I’m full of quotes at the moments but life has been pretty challenging recently for various reasons (with some good and some bad) and it’s one way like another to process things and to go with the flow. I could write a whole book of little mantras I have in my head to keep me going but over the years, I’ve learnt a few things that always, always make sense if you are willing to look at things in a positive way and like anything else, being positive is a skill that can be learnt.

1\ Even ‘bad’ things happening are a blessing in disguise if you let them be (that guy you cried for, for months probably did you a favour, that job you lost led to new adventures…). In fact, I challenge you to write a list of all the negative things that happened to you and write next to it the good things that happened after or the things you learnt from it.

2\ What doesn’t kill you really make you stronger! I once wrote a piece for Kelly Hoppen about my journey as an entrepreneur from the year I launched BODIE and FOU and I couldn’t believe how much heavy stuff I had to go through year after year during the first 5 years (business account hacked just after Xmas, economic downturn, cashflow, bailiffs, bankrupted landlord just after moving in new premises etc…) etc.

3\ Love the downs as much as the ups. The downs make you who you are, they force you out of your comfort zone and encourage you to be resourceful, to be creative and ultimately to grow as an individual. The downs are there to make you appreciate the ups so don’t focus on them and don’t let them define your life. They happen, deal with it and move on.