I came across a wonderful quote on Facebook by Amy Weatherly that provides a very important lesson for all of us during this busy holiday season. “You’re going to come in contact with an awful lot of people who are at their absolute breaking point this season. Friends, family co-workers, teachers, strangers in the store,…
Until a year ago, I rarely dealt with the bank branch that handled my business account. Those transactions were always handled by an associate. Then, it became more convenient for me to take care of those transactions. When I first started going there, the place seemed dark, dreary and lifeless—I felt like I was in…
A friend of mine made the following posting on Facebook. I found it so profound that I felt compelled to share it with you: “Eight days ago, my husband had a heart attack (he’s doing fine now). And after much thought I have two things to say about it. This will probably be long, so…
A Dear Abby column carried a poem titled Decide to Forgive that was written by Robert Muller, a former assistant secretary-general of the United Nations. Several lines in the poem caught my attention: To forgive is the highest, Most beautiful form of love. In return you will receive Untold peace and happiness. The column then ended with this statement: “Only the brave…
Paul Nicolaus posted a fascinating article titled, “Want to Feel Happier Today? Try Talking to a Stranger,” on npr.org. According to the article, talking to strangers puts us in a better mood, makes us feel more connected to our community and improves our level of happiness. Despite these benefits, Mr. Nicolaus points out that many…
Over the years, I’ve observed a lot of people who, when things don’t go as planned, become angry, upset or even have a “melt-down.” During the process, they make themselves and everyone them around them miserable. Hey, delays and interruptions are a part of life and it’s always been that way–to expect otherwise is to…
Tom Vellner posted an article on buzzfeed.com listing some of the scientifically proven benefits of performing kind acts. As we all know, kindness makes the world a better place, but performing kind acts such as being nice to someone in traffic, smiling, volunteering or holding the door open for someone have a substantial impact on our physical…
Charlie Wedemeyer was a football player at Michigan State University. After his college football career, he took a job as a teacher and football coach at Los Gatos High School in Northern California. At age 30, he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease and given one to three years to live. Despite his disease, he…
Karina Bland wrote a column which appeared in The Arizona Republic about how to apologize in which she referenced a book written by Donna Moriarty titled, Not Just Words: How a Good Apology Makes You Braver, Boulder and Better at Life. According to the column, “Apologizing takes courage, which is why we often avoid it…
In an article which appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Melinda Beck referred to a growing body of research which shows that feeling grateful for the good things that happened to us can improve our psychological, emotional and physical health. According to Ms. Beck, “Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more…