Some people attempt to improve their standing with those around them by focusing attention on themselves; things they’ve accomplished, places they’ve been, things they own, people they know, and so forth. While such behavior comes naturally, it does little to improve your standing with those around you because most people tend to resent such behavior.

The first time you try anything; realize that you won’t be very good at it; most people never are. Think about the first time you tried dancing with someone or the first time you stood up in front of a group and made a presentation. You, no doubt, felt awkward, self-conscious, and were probably embarrassed at the way things turned out. But that’s just the way things work.

My friend has a sister-in-law who lives alone in a retirement community. Here husband passed away a little over a year ago. She and her husband had very few friends because they did everything together.

I recently came across a study which was referred to in a book titled, The Inflated Self, where a large random sample of male adults were asked to rate themselves on their ability to get along with other people.

Sometimes people choose to pass on many of the opportunities that life sends their way because they’re afraid—they’re not sure where the opportunity might take them. This is unfortunate, because saying “yes” to opportunities is part of what it means to live life fully. Furthermore, not knowing where an opportunity is going to take you is one of the things that makes life exciting.

When you approach a task or situation with enthusiasm, you radiate energy, cheerfulness, excitement, and even joy. This means you’re going to enjoy what you’re doing, be successful at it, and probably learn a lot in the process.

It’s human nature to avoid doing things we don’t want to do; especially if those things lie outside our comfort zone. This is known as “taking the easy way out” and it can cause you to miss out on the richness of life that comes through growth

Whenever I run into someone who I know has recently performed an act of kindness, I will complement them for having done so. The response I most often get back goes something like, “Oh, it was really nothing” or “It was no big deal.”

This is why flowers are so bright, beautiful and fragrant. The earth wants to make sure we don’t miss the message. When we find ourselves on the receiving end of this wonderful message, it’s important that we say “I love you” back.