Acts of Kindness
We love this story – a great message.
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said. ” I don’t know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.”
“The Wise Woman’s Stone”
Author Unknown
It’s Only Temporary
Sometimes when we hit a rough spot in our lives, it can seem rather daunting. It’s hard to imagine that things will get better, but they always do.
Rock bottom is good solid ground, and a dead end street is just a place to turn around. ~Buddy Buie and J.R. Cobb, “Rock Bottom” (song)
photo: flickr/Paul Wever
Happiness and the Authentic Self
You are happiest when your public persona and your authentic self are one and the same. What is an authentic self? It is all the qualities that make you uniquely you. Do you show these qualities in your everyday public life? Some people have a separate fictional self that they display in the public domain but once they get home they relax and become their true selves. This can be exhausting day in and day out. Live a life that is authentic to who you are on a full-time basis and you’ll experience greater life satisfaction.
photo: flickr/*S A N D E E P*
Love Matters
Love only grows by sharing. You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others. - Brian Tracy
photo: flickr/jkavo
Pursuing Your Passion
What is it that you love doing? What is your passion? Some people don’t know what their passion is and so they need to ask themselves “What interests me, what can I do for hours at a time, happily, and I don’t even know that time has gone by so quickly?” Others know their passions but don’t pursue them with all their heart. What is holding them back? Fear. Fear about what others will think of them or fear that they won’t get it right, that they’ll make mistakes. We often will do anything to avoid negative judgement by others, even giving up our dreams. That’s a mistake. There will always be negative people – tune them out. Surround yourself with people who will cheer you on and be supportive. Negative people are often negative because they were afraid to live the life they dreamed of and now the ugly green monster called envy is rearing its head. And yes, you’ll make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes but you learn from them and become stronger. It is much better to go for your dreams – if you fail, then at least you know you had the courage to go for it. If you succeed, then you’ll never have to say “I wish I had ……. (name your passion).”
We love the following quote by Wayne Gretzky:
“I miss 100% of the shots I don’t take.”
Well-said.
photo: flickr/metin.gul
Loyal friends
Poem by Mattie J.T. Stepanek, a beautiful little boy who had a wisdom far beyond his young years
(1990-2004)
It is good to have a friend…
Someone to comfort, and someone to be comforted by.
Someone to trust, and someone to be trusted by.
Someone to play with, and someone who will play with you.
It is good to have a friend…
A true friend offers respect and honesty.
A true friend shows consideration and trust.
A true friend cares and supports gently.
True friends work together as a team.
It is good to have a friend…
Friendship is a very special gift.
Friendship is a very special bond.
Friendship is a very special relationship between and among people.
It is good to have a friend…
When one has a friend, one can feel loved for being oneself.
When one has a friend, one can believe and rejoice in the moment.
When one has a friend, one can travel through life in contentment.
It is good to have a friend…
Hand-to-hand, heart-to-heart, spirit-to-spirit,
Friendship is the key that opens the door to harmony,
The river of peace, and the hope of the future.
It is good to have, and to be, a friend.
photo: Thinkstock/istockphotos/kitten with dog
A Grateful Soul
Be Thankful
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.
Author Unknown
photo: Thinkstock/istockphotos/Cosmos
Definition of Love
We cannot love another without wanting that person to be happy, and when that person is not happy it is very difficult to feel happiness ourselves. You may have heard the saying “A mother is only as happy as her least happy child.” Often this is the case. When a child is struggling with a problem that affects their well-being in some way, the mother often feels these same feelings herself. This is love’s intensity. When we love another we have a vested interest in making them happy because we’ll be happier ourselves if they are happy. Happiness really does have that contagious effect.
photo: Thinkstock/Hemera Collection/red poppies on white
Happiness Power
We are all more powerful than we know. We all have the power to make others happy. For those closest to us, we have tremendous power to bring happiness into their lives. Make sure they know you love them, support their ambitions, care about their worries, and are there for them in good times and bad. For others we know less well, if at all, we also have the power to add to their happiness, even if that means just coaxing a little smile from them. Say a kind word to the stranger who is holding the door for you or to that waitress who has been on her feet all day. If everyone exercised this power to spread happiness, the world would be a much happier place.
photo: Thinkstock/istockphoto
