Self Help

Self Discovery.  This one phrase has more life-changing power in it than most people realize.  You can’t possibly improve ANYTHING unless you first understand it and know it for what it is, inside and out.  That’s why I love programs, books, websites, lessons, etc. that have enough sense to focus on self discovery. 

It’s only after an individual has a clear understanding of where they’re coming from that they can realistically chart in which direction they hope to move next.  If you or I have no idea who or where we are, we’re prisoners to our own lack of knowledge and we have no more direction than an autumn leaf riding in the wind.

I’m sure you don’t like leaving your fate up in the air anymore than I do!

For as long as I know, I’ve kept journals.  I’m pretty sure I’ve gone into great detail about my notebook obsession - I have thoughts, reflections, quotes, randomness, and journal entries all around me.  Their benefit doesn’t necessarily lie in the future.  Truth be told, I don’t go back and re-read what I’ve written very often, not unless I’m feeling nostalgic or need a little piece of information I can’t “pull up” all by myself.  The benefit of writing things down takes place during the writing - when my thoughts, hopes, feelings, dreams, worries, etc. come spilling from my mind onto the page. 

There’s something amazingly wonderful about writing down your innermost thoughts.  Very often, mid paragraph, something comes out you never fully realized existed.  Talk about self discovery! I’ve always thought of journal writing as “Putting yourself in the best possible hands - your own.”

The Progoff Intensive Journal Program is an ingenius integrated system where you use this sort of self discovery to lead to self development and self improvement.  The direction we all want to head in, to be sure. 

This Intensive Journal Program uses writing exercises to aid in this self discovery - in my opinion, a brilliant idea. 

The Intensive Journal workbook is the basic instrument in which you write about your life. It is a three ring binder containing tabs, each of which covers a specific area of your life. Examples include personal relationships, career and special interests, body and health, events, dreams, and meaning in life. - Intensive Journal.org

Since the founder was a leading authority on C.G. Jung, depth psychology and transpersonal psychology AND journal writing, you can sort of think of this Intensive Journal Program as a journal with a psychology degree!

Take a few minutes, now, and try a sample Intensive Journal Exercise. I did the written exercise, myself, prior to writing this review. I read everything on the website and thought, “After I go through my recipes, get my grocery list together, and go to the store, I’m definitely going to write a post about this program.” However, after doing the sample written exercise and actually benefiting from a few insights it brought forward, I wanted to share it with you right away. The recipes and groceries aren’t going anywhere - but you can.

Self Development is just a step away….

The above is a sponsored review, which merely means that I’ve been paid to give my opinion. Whether I like or dislike a product is my own choosing - as are all of the words and all of the thoughts. Frankly, if I don’t completely approve of something or feel that it can benefit my readers, I don’t accept the offer to write the review. I’ve been keeping count (what can I say - it’s something else I get to write down) -and I turn away three times more offers than I accept. So the rare ones I do, you know I mean them!

From my youngest daughter, Stephany, I’ve learned that you never know what you can do until you try - and if you try hard enough, you might just knock your own socks off!

I can see some of myself in each of my daughters, but when it comes to Steph - it can often be eerie. We’re both ridiculously laid back, sometimes to a fault. We love jewelry, clothes, fashion shows, shopping, and going to the movies. We hate racism, snakes, rules, yelling, and saving money.

She has a fearlessness about trying new things, however, that I only wish I possessed. She has an amazing amount of style and artistic talent, but if she lacked the fearlessness and boldness to strike out, they’d be wasted.

Sad to say, but I believe a lot of people’s talents are wasted.   When you think about it, that’s devastatingly depressing.  People, with God-given talent, skills, and abilities letting them rot inside because they lack the boldness to bring them outside. 

I’ve been just as bad as anyone, actually.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sitting on a great number of talents -  but I know I’ve been guilty of not using the ones I do have nearly often enough.   Frankly, most of the time I lack boldness the way snails lack sex appeal.  I’m afraid I can’t lay claim to very much fearlessness, either.

Stephany’s talent comes through boldly in her graphic art (one of her most recent graphics is above) and web designs. She has never had a single course in graphic art and has never had a class in web design, yet her work is second to none, and I’m not just a proud mom.  She has designed and published official websites for 4 different celebrities, and one of her own unofficial celebrity websites is considered by most to be THE Best Fansite.   She’s launching her own graphic art/celebrity designs web site within the next two weeks and already has people lining up at the cyber door. 

She has a fearlessness about her that allows her to just soar in any direction she faces.  I totally respect and admire her bold attitude.  I’ve learned, from wathching Stephany, that sometimes you just have to stick your chin out and let ’er fly!  You can’t take time to worry about the what if’s or the but’s - you just have to believe in yourself and throw all doubt and fear out of the third floor window.

Boldness is a beautiful thing and Stephany, more than anyone I’ve ever known, serves up that lesson daily.

“The mind, ever the willing servant, will respond to boldness, for boldness, in effect, is a command to deliver mental resources” - Norman Vincent Peale

I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on my daughter Emily. With big, beautiful blue eyes, she was a little scene stealer that totally captivated me. I saw her a few minutes ago as she left for work. Some things? They just never change.

Like her father and sisters, Emily has taught me many things, but the one lesson she teaches most with her life is the importance of confidence.

I’ve seen Emily’s confidence in herself shake only twice in her life. Once, right before taking her ACT (she inherited her mother’s math skills…so, that was understandable) and once before taking her driving test (again, we’re going to lay this one at her mom’s lead feet). She breezed through the driver’s test and got an amazing score on her ACT.

When Em was just 7 years old, our church began putting together a huge Christmas play. There would be a little singing an A LOT of dialogue. The lead role (a girl) would have an unbelievable number of lines to memorize. That’s why, when the Pastor’s wife (who had taught Emily in Sunday School) approached her about the role, I thought, “Are you out of your pretty head, my baby’s only 7!” However when asked if she’d like to have the lead role, even though it called for a girl a few years older, my baby smiled and said, “Yes, Ma’am, I’d love to.”

When asked if she thought she could remember a lot of lines, she said, “No problem. I have a really good memory.”

What made it seem even bolder, to me, was the fact that since we homeschooled, Emily had never even been to a play, let alone been in one, let alone starred in one.

Later that night, when we were looking over the script for the play - as we thumbed through the pages, I knew exactly what she was doing along the way. She was counting her lines and getting more and more excited as the number rose.

My eyes were widening with a “What have you gotten yourself into?” look, while hers were widening with an “I. Am. The. Star.” gaze.

Whenever my confidence gets iffy or I start to doubt my abilities in any way, I think back to a little girl up on stage nailing not only every single one of her own lines, but helping people three times her size with theirs.

Emily is the sort of person who refuses to put limits on herself. She could be the spokesperson for the quote, “If you think you can, you’re right and if you think you can’t, you’re right again.” She has always had the ability to find a way or make a way, and it never ceases to amaze me. It also inspires me to do the same. While I’d never even attempt such a thing as a play (it’s not a lack of confidence so much as it is simply knowing myself, I’d get the giggles and ruin the whole thing) - I do try to believe more in myself and in my abilities. After all, if an individual doesn’t believe in themself, who will?!

After the play, I remember Emily’s younger sister (by 13 months) Brittany saying, “I didn’t know she could remember ALL those words.” She wasn’t the only one. I’m pretty sure there was only one person in the whole auditorium who was 110 percent sure each line would be flawless. And she was taking a curtain call.

The Poster above reads: Can’t - Eliminate this word! Stop thinking of things you can’t do and start thinking you can. It’s important to eliminate negatives from your vocabulary, especially the word can’t. When you begin to think positively, you’ll find yourself attempting and succeeding at more things. Remember by eliminating the negatives you’ll let the positives come through.

“Eventually, there comes a point in every life where you can no longer ignore the enormous and expanding gap between the life you could be living and the life you’ve settled for…. Every day of your life that you’re not actively engaged in staying fit, eating well, and strengthening your body the gap grows.” - Stregnth for Life, by Shawn Phillips, page 10

To read my review of the next book you should read (Strength for Life, by Shawn Phillips), see Why You Should Read Strength for Life by Shawn Phillips This Week.

This isn’t a book you’ll read, shelf, and then forget - it’s a proven system that’ll help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

From My Husband, I’ve Learned That You Have to Fight For What You Want, No One’s Going to Do It For You

My husband, Michael, had more hardships before he even knew what the word meant than some people have in their whole lifetime. Without going into specifics, he was a very premature baby at a time when their survival wasn’t likely, his father died in a car wreck when he was a baby, and he was raised by a single, unemployed grandmother. This grandmother, who he knew as “Mama” got by on sheer grit - and we all miss her to this day.

He has told me several stories about fights he had in school and I suppose it makes perfect sense. He was born into a fight (for survival), so fighting has been a way of life for him.

Fortunately for the other males in his small town of Kentucky, it didn’t take long before he channeled this fighting spirit in a direction that led to more than fat lips on smart mouths.

He “fought” for his education. He was one of those real life cases of someone having to walk to school both ways. He could have skipped more than he went, but he respected his “mama” and education too much to cheat them, or himself.

He “fought” for his country - serving proudly in the Army as well as the Air Force.

Most of all, he has “fought” for his family. After September 11, the business Michael was in (like a lot of businesses) went to hell in a sack. We lost our dream home (it was so beautiful!) but we didn’t lose our, even more beautiful, dreams.

During a span of about 3 years - losing our home was actually the kindest favor life threw our way. Michael’s mom died, his sister was killed in a sudden accident, and my mom suffered a heart attack and began, health-wise, to go down rapidly. She was just 60 years of age, at the time, so that was all a great shock.

We all felt like the wind had been knocked out of us, and, frankly, I wanted to stay down on the mat for a while. But “Rocky” jumped back up and pulled me up along with him. My mindset was, “Are you crazy - if we get up, we might get hit again!” But his mindset was, “Are you crazy, you can’t hit back if you’re on the mat!”

We got up. Correction - I got up. He never succumbed to the mat. Sure, he may have taken a knee, but he stayed up.

We’re very different - Michael and I. You see, I am the stereotypical only child - I was spoiled rotten by the time I met Michael. To me, a fight was something Sugar Ray Leonard did in the ring. I never really had to fight for anything - thanks to my mom, dad, aunts, and uncles everything was always given to me.

When I got into the real world (you know the one…where mom doesn’t do your laundry and dad doesn’t have sausage and biscuits made for you first thing in the morning) - it could have eaten me alive. It tried a few times, but Michael taught me - with his words, but mostly from watching him - that you have to fight for what you want from life. No one else is going to do it for you.

Not only that, but he has also taught me that you should never settle for anything. I learned, long ago, never to tell him that something was “good enough” or that it was “okay.” Those aren’t just words to him, they’re challenges.

Career-wise, Michael went on to become the absolute best in his field.  He, literally, has had people try to hire him all over the country.  That would have been “good enough” for most people.  But he has always wanted to make sure that, in the unlikely event that anything happened to him (I say unlikely because I don’t think the grim reaper would stand a shot) - the girls and I would have something of our own.  So we launched a web publishing business that is, in my estimation, quite successful.  In his?  It needs more work, of course!

He hasn’t given a fat lip to a wise guy (to my knowledge!) in over 20 years. But he has jack slapped every obstacle that was foolish enough to get in his way. He has never settled and he has tried his level best to make sure no one he loves ever settles, either.

I know, for a fact, that I’ve accomplished more and have gotten more out of myself because of the things I’ve learned from him.

Fighters never quit and quitters never win.

From My Middle Daughter, Brittany, I’ve Learned That You Have to Be True to Yourself……

My daughter Brittany has more artistic talent in her eyebrow than most people have in their whole body. She’s very bright, imaginative, and creative. This creative streak has always caused her to march to a different drummer - one often unheard by the rest of the world! Since I’ve always had my own personal band, I understand, perfectly, where she’s coming from. I may not always applaud her decisions, but I always applaud the bravado with which she makes them.

When she was 12, she up and decided that she’d no longer eat anything that “once had a face on it.” She made this declaration one night as I was fixing supper. As we talked about protein and its other sources, I made two pans of spaghetti sauce that - one with meat and one without. Deep down, I knew her mind was made up and that she would probably stick with this forever. She has.

This was right before Hollywood made vegetarianism a “cool” thing to do, long before it was so PC. She got a lot of ribbing from family members, and more than a few arguments. When we’d go out to eat and would have to take into consideration her eating restrictions, she’d feel uneasy (especially if it went against what one of her sisters wanted - she’d feel the glares along with the uneasiness), but she never caved in.

It wasn’t the popular thing to do, but it was her call to make. Well-meaning family members and acquaintances told us that, if they were me, they’d make her eat meat. Britt’s response, “I’m glad you’re not her!”

She also went through an unusual phase when she was around 15. She fell in love with wearing black and it became practically the only color she’d wear. It wasn’t any sort of a statement - the kid just preferred the way she looked in black. Drove her dad nuts! Here was this beautiful girl and all she’d wear were loose black t-shirts and black shorts or pants. During this time she also decided that THE way…the only way… to wear one’s hair was peeled back in a ponytail, without so much as a hair free. So her long, gorgeus, thick, naturally wavy dark hair was gelled and pulled daily.

Her grandmother would buy her colorful clothes, but they’d just hang in the closet, watching the black clothes have all the fun.

Thankfully, this passed about as quickly as it came. Since then, she has worn every color of the rainbow - often at the same time! Thankfully the hair is allowed more freedom as well.

From watching a very young girl have a strong enough willpower and a sense of herself to stand up and make what were unpopular choices, I learned that you don’t have to fit in or follow the crowd. Everyone doesn’t HAVE to like everything that you do. It takes courage to be true to be yourself and “find your own way.” It’d be much easier to just follow along the way someone else chooses for you - but, isn’t that “their way?” Finding “your own way” means finding it yourself.

Sure, you’ll make wrong turns along the way, but you’ll navigate through the detours and grow stronger as a result.

I’m what my mom always called a “people pleaser.” I honestly get ill if I think I’ve done something that someone else doesn’t like or approve of. I’ve been that way since I can remember. Brittany has taught me that you absolutely, positively cannot please everyone - not even those closest to you. You’re going to do things that make them think you’ve gone around the bend and you’re going to do things that cause others to whisper about you behind your back.

I’ve learned, from watching Brittany, that you can treat these whispers as your own personal background music - it harmonizes sweetly with the drum you’re marching to.

Originality is something to be worn with an exclamation, not an explanation.

This post is the second in a series of “What I’ve Learned…” posts.

Buy at AllPosters.com

I‘m nothing if not a learner. For all of my faults, and they’re a varied and entertaining lot, I can honestly say that, at least, I am always open to change and embrace learning like a 3 year old embraces a stuffed animal.   Something I’ve discovered is that the best lessons don’t come from books.  That statement probably seems astounding coming from someone who practically worships the shelf a book lies on.  Nonetheless, the best lessons come from life, itself. 

Lessons spring from the most unexpected places - I’ll give them that.  While they’re often found hovering around their favorite hangout: our mistakes,  they’ve also been known to show up in movies, television programs, the lives of other people, quiet moments on the beach, in songs, and in life-changing events.

I’m getting together a series of posts titled “What I’ve Learned…”  Thankfully, the learning process continues daily, but I wanted to spotlight some of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my life, to date. It’s my hope that if the lessons touched me, you’ll feel something from them as well. What can I say, I’m touchy-feely.

Each person and (often) event has provided, of course, multiple lessons, but to keep from being at my keyboard all summer, I’m only highlighting one lesson for each.

The order they’ll appear in is the result of a very scientific and complicated process. That or, I just wrote them down on little pieces of paper, turned them on their faces, and chose their order at random.

My middle daughter, Brittany, was the first name I drew - so she’ll be the first post. I can’t wait for you to meet her, she’s not just a character, she’s a character’s character.

********************
If you’re a blogger, this would actually serve as a great idea for future blog posts. You know those times when you just can’t think of anything to say? Let your life lessons do the talking for you. They always have something to say, anyway, don’t they?!

People don’t always hear what you say but they always see what you do.

The statement above once danced deliriously around my head while chanting “Na na na boo boo..”  I had been teaching one of my daughters to drive.  From the very first time she got behind the wheel, I noticed the odd way that she held it.  Her hands would always default into a really peculiar position.  Each time, I’d say something like, “Here. Why don’t you put one hand here, the other hand here…and if you have a third one, put it here.”

Finally, she got to where she’d arrnage them in a more reasonable position - but I noticed that the reasonable position was always Plan B.  Plan A was to instinctively go with a haphazard, funky positioning.

One day - about one week and 200 Tylenols into the lessons - I got into my rightful “Starbucks, Here I Come” position in the driver’s seat.  Turned the key, popped in a little vintage Janet Jackson and grabbed the wheel.  As Janet was demanding to know what someone had done for her late-ly, I happened to catch a glimpse of my hands. 

Oh, yeah, my hands were getting three kinds of freaky.  My way of holding the wheel was kind of cock-eyed, too.  She had obviously picked up the technique from watching me… probably the last person one should pick up driving techniques from.  Unless, of course they have Nascar or demolition derby aspirations.

On the way to Starbucks, it occurred to me that some of the other things that bothered me about her driving could also be traced back to me.  While cruising down the road, wind-surfing out the window with one hand and controlling the wheel with the other, I remembered the times I’d ask her, “Why do you keep taking one of your hands off of the wheel - that’s dangerous.  There.  Good girl, both hands.”  Once she even told me that she just wanted to hang it out the window.  I told her there was nothing out there for it, so put it back on the wheel.

Funny how, when it’s our beloved children that’ll be driving, we do everything short of putting a helmet on them.

Anyway, the whole thing made me think.  People, watch us daily - whether we know it or not.  And it’s, of course, not just our children who are keeping an eye on us. It’s something to kind of tuck away and keep in mind. 

They watch our driving (horrors), our temperment, our manners, our character, the way we relate to people, etc.  Our actions either betray our words or back them up.

For example:

• If we tell people that we’re laid back and cool, then we flirt with road rage if one car pulls out in front of us - we’re lying to ourselves as well as everyone else.
• If we tell people that we’re kind and helpful, yet we never do so much as one thing to help another person - we might have a skewered definition of the words kind and helpful.
• If we tell people they should respect us, we might need to think again.  I saw a t-shirt last week that read, “If you have to DEMAND respect, you haven’t EARNED it.“  Incredibly, profoundly true.
• If we tell someone else that they have a problem with their temper, yet we’re the ones who are always into it with someone - we’re making a fool out of ourselves.

The point is, people are watching you and they’re watching me.  We can say and write whatever we want to. We all possess vocabularies consisted of countless words.  Anyone can arrange them to create any thought or statement they want to.  I could say that I weigh the same amount as Keira Knightley and that I’m completely fed up with not being able to put on weight, no matter how many trips I make to Dairy Queen. I can say that the dipped cones never show up anywhere on my body, unless, of course some drips onto my little Keira-sized hands  - but it doesn’t make it any of it anywhere near the truth.  Oh, that it were.  DQ wouldn’t have enough chocolate to sustain me. 

Every now and then, take a good look in the mirror as the soundtrack of your words plays in the background.  Are they in agreement or so out of tune that it makes you laugh?  If the words are setting the bar beautifully high, hold your actions accountable.  Your words are creating the YOU that YOU desire to be.

Now start living up to them.

Ever feel draggy and out of sorts? Like your normal, upbeat mood has BEEN beaten with a crowbar?

It happens to all of us every now and again - and usually we can’t put our droopy finger on the why’s or the what’s.  All we know is that if our mood had a color, it’d be gray.

One of my daughters put her own spin on it once as she came through the kitchen.  I asked her how she was doing and she said, “I think my face has forgotten how to smile today.”  Draggy.

Whenever your face has forgotten how to smile, try one of the Ten Mood LIfters below.  You’ll get an instant lift and your face might just forget how to frown.

1. Go outside.  A little fresh air, combined with natural sunlight is a sure-fire Pick-Me-Up.  Even if it’s smack in the middle of winter, bundle up and walk around your yard for about 10 minutes.  There’s something invigorating about the outdoors and it’s a quick cure for the droops.
2. Take a stretching break. Stand up and stretch your hands toward the ceiling, then bend over and touch the floor.  Next, stretch slowly from side to side.  Repeat the entire cycle several times - breathing deeply the entire time.  It’ll refresh your mind and mood.
3. Take deep breaths.  If you’re unable to stretch OR move outdoors, just concentrate on your breathing.  Take exaggerated breaths in - then take exaggerated breaths out.
4. If possible, elevate your heart with a little exercise.  Aerobic activity is one of the best ways to slap a good mood on your psyche.  Take a walk, pick up sticks in your yard, or clean your house with gusto.  Get mooving and grooving!  If you do it with some really upbeat music, the effects will be even better.
5. Recall a time when you couldn’t stop laughing.  It was probably a time when laughter was unacceptable, right?!  That usually seems to be the case.  In high school, my best friend, Randy, and I would break out into fits of laughter all the time.  Sometimes we’d be on the phone and there’d be no sound at all except laughter for 5 minutes.  When we thought we had it under control, one of us would fall victim to the giggles again, then the other would crack up.  I can still hear the sound of his laugh in my head and it still makes me smile. He’d love to make me laugh at the most ridiculous times - in the middle of class was his favorite opportunity.  He got me so bad once during a college lecture that I thought I’d pass out.  Actually, passing out would have been less embarassing!
6.  Watch a favorite sitcom, stand-up routine or movie.  Laughter really is the best medicine, especially when it’s your mood that needs a remedy.  If you can’t get to a television, don’t underestimate YouTube.  If you enter “Dane Cook,” you’ll be mere minutes away from having a party in your seat.
7. Change things up!  If you’re able to, change what you’re wearing.  Brush your hair, brush your teeth, and even wash your face.  Your mind “gets” that you’re trying to start fresh and it welcomes the idea.  If you’re at work, straighten up your desk, readjust your clothes - maybe even untie and tie (or unbuckle and buckle) your shoes.  You know how you “refresh” a webpage if it hasn’t “loaded” properly?  Same premise.  Refresh and try again!
8. Talk to someone who lifts your spirits.  All of us have at least one person who seems to make our life a better place just by being around. They always seem to know what to say and what not to say. Their attitude and humor act as a tonic.  If you’re feeling low, search them out - take them to lunch or out for coffee. Let them work their magic on you.
9. Do something special for yourself. Whether it’s a trip to Starbucks or a bouquet of flowers (some days call for both), do something that’ll bring a smile to your face.
10. Do something special for someone else.  I saved the best for last. When you bring a smile to someone else’s face, it’s impossible to feel anything but joy and happiness.  By the same token, making your cat purr or your dog wag its tail will also bring about great contentment.  When you create happiness for others, you create it for yourself as well.

If malice or envy were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang. - Charly Reese

Said another way, nastiness always comes back and usually hits you in the face.  Sadly, we often stand there, dazed, wondering how such a thing could happen to US.  Oh the unfairness of it all!

Like a boomerang, though, the things that often come back to us originated in that very spot.

In Charley Reese’s quote, the words “malice and envy” could just as easily be replaced with other traits.

For example, the statements below are just as true as the one above:

If rudeness was tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

If anger was tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

If suspicion was tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

If laziness was tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

If selfishness were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

If dishonesy was tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

By the same token…

If generosity were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

If honesty was tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

If kindness was tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

If thoughtfulness were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.

It’s the same lesson we try to teach our children, and the same lesson God tries to teach His. You get back what you give out. Right in the middle of a Barbie marathon, I once overheard our oldest daughter, Emily, talking to her younger sisters. Emily was 5 which would have made Brittany and Stephany 4 and 2. I’m not sure what Britt and Steph had done to earn their lecture, but from the kitchen I heard Emily telling them, “If you do good stuff, you get good stuff. If you do bad stuff, you get bad stuff.”

A few minutes later, Brittany left the living room. The pressure must’ve been too much for her.

Emily’s phrasing became a catch phrase for me and my girls.

All of us KNOW, I suppose, the truth of this lesson when it comes to actions we take. But we often fail to realize just how true it is when it comes to the way we treat others. In a very real sense, we’re the author of our life’s script. We totally control (or fail to control) the things we say, the places we go, and the way we treat others. When we make these decisions, whether we realize it or not, we dictate what others will say to us and how they will treat us.

I just have to call someone out for something extra kind and thoughtful they did recently. Steph’s boyfriend (who I adore, btw!) was at our house this weekend. They had been watching a movie and he’d fallen asleep on the couch. Like all young boys, all it takes to sleep is the body being still for 5 minutes. My husband was outside mowing when he noticed that one of Sleeping Cutie’s tires was nearly flat. He took it off the car and took it to be patched up, then brought it back and put it back on the car.

The thoughtfulness meant a lot to Steph’s boyfriend, but I’m sure it meant even more to Steph. It’s always a great feeling when your parents are ridiculously cool. And what he did was a ridiculously cool thing and I’m all kinds of proud of him for it.

It makes you wonder what the world would be like if more people went out of their way to be kind and thoughtful for others. Not for recognition, not for glory, not for anything except the chance to be…well… cool.

It’s just something to think about this week. Treat everyone around you as nicely and kindly as humanly possible. Be thoughtful and go out of your way to make other people smile.

But whatever you do - you’d better watch out. What you throw out will come back to you. As someone once said, “If you do good stuff, you get good stuff. If you do bad stuff, you get bad stuff.” So if you make it your mission to send out a lot of good, you’re going to get a lot of good flying back at you!