directing our energies elsewhere, they begin to fade. Sure, a dream doesn’t require 24 hour a day care, but if starved too long for attention, it can wither and die.

So here’s to hoping your dreams flourish - and you have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "People need dreams, there's as much nourishment in 'em as food."
Dorothy Gilman

P.P.S. I always enjoy hearing from you and I thank you for sharing A Sunny Note with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Go Team

Good morning,

Hurray - we made it to Friday! Looking back at this week, the word that describes it best is teamwork. So many things I'm proud to say got accomplished and not one of them by me alone. Today's sunny tip is simply this.

Work together.

Business is a team sport. Yet so many of us who care passionately about our work are at risk of trying to do it all ourselves. That's just not possible and if we try that approach we limit or diminish the results.

Instead, look for ways to effectively collaborate. One of the keys is to ask for help or involve other people BEFORE the crisis point...you know, that moment when you discover you can't do it alone and now it's a crisis because you didn't anticipate the need and involve someone else earlier in the process...

Instead of trying to avoid the need for help, let's anticipate it - and have a sunny day.

Clarity

P.S. "The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." Babe Ruth

P.P.S. I always enjoy hearing from you and I thank you for sharing A Sunny Note with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Believe It

Good morning,

It was great hearing news reports this week about Michigan organizations planning to expand their workforces. This raises the question, what traits are employers looking for when hiring?

When asked this question, a business owner conducting a recent seminar replied, “Confidence, above anything else.” So today's sunny note is a reminder to...

Believe in yourself.

When you have confidence that you can accomplish anything, anything can be accomplished. The world needs what you have to offer.

Believe it - and have a sunny day.

Clarity

P.S. "As is our confidence, so is our capacity." William Hazlitt

P.P.S. I always enjoy hearing from you and I thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
SunnyMediaGroup.com

Just Because

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Some things in life are worth doing just because they’re the right thing to do. The world is full of crossroads where commercial interests and human concerns seem to point in different directions. Today’s sunny note is simply a reminder to take the high road.

Do the right thing just because it’s the right thing to do.

Not every action needs an obvious “return on investment.” It’s inevitable that some of the things we do for the people in our lives will go unnoticed or even unappreciated. Yet we do them anyway. Not for pats on the back or commercial rewards, but simply because we care.

In fact, caring turns out to be its own reward, making each of us happier at the end of the road.

Drive safely – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. In response to last week’s Sunny Note, Cheri Young sent in a great suggestion that I asked her permission to share with you today. Here is Cheri’s recommended alternative to "resolutions." Thanks Cheri!

>>>I find that most resolutions are good for about 3-4 days, after that we are crabby and discouraged. I make a list called "less and more." This way I can celebrate improvement and failure never happens unless I quit trying.

Instead of the usual, I want to lose XX pounds. How about:

I want to eat more real fruit and less refined sugars.
I want to eat more lean protein and fewer fast food hamburgers
Supporting actions:
• Change purchases at grocery store, we tend to eat what is at hand.
• Eat Grilled chicken salads instead of fried foods at restaurants.

I want to spend less time on routine cooking.
I want to spend more time entertaining.
Supporting actions:
• Double the recipe on "routine" foods and store/freeze for another day.
• Pick one weekend a month and invite friends for dinner and cards. (Friends bring the wine and fruit-based dessert.)

I want to save more money.
Supporting actions:
• Increase your retirement savings by one percent and eat out less often.
• Throw change in a cookie jar for the next vacation instead of using your credit card.
• Invite friends to dinner and cards instead of going out, put saved dollars in cookie jar.

As you can see, some actions have multiple results! This is way more fun and successful than promising to lose 10 pounds. Best Regards, Cheri

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
www.SunnyMediaGroup.com

Focus

Good morning,

Happy Holidays! At this time of year the joy of the season also brings with it some unique challenges of the season, as we rush around trying to pack so much activity into such a short timeframe. Inevitably, whether it’s during the holidays or not, we all occasionally find that we simply can’t do it all. When that happens, instead of getting frustrated by what you CAN’T do…

Focus on what you CAN do.

It’s very easy and counterproductive to get caught up in worrying about things that are beyond our ability to control. Instead, we’re better off accepting our limitations and crossing those undoable items off our list of concerns, which then enables us to focus more successfully on the things we can accomplish.

Let’s do what we can to have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” John Wooden

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Goal Posts

Good morning,

This is a special Friday because today fulfills the promise to my readers made one year ago to send a Sunny Note every Friday for 52 uninterrupted weeks. It was a fun goal as well as a challenging one. Looking back, it's the wonderful feedback received throughout the year from you, my sunny pen pals, that gives me the courage to set a new goal of bringing you another year of sunshine. This morning, I'll writing to say:

Thank you.

I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your life. My goal is to be helpful, even if it's only by making you smile with a reminder that it's Friday. Perhaps today's Sunny Note can also serve as a reminder for each of us about the importance of setting goals.

Let's ask ourselves, what would I like to achieve by this date next year? And have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Choosing goals that are important to you is one of the most essential things you can do in order to live your dreams." Les Brown

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Reflexes

Good morning,

It's Friday and Fall sure is beautiful here in Michigan. Today's sunny note is for all those times when things suddenly don't work out as planned. Those are the times when "positive thought reflexes" are so important, because one's first reaction to a situation influences everything that comes after.

Fortunately, we can train our brain like we train our muscles. So here's today's exercise. When the news hits, whatever it is, say to one's self:

"This is a good thing because..."

I've been doing this for so many years that it happens automatically. It doesn't mean ignoring the realities of the situation. It means focusing on the positive aspects FIRST. Coincidentally, this approach often changes the eventual "reality" into something more favorable than it could have been, had panic or frustration been the first reaction.

Just the other day someone instrumental to a time-sensitive project suddenly became unavailable. When he called me, the words had barely passed his lips and I was already thinking, "That's a good thing because..."

Next, the other half of my brain kicked in arguing, "No it's not good!" But it was too late for the negativity to take hold. The initial positive thought reflex was already generating ways in which the project could turn out better. And sure enough it did.

Today's sunny challenge is, when the unexpected hits, tell yourself first "it's a good thing" before any other thought sneaks in.

Happy Friday and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will." Zig Ziglar

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

I Think I can

Good morning,

It's Friday – and a beautiful sunny one to look forward to here in Michigan. Looking back, when I was a child one of my favorite books was "The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper. What a great story to inspire young children about the power of positive thinking, with The Little Engine encouraging himself…"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…" all the way up the hill.

Whether we learned positive thinking skills as children or need to develop them now, being able to encourage ourselves is essential to success. We can't rely on others to cheer "you can do it." Each of us most say:

I know I can.

Yes – you really can! Just because it hasn’t been done before, doesn’t mean you can't do it. Even if your objective sounds impossible and other people say it can't be done, you still can do it. In fact, much of what human beings have accomplished was once called impossible. Achieving the "impossible" just takes a little longer…and usually a little more effort.

Whatever your goal, start by thinking like The Little Engine that "could" who soon became The Little Engine that "did."

Happy Friday – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes." Mahatma Gandhi

P.P.S. By the way, the reason children’s books are on my mind right now is because a friend of mine, Larry Coleman, and I co-authored a book called "The Flying Reindeer Mystery" that just came out last week. No, there’s no wonderful lesson in it like "The Little Engine That Could," but it's a fun Christmas story for children of all ages. Our website is http://www.reindeermystery.com/ in case you’d like to see what I’m up to : )

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

"A" for Effort

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Last week Ursula Burns reminded us that working isn’t all about the cash. This morning I’m reflecting on one of the things that’s often as motivating as money, and that’s appreciation.

It’s human nature for us all to want to feel appreciated. But more importantly, all of us have the opportunity to show appreciation to others. At home and on the job, when you see someone do something well, simply take a moment to:

Applaud.

It's painless to applaud a person’s efforts or make a positive comment that shows you noticed. These small gestures, which cost nothing, are worth a lot. On the job, one doesn’t have to be a manager or in charge in order to show appreciation for others. We’re all in it together and we each have the power to change lives, one compliment at a time.

Smart business owners figured out long ago the value of making sure employees know they’re appreciated. Basically, the less they appreciate their people the more they have to pay them to achieve levels of performance or loyalty that showing appreciation would have helped cultivate.

I’m fortunate to work within an organization that appreciates its employees, and I know I couldn’t accomplish my work without the efforts of the people around me. But too often in the world hardworking people doing great things seem to go unnoticed or unacknowledged. So today I invite you to join me in saying “Great job!” to the next person you encounter who appears to be doing just that.

You’ll make them smile – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “When someone does something well, applaud! You will make two people happy.” Samuel Goldwyn

Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

One Thing

Good morning,

Happy Friday! It’s going to be a beautiful Labor Day weekend here in Michigan, and can you believe it’s September already? Time flies by and it’s easy to wake up wondering where all the days, months or even years went.

Chances are that most of us have goals and dreams we haven’t fulfilled yet. But let’s not give up, even in the face of adversity. This morning, instead of trying to achieve everything all at once, let’s ask ourselves:

What is one thing I can do today to improve my life?

The key is “today”– not tomorrow, not someday. Identify one thing to do right now that will make a difference. For some of us it’s something big, like enrolling in college. For others it’s something small, like making a phone call. Maybe it’s as simple as taking a soothing walk with the dog (Bambi, I’m coming…)

Whatever it is, don’t delay – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Vincent van Gogh

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday or read prior Sunny Notes at clarity.tv.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Sunny Face

Good morning,

Hurray for Friday! Even when it’s not the end of the work week, Friday still makes me smile. In fact, smiling is the topic of today’s Sunny Note – because it’s good for business and good for our health.

When we get up in the morning, putting on a smile is as important – or more important – than anything else we wear. It’s worth the effort to…

Put on a happy face.

I was recently talking with a friend who’s dealing with a lot of challenges at home and at work. The weight of the world seems to be on his shoulders and yet he puts on a smile every day. Does he feel like smiling? No! But he smiles anyway and that simple act improves his career, his life and the lives of the people around him.

Smiling is so important that it’s official policy at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Livonia, where their training presentation includes this three-step slide:

• STEP #1 – Smile
• STEP #2 – Make other people smile
• STEP #3 – Repeat as necessary

When times are tough it’s more important than ever to smile – and make other people smile – as often as possible.

This morning I’m sending you a smile and wishing you a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday or read prior Sunny Notes at http://www.clarity.tv/.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Enjoy The Race

Good morning,

It’s Friday and that’s reason to smile! Last week’s Sunny Note encouraged big goals, because the bigger our goals the more we’re likely to achieve. Yet as we’re pursuing our dreams, let’s not forget that while the destination is important:

The journey matters most.

In business and life, it’s easy to get so focused on the finish line that we forget to enjoy the race. Enjoying the race is especially important since some finish lines won’t be reached. We might change direction, reevaluate our priorities or – sorry to mention the morbid truth – drop dead before we get there.

Inevitably, big goals involve big hurdles to overcome. That’s just part of the journey. And maybe we’ll reach the finish line, maybe we won’t. Either way, if we enjoy the race, compete with integrity and learn from the hurdles along the way, then no matter what – we are winners.

So here’s to the journey – and a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” Ursula K. LeGuin

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday or read prior Sunny Notes at www.clarity.tv.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Windshield or Bug

Good morning,

Happy Friday - It's going to be a sunny day! This morning I woke up thinking about someone I met about six years ago, who is one of the sunniest people I know. His name is Willie Jolley and he's the author of a delightful book whose key message is right there in the title.

A Setback is a Setup for a Comeback.
We all face setbacks in our lives. No matter how successful we are or want to be, success involves overcoming setbacks. Sure, let's make the most of the good times. But we can also bounce back from the bad times.

As Willie Jolley puts it, sometimes you're the windshield and sometimes you're the bug. "When you're the windshield, you are big and strong and invincible; when you're the bug, you will keep running into obstacles." He reminds us that even on the days when we're the bug, the outcome depends on our attitude.

A positive attitude helps develop resiliency. "When you hit the windshield, you no longer smash and crash and die." You bounce off the windshield and are "thrust into a higher trajectory and you start to fly at a higher level."

Willie's book touchingly reminds us that we can survive setbacks and use them to propel ourselves to even greater success.

Today - whether we're the windshield or the bug - let's have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative."
W. Clement Stone

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting ASunnyNote.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com