A friend of mine gave me this advice when I was having a bad day. What she meant was, instead of whining or playing the victim when you’re having a bad day, step back, take a deep breath, and say to yourself, “I’m going to rewrite the rest of today’s script.” Then make it your mission to brighten the day of everyone around you by saying or doing something that brings a smile to their face. When you do this, they will feel compelled to say or do something that makes you smile, and pretty soon your bad day will be in your rear-view mirror. For example, I was feeling down during the holiday season last year. My wife Marcia suggested I go to Trader Joe’s and tell the employees there how much I appreciate them and all the joy they brought to my life. I took her up on her suggestion and returned home a grateful and energized person. The lesson here is you can rewrite the script when you’re having a bad day.
One Sentence Wisdom
- “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” — William Arthur Ward
- “In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flames by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” — Albert Schweitzer
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