In 2004, there were banners in Anaheim California, that said “Make Kindness Contagious.” A holistic doctor put them up.

He told a story about his daughter, Natasha, who died in a car accident. Many friends and neighbors told stories about little six year old Natasha constantly writing and talking about Kindness. He found impactful words about Kindness tucked away in her bedroom closet. He said Natasha’s wish was for a kinder world.

He then said something very profound.

He said that in medicine, one could either treat the symptoms, or one can stimulate the body to heal from within. And that has something to do with Kindness.”

Six years later a man ran for mayor on a platform of kindness and won!

Believe in and practice the great power of kindness in your daily life.

It is what the world needs now!

If not today, when?

My wife and I decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants yesterday after attending church.

Because it was Sunday, a large buffet was being offered. This buffet has a rule that an employee will put your selections on the plate for you.

So, after the salad choices came a great variety of offerings. He handed me the salad plate while he began to fill a second one. I think he noticed, while I was holding the full salad plate, that my hands shake a little.

Every other customer in line carries two plates of food to their table themselves.

Once he had filled my second plate, however, he asked me to hand him the salad plate. He had decided that he would carry both plates to our table so I wouldn’t be in danger of dropping some food.

Kindness is a awesome thing. Reach out to someone in KINDNESS!

If not today, when?

We had numerous foster children live with us!

The foster care system, according to the statistics, is overwhelmed with children needing love and a safe environment.

The length of time that a child needs your help varies with the circumstances of each child. Some are adopted out within a few months of coming to live with you.

Others never find an adopted home and finally “age out” at age eighteen and must pretty much fend for themselves.

Inviting a foster child into your home is a big act of Kindness. Each child will bring his/her own personal history. They are in need of love, patience, compassion and understanding.

Do you want to make a POSITIVE DIFFERENCE WITH YOUR LIFE?

Then, give your love to a struggling child who is not loved!

Will it be easy? No!

Will it be the most important thing you’ve ever done with your life? Probably!

If not today, when?

We just finished watching a Netflix film entitled, “Rising Phoenix.”

It is the incredible story of those born without limbs who go on to participate as a Paralympian.

A man born without arms wins a silver medal in archery at the Rio Olympics. He loads the arrow into the bow with the toes on his left foot and aims and triggers the bow with his right foot.

Each athlete in the film has a personal story of coping with and overcoming terrible handicaps along the winding path to victory witnessed by millions around the world.

While watching the film, I asked myself, “So, what do you have to complain about?”

A happy life must be lived with perspective!

Despite our day-to-day difficulties, we must live with gratitude for the many blessings that have come our way.

This blog is now on LinkedIn and Facebook. I got a message from a man living in Uganda.

I asked him how his life is going and he replied, “I thank God for my life, but we have no food!”

Count your blessings!!!!

We just finished watching a Netflix film entitled, “Rising Phoenix.”

It is the incredible story of those born without limbs who go on to participate as a Paralympian.

A man born without arms wins a silver medal in archery at the Rio Olympics. He loads the arrow into the bow with the toes on his left foot and aims and triggers the bow with his right foot.

Each athlete in the film has a personal story of coping with and overcoming terrible handicaps along the winding path to victory witnessed by millions around the world.

While watching the film, I asked myself, “So, what do you have to complain about?”

A happy life must be lived with perspective!

Despite our day-to-day difficulties, we must live with gratitude for the many blessings that have come our way.

This blog is now on LinkedIn and Facebook. I got a message from a man living in Uganda.

I asked him how his life is going and he replied, “I thank God for my life, but we have no food!”

Count your blessings!!!!

Hope keeps you healthier and happier!

Yes, in these times of uncertainty, we must proceed with HOPE in our hearts

This is easier said than done. The future is less predictable than it ever was.

Covid 19, climate change, a weak economy, job uncertainty, an election year tests each of us.

So what is the best response to all of this? It absolutely is not despair!

No, the best way to avoid despair is to do something positive each day. The most positive thing you can do is to put a smile on your face and spread a little kindness to everyone you greet.

Begin, of course with family members. Your children and grand children are always watching you and learning from you.

Show them how to live a life filled with hope for all your tomorrows. The same goes for the way you treat co-workers.

The best way to have hope is to look at what you have, not what you don’t have!

If not today, when?

Family has always been an important thing to me since I was little. (Joshua Crawford)

When you’re a kid you really don’t understand too much about life, but you just go day by day as happy as you can be.

When you start getting older you realize that family is really important, but as you grow up, you’re not always going to have the chance to see all of your family like you used to.

People take life and their families for granted and don’t appreciate everything they do for them.

You have to learn that you need to cherish every moment with your family as much as possible because it’s going to hurt when you lose one of your family members.

Once you experience that, you never take them for granted again.

Kindness to family members, even if you disagree with some, is essential for your own happiness!

If not today, when?

An avalanche of women (and men) continues revealing sexual harassment and assault in the workplace. This story is about kindness in the workplace or rather the lack thereof.

There is the story of an IT executive in the financial industry. She had just left a position she’d held for five years and was wisely taking a break to reflect on where she was in her life.

Even though she found herself somewhat uncertain about her next steps, one thing was crystal clear to her. She stated that she would consider working only for a company that fosters kindness in the workplace.

This woman executive claimed that instead of kindness at work she has too often experienced backstabbing, competition, and “I’m in it for me” attitudes from co-workers.

This time around she’s adamant that she will not settle for an unkind workplace in her next job, even though that narrows the options considerably.

How do you behave at work?

Give yourself a break!

We are usually hard on ourselves because we’re very aware of our own shortcomings.

Don’t do that!!

The world will be hard enough at times. So, you don’t have to “pile on!”

If there are quirks in your personality that need to be improved upon, then go about working on them. Just remember, however, nobody else is perfect either.

And never, never allow others’ opinions to dictate the course of your life. You have to live with yourself 24/7, so why not live with someone you like, even love?

Your very existence is a gift from God. So, do what we all do when receiving a gift, appreciate it and be thankful.

So, be kind to yourself. You only go around once.

Go on your terms!

If not today, when?