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.

Moving forward through life sometimes requires that we let go of the comfortable and familiar that we may have worked extremely hard to achieve and move on to new things.

Nearly everyone you run into is looking for someone to be kind to them. Being on the receiving end of a kind act makes people feel better, feel happier, makes them smile, and increases their level of self-esteem because it validates their importance. All it takes is a kind word, a smile, a compliment, opening the door for someone, or letting them cut in front of you in traffic.

The answer is simply to give people what they’re truly craving for, which is an opportunity to be listened to. Popular people understand that no one wants to hear what they have to say, but those same people are dying to tell their stories to someone who cares.

I recently came across the following quote from Amy Voskamp that contains some excellent life advice: “No amount of regret changes the past. No amount of anxiety changes the future. But any amount of gratitude changes the present.”