In Gayle Martz’s new book, IT’s IN THE BAG: A Revolution in Pet Travel Martz tells the story about making her dream of safe and stylish pet travel into a reality, not only for her but for millions of travelers worldwide. Martz persevered in the face of all obstacles, tragedy, betrayal, and the unknown – and she did it with a smile. As a flight attendant, Martz writes that it was her job to always smile and remain calm, no matter what was going on inside the aircraft. She mastered the art of smiling through the turbulence, remaining positive no matter what, which is a skill we could all benefit from. As a successful entrepreneur, Martz has many more lessons to share. Here are just a few:

Don’t Quit Your Daydream

If you have a dream or an idea, there’s probably others out there with the same need. Don’t be afraid to chase after it and turn it into a reality. Don’t make excuses about having too much to do or too little time. Even working as a flight attendant and a part-time photographer, Martz never lost a free minute. She was sketching the SHERPA Bag while sitting in the jump seat on flights. She worked late into the night building her dream from the ground up, sacrificing sleep for her heart’s true passion. She learned what she didn’t know and wasn’t afraid of hard work, even driving a U-Haul full of SHERPA bags herself. Hard work and endless optimism really do pay off, so don’t quit your daydream!

When You Feel Down, Give Back

Martz writes that when she was feeling extremely low or overwhelmed with the harshness of the business world or personal tragedies, instead of wallowing in sadness and defeat she gave back. She volunteered at organizations close to her heart like The New York Humane Society. Martz writes, “As I tell people all the time, when you are feeling down go to your local humane society or shelter and be with the animals…You will renew yourself while you build positive relationships by helping them.” Giving back and helping others not only benefits those you help, but it lifts you up as well. Find an organization you care about, volunteer, and fill up on all that positive energy.

Take Positive Action

“One must take positive action.” Those are Martz’s words for what to do in the face of adversity in business or in life. She advises readers, rather than be defeated or angry over a problem, change direction and do something positive. In flying, if there’s turbulence, a pilot will try to find a new altitude. Similarly, we should all find a new attitude when we encounter some bumps along the way. Staying stuck on negativity keeps you stuck in the problem; therefore, positive action must be the next move. Martz modeled that mantra throughout her entire successful career. That’s one lesson we can all put into practice. Onward in positivity!

Gayle Martz’s journey to the top of her industry was anything but easy. With endless optimism, hard work, and a giving heart with a clear purpose, Martz smiled through the turbulence and became an innovator, an advocate, and an inspiration. Don’t quit your daydream. It’s never too late to start. Work hard, be positive, give back, and always, always, always smile through the turbulence!

© 2020 Silver Disobedience Inc.