SOME TONE RAISING IDEAS:

Someone once said, "Life is the thing that really happens to us while we’re making other plans."
This is true of the downscale person. Up-tone people enjoy the present as they plan their future. Low-tone people only daydream about it (and some merely wait to "see what happens"). Too often we hear people say, "Some day I’m going to start my own business," "I’d really like to write a song," "I intend to go back and finish school," "I want to take up skiing sometime."
The difference between upscale planning and lowscale wishful thinking is action. The high-tone person puts his plans into action in the present time. Now. He isn’t just thinking; he’s doing.
We can raise ourselves, temporarily, on the scale by riding on the bubble of wishful thinking. But, if we never act, the bubble soon bursts and we must confront the mundane reality of our existence—and die in little pieces.
When we’re not working toward a major goal (or even a minor one), it’s too easy to "save" ourselves for some purpose important enough for our attention. Saving ourselves is a sure way to drop downscale and stay there. In such circumstances, find anything to do—whether or not it’s important.
Lethargy produces low tone and, tragically, low tone produces lethargy. The longer we put off an action, the more deeply we sink into a pool of inertia, and it’s much more difficult to start up again from a dead stop. Almost everyone must fight lethargy sometimes; but you conquer it by just starting something. Once you’re rolling it’s easier to keep going and you will move upscale.
Finishing jobs can give you a marvelous sense of accomplishment especially those jobs you re likely to postpone from year to year Spend a day or a week finishing any projects you have lying around and you II soar
If your environment is in a state of chaos the disorder grabs your attention (and hangs on to it) every time you walk through the room Disorder itself is low tone Order is high tone So you can bring yourself upscale by simply cleaning and organizing the nest Afterward you’ll have a free mind to address more meaningful projects
Another gambit for raising tone is to get involved We all have choices almost daily "Should I go to the party or stay home?" "Shall I go see what that job is all about or just forget it?" "Shall I attend the meeting or take the evening off?" "Should I join that com mittee or let someone else do It?" "Should I take that judo class or stay home and read? ‘ Assuming that you’re considering an activity that s relatively high tone you will usually find more enjoyment when you take the active choice rather than the passive one It s the person who’s avoiding work avoiding risks avoiding responsibilities avoiding new situations who s miserable Always reserve the freedom to withdraw from a situation that is low tone (when you can’t do anything about it) But get involved.