The Real Secret to Thriving While Working From Home

Here are a few photos of fabulous Joy Buddy activities from past events…  

And some creative things people have done! 

People have taken the little yellow Joy Buddies I throw out at events and done all manner of wonderful things with them.  

Such amazing creativity!  

Like that which is exploding now as people are posting all sorts of clever and hysterical things on SM to lighten things up. 

There have been two of my groups in particular – one from a library where a mystery person would create a Joy Buddy scene each week and no one had any idea who was doing it – but it brought the whole team together as they could not wait to see what was next and talk about it! 

Look at the wonderful things they did! Even roast pigs on a spit! LOL!  

You could be doing these at home now and sharing on our Your Joy Buddies Group page…or set up a competition to see who could create the best Joy Buddy construction and get your children and partner involved – or room mates or house mates or colleagues!  You can make them, buy them on our website – or in the USA go to Oriental Trading Company)

• 

But not all joy buddies are physically with you! 

That’s the beauty of them at a time of ’social isolation’. 

Like I say in the poster at the end of this – a copy of which we have made available on my website and everywhere else! – you can REALLY be grateful for the changes in your life right now – or let yourself be crushed. 

Of course it’s not easy – my income stopped too. In an instant. Being a self employed speaker means that like it did with 911, my total income stream stopped overnight! So I know how you feel if you have lost a job or are on furlough. 

Fortunately, I was earning enough to put money away in reserve, I know many of you would not have been in that fortunate situation, statistics tell us over 55% of people live week to week. 

I learned that from the second similar event like this in my life! 

For many of you this is your first event and I would love to think Mel (my wonderful VP of everything) and I could help you in some way.

At the time I lost all my money – the first time I have been through something like this – I moved countries and was on the most challenging and steepest learning curve I have ever been on.  

Frankly it was horrible while it was happening and as I was teaching people how to stay positive, I had to practice what I preached – but it wasn’t easy! However, I did it and it helped me a lot – but I still had times of abject misery, hopelessness and rocking in a corner! ButI knew I could not let it last for too long.   

I had to WAKE UP and realise there were many lessons in this – and the hardest thing – admit my own contribution to my situation. And trust me, I did contribute – and if I am honest, I created the circumstances in which I could be taken advantage of, AND we all do in some way as we are the creators of our lives. 

Now before you think she is a heartless b…h – I’m not. There is a global thing happening which appears to be totally out of our control. We always feel better when we perceive or we have some control – so here is the good news! 

Right now, our response to the situation is totally in our control. 

You are in charge of your thinking and your behaviour and responses. 

At the time of my deepest devastation, I knew I had a choice – to give in or give up – or own my part and get on and live!  

As I started to get back on my feet – one year later 911 happened! WHAM! Overnight everything changed again – with a whole lot more trauma followed by fear. 

This time it’s just fear! No real trauma – other than my income being shut down over night. 

As Dr Mark Sircus said “Corona virus is nothing to take lightly. It is also nothing to panic about.’Despite what the media is saying. Remember, there are many perspectives and many different statistics we can look at – all of which tell different stories. 

If you buy into the hype and media terror and don’t look at other figures and scenarios going on then you are making a choice to shrivel up, close down and shut yourself off from this potential opportunity! 

Before the cynics stab me in all the many ways we can be digitally stabbed today – stop and think about this. The vast majority of people will limp along through this and just exist and make it. 

The vast majority will either not catch the virus or have a mild version and recover. 

A small percentage – the ones at the right hand side of the bell curve – who are in the same situation as the vast majority – will look at this – will perceive this – will tell themselves a different story about this that is different from the majority. They will find a way to make it an opportunity.

 They will use it as a time to expand; to grow; to invent; to work on themselves and their lives; to improve all their relationships; to learn something new; to fix everything that needs to be fixed in the house; to learn something new; to be present parents; to look for a job – they will consciously choose to find some good in this change that has been thrust upon them.

I plan to be in that small percentage. 

You can too! 

ANY work that you do on yourself that is deep and meaningful will change your circumstances.  

ANY work you do to become a better human; to enhance your compassion, kindness, communication; to be more present; to connect with your essence; to remain positive will help you. 

And THAT is where Joy Buddies come in! 

You can poo poo it as a silly idea but you do realise that a Joy Buddy is like a mentor in many ways?  

A Joy Buddy is your resilience buddy; your accountability buddy; your commitment buddy; your wake up buddy who can call you on the disaster stories or untruths you are telling yourself…and much more. 

Now is the ideal time to establish a connection – which we crave as humans – with two people who are willing to be your Joy Buddies and engage with them – honestly and with real authenticity. 

YOU will be the one who benefits most – you will ALL benefit – IF you choose to accept the mission!  

Avoid buying into the field of fear that surrounds us all. Shield yourself in a joy bubble with your Joy Buddies and hold each other accountable for choosing to find the monotonous goodness that is always here and for the new goodness that comes out of the virus. 

Things may never be the same again. They may just turn out to be better! It’s a possibility – if you choose to believe it. 

For example….

• 

I rest my case! ENJOY! Our first poster is below – Please share it with your family, friends, colleagues and your Joy Buddies! Or click here to follow the link to print your own copy. 

Zooties from your online Joy Buddies, 
Amanda & Mel xx

•