I’ve seen this quote posted in a number of places this past year. It tells us that if we’re unhappy with our lot in life, we can’t just push a magical button to change things. In reality, however, there is a magic button that we can push if we want to change things–it’s called our…
A study recently reported in the Psychological Bulletin, found that optimism–seeing a glass as being half-full rather than half-empty–is good for your heart. Researchers Julia Boehm and Laura Kubzansky from the Harvard School of Public Health found “…that factors such as optimism, life satisfaction and happiness are associated with reduced risk of CVD (cardiovascular disease)…
There are two Fry’s Supermarkets near my home and a vivacious checker named Ghana works at one of them. Whenever my wife and I shop and she’s working, her check-out line is always much longer than any of the others and it’s filled with people who choose to stand in line a little longer in…
My oldest daughter recently sent me an issue of an internet publication called the Purpose Fairy. This particular issue contained a list of 15 things we should give up if we want our lives to be easier and happier. One in particular caught my attention and that was the need to impress others. The article…
Last week’s Reminder on how feuds should have a time limit produced some very interesting comments. The gist of that Reminder was that if feuds had time limits, there would be no long term grudges. As it turns out, there are a number of very wise people who have imposed a time limit regarding any…
Last week’s Reminder, which was about taking advantage of opportunities to forgive others, generated a fair number of comments. One in particular caught my attention. This person said, “I have a tear in my eye, and I wasn’t even there! My wife hasn’t seen her sister for at least 30 years, but neither have my…
A friend of mine posted the most wonderful story on Facebook about forgiveness. I’d like to share her story with you. “Yesterday I decided that I wanted to reconnect with my step daughter. We have been estranged for a number of years. Today, I literally ran into her in a department store. I looked at…
This past week, I received some wonderful quotes on how to treat other people. The first was from my youngest daughter, Nancy. The little girl who played George Clooney’s daughter in the movie, The Descendants, was asked in an interview what advice George Clooney gave her since she’s just starting out in acting. She responded,…
A recent 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…
Success doesn’t just happen. It’s part of a process that usually begins with a lot of hard work – the kind that most people aren’t willing to do. This is the unglamorous side of success that’s often referred to as “paying your dues.” Paying your dues is necessary because this is where you gain the…