Having Lots of Friends is Good for Us

  Numerous studies have shown that having a large circle of friends provides us with some distinct advantages when it comes to navigating our way through life. People with lots of friends are healthier, happier, live longer, are better able to deal with stress and are more at peace. In addition, friends keep us from…

What do You Say to Someone Who is Grieving?

Many of us have a hard time of figuring out what to say when we run into a friend or acquaintance who has recently lost a loved one. A friend of mine lost his wife to suicide a few months ago. At the urging of an old friend, he started attending the meetings of an…

Inspiration Can Come from Unexpected Sources

[display-posts id=”1031″ include_content=”true”]Not long ago, I was in a huge funk wondering if I had bit off more than I could chew. I mulled giving up on my current direction which I have been on for a long time, shifting gears and trying something new. At this point, for whatever reason, I decided to look…

The Three Components of how Other People See Us

I came across a powerful quote by motivational speaker Jay Danzie that sums up how other people see us: “Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after having an experience with you becomes your trademark.” According to Mr. Danzie, our smile is a non-verbal symbol that…

Four Questions for Keeping Your Foot Out of Your Mouth

A subscriber shared with me a fascinating quote in response to last week’s about how tongues are made for praising. The quote is from an Indian spiritual master named Sai Baba who passed away in 1918. The quote is: “Before you speak ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true and does…

Tongues are Made for Praising

I came across this phrase in a document I read recently. I thought wow, what perfect sense this makes because tongues are indeed made for praising. They are not made for belittling people, cutting them down or making them feel bad. None of these actions make the world a better place. On the other hand,…

Finding Joy and Meaning Are Key to Getting through Tough Times

Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook and the author of Lean In, recently delivered the commencement address at the University of California at Berkley. Her address focused on what she had learned since her husband’s death a little over a year ago. She said, “I learned about the depths of sadness and the…

Face Your Fears First

Recently I had gotten into the habit of putting unpleasant or scary tasks off because I was afraid to deal with them—it’s called procrastination. As a result, my productivity suffered because of the weight of these tasks hanging over my head. For example, I needed a huge favor from a fairly famous person whom I…