Not everyone is a bubbling crock-pot of optimism and positive energy. And even so there will be times when the going gets tough enough that looking on the bright side is really hard to do. Here are few tricks that I use to stay positive, feel pretty, and wake up the next day with a smile.

1. Make a list
• If you make a "to-do" list, then you can check things off said "to-do" list. Accomplishing something has got to make you feel good no matter what it is. You can even write down and cross it off at the same time.
2. Compliment others
• Whenever I struggle with seeing myself as smart, pretty, or clever, I take a break from scrutinizing myself. Stop looking in the mirror, reviewing the bad test score, or replaying management bashing your idea at last week's meeting. Turn your attention to those around you instead and find something great about them - and then tell them! You can bet that you aren't the only one that has crappy days sometimes so brighten up their day and that happiness will become contagious and find its way back to you.
3. Reflect within
• Take some solitary time to look inside yourself and define what you are good at. What are your PODs or points-of-difference? Are you really good at convincing people to spend money? Are you really good at pointing out every error in data sheets and articles? Are you good at easing a stuffy room with your personality flair? Once you narrow down your strengths to the top 3 or so, find new ways that you can use these skills, or ask someone else to help you find new opportunities to apply your strengths. Spending your time and energy on your strengths rather than your shortcomings will help you get noticed and make you feel successful.

This blog post is inspired by Project Eve and in part by the Sponsored Dove campaign. Check out what others are saying about beauty, confidence, and self-esteem at:

• Send a Note of Confidence
• Dove Facebook Page
• Dove on Twitter

"Dove® research shows that it is still important for us to address girls' anxiety about looks, as there is a universal increase in beauty pressure and a decrease in girls' confidence as they grow older. Key findings from our latest research include:

• Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful (up from 2% in 2004) 
• Only 11% of girls globally are comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves
• 72% of girls feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful 
• 80% of women agree that every woman has something about her that is beautiful but do not see their own beauty 
• More than half (54%) of women globally agree that when it comes to how they look, they are their own worst beauty critic

SOURCE: Dove Research: The Real Truth About Beauty: Revisited"