- Don’t be so hard on yourself. Realize that you are allowed to make mistakes and roll with them when they happen.
- Apologize when you need to. There is no shame in an apology but don’t make a practice of apologizing just for the sake of apologizing. Apologies should be sincere and heart felt.
- Listen – just listen. So many people just need a listening ear. It costs nothing but time and sometimes just listening can open up doors and relationships that would have been missed.
- Be kind. Kindness NEVER goes out of style. It is always appropriate and even when the grumpiest person is the recipient and does not respond you know you did the right thing. It does not cost a single penny to be kind and if we all just practiced kindness every single day what a world it could be.
- Make peace with the fact that life here is temporary. If you realize that you have a limited number of days to live on this earth, with these people, doing these things it makes each day matter just a little bit more. Make a plan for how you want to live your life and how you want to be remembered. Don’t dwell on death but accept that it is an inevitable part of life and live life knowing you can make a difference one day at a time.
- Color outside the lines sometimes. I tend to be a rule follower. Sometimes it is really okay to stray outside the normal a little bit and take a little bit of a risk as long as it is not hurting someone else. Feel free to let yourself go just a little bit every once in a while.
- Get outside and enjoy nature. It’s a huge big world out there and sometimes we all need to step away from the screen or device and get out into nature. Even sitting on the porch or deck and smelling the fresh air is a good thing. Unplug.
- Give everyone a chance. Everyone has worth in our world and believing the best in someone is the greatest gift you can give them.
- Be positive. Negativity reigns everywhere you look these days and by adopting a positive attitude and looking at the glass as half full can really turn the tide. Practice finding things to be positive about and know that life is better when viewed through those positive lenses than through the negative ones.
- Cultivate friendships and family relationships. It is not always easy but it is such an important part of life. Relationships are what makes us who we are and when priority is placed on placing value on relationships those relationships can sustain us during the times we need it the most. Don’t underestimate the power of friendships. The ones that stand the test of time are the ones that mean the most.
January 17, 2022
