Ever had one of those days? You know, a day where you're struggling to maintain your sanity and happiness? I can't really help with your sanity, but I can help you with your happiness.

Starting today, I'll be presenting a new series:
"28 Days to a Happier, More Productive You"

I know what you're thinking, "You can't fix me in 28 days!"
Don't be so sure :)

Besides, it's not me who'll be fixing you. You'll be fixing you.

Each "Day" will be a new exercise. A practical look into your life and how you're living it. I recommend you print each blog post and do the exercise with a pen or pencil. Then compile your notes as you move on to the following exercises.

We'll start by assessing where you're at. Let's figure out where you're lacking and where you're excelling. It might be that your personal life rocks and your professional life stinks. It could be the other way around. It could be that your life is gravy. You won't know until you start digging.

So who is this series for? Everyone! Whether you're a seasoned pro or a complete newbie. You could be a top sales professional or a small business owner. It doesn't matter where you're from or who you know. The lessons we'll be talking about will apply to you.

Now I have to warn you. You may find out things about yourself that you don't like. That's OK! Let's work on fixing those things. On the flip-side, I'll bet you'll find exceptional qualities you never knew you had.

I'm excited for you! Are you ready?

Without further ado, here's Day 1 of "28 Days to Happier, More Productive You"

DAY 1: Self Assessment
So the first thing you need to do is figure out whether you need to improve. In order to get a baseline, rank the following statements on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 that you don't agree, 10 that you strongly agree). Feel free to print this post and keep it on file.

1. I need more time for myself    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
2. I need more time with my family/friends    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
3. I need to spend less time at work    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
4. I am not productive with my time    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
5. I want to improve my quality of life    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
6. I want to make more money    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
7. I am concerned about my health    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
8. I am stressed out    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
9. I am not happy professionally     1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

10. I want to make a change    1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

Now add up all your scores and write the total here: _______
Compare your total score to the following grading system

• (1 - 25) Your life is pretty great. Congrats! Did you recognize areas you could improve in? No one is perfect, but let's push for perfection.
  
• (26 - 50) There are definitely areas you need to work on. Are you getting a better ideas where? You're in the middle of the pack. Are you ready to be at the top?
  
• (51 - 75) You're only a couple steps away from losing control. Work may be taking over your personal life. Family issues may be affecting your work. Let's start working now.
• (76 - 100) You are in need of some major change. You've probably lost complete control of your time and you might find your energy and motivation are lagging. Are you ready to make some big changes?

Now that you have a better idea of where you stand, start thinking of ways you can change. In the coming days and weeks we'll be talking about specific things you can implement that will improve your quality of life.

But don't wait! Start thinking of ideas on your own. Show your spouse or one of your trusted friends how you scored yourself. Ask them for help. The journey's only just begun.

Stay tuned for DAY 2 coming soon.

Here's to your success!

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Well, it's 2012. Holy cow! What happened to 2011? I don't know about you but last year flew by. I learned a lot, grew a lot, and explored a lot. Did you?

So I'm always talking about following your passion. I finally took my own advice. Next month I'm publishing my first novel (check it out HERE) ! Take a look at the book cover on the left. I think it's pretty sweet.

So in my journey to follow my passion of becoming an author I learned some things. I thought I'd share them with you so you can start off the New Year in the right way. So here we go:

Push past the fear: I started writing my novel on a trip to DisneyWorld. Why? I don't know. The inspiration just hit me. Maybe it was ambiance of Disney Magic or the giant turkey leg I ate while riding Pirates of the Caribbean. I was well on my way when all of a sudden...fear set in. Fear of the unknown (how was I going to finish?). Fear of failure (how the heck was I going to get it published). Fear of rejection (would anyone like my book?). Those fears threatened to derail my quest. So what did I do? In true Marine fashion I pushed through. Whenever fear started creeping in, I pushed it back. You need to do the same. Kick that fear and doubt out of your head. It will only hold you back. Toughen yourself mentally for the hurdles ahead and always maintain sight of the end goal.

Figure it out: I'd had a little exposure into the publishing world but not much. So one of the doubts that began to creep in on me was "how the heck am I going to get published?" As I tend to do, I took to the internet. You can find fantastic resources for pretty much anything. In no time I was back on track with a solid plan for getting my book published; all because I took a little time to just figure it out and ask a couple questions. So if you're scared about how to fulfill your passion, jump on your computer and type in any question in one of the many search engines. Try "how do I start a baking company" or "how do I get published." You'll get a lot of hits. Dig through and see what you can find. Oh, and don't forget to take notes and bookmark your favorites.

Ignore the naysayers: I don't know if you've heard about it, but there's this underground battle going on between traditional publishers (think the guys in expensive NYC office towers) and the new publishing platforms like Amazon. Well, the old breed wants to maintain as much control as they can while Amazon wants to take care of everyone including the independents (that's me). After reading a lot of blogs and comments I found a common thread among the supposed "real literati." You know, the people that think John Grisham stinks and that only high-brow literature like Jane Austen (nothing against Jane. Pride and Prejudice is one of my faves) should ever be considered for publishing. Well guess what? Those people don't represent the vast majority of readers around the world and yet we look to them to tell us what we should and should not publish. I actually felt myself being pulled in by their condescension and had to do a quick about face and run for the hills once I realized they were trying to crush my dream. You'll run into the same thing. Family that say going into business for yourself is crazy. Professionals of any industry that say you'll never carve out a niche in their business. Don't listen to them!!! As long as you've done the prep needed and really done soul-searching about whether you have the ability to take your passion to the next level...
IGNORE THE NAYSAYERS!

So in a nutshell, let 2012 be the year of Your Passion. Do your homework and start down that path. Put on blinders when you need to but surround yourself with people that will give you constructive feedback but always push you in the right direction. Now get out there and take some action!