You find yourself refreshed by the presence of cheerful people

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“You find yourself refreshed by the presence of cheerful people. Why not make an earnest effort to confer that pleasure on others?”

—Lydia Maria Francis Child, 19th Century American Social Reformer

Image from Unsplash by Tyler Nix

Who are the people in your life that always exude a cheerful disposition? Who are those that smile at you and seem to be genuinely happy to see you whenever you connect?

When you think of them how do you feel? What sensations do you experience, and how does your mood and attitude shift as you anticipate each encounter?

Shift things around for a minute and consider how many of these people would put you on their list of happy, peppy people? How do you brighten the room, or pull down the room darkening curtains when you show up?

EXERCISE:

Look up the books FISH and Make Their Day to see how you can brighten the lives of others. Don’t be surprised if you benefit from the boomerang of cheerfulness that comes your way in return.

See the humanity in others. We are all wrestling with our own stuff

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See the humanity in others. We are all wrestling with our own stuff that is making life messy and difficult.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Bud Helisson

To a certain degree we are all narcissists. We can’t help but look through the lenses of our own trials and challenges each day. Doing this can often create a separation between ourselves and others in our communities. We can come to think that the burdens we carry are somehow unique to us and are of far greater magnitude.

I recently watched the National Geographic series 9/11 One Day in America. and got a big wake up call at how our troubles pale in comparison. I’ve also realized in the past few years since Covid the wrestling done by most people is far more than I ever imagined.

EXERCISE:

To what degree do you take the time to fully embrace the humanity in others? Take a few extra moments today to be interested rather than interesting and see what you discover.

Friday Review Vulnerability

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Friday Review: Vulnerability

How vulnerable are you? How do you react to vulnerability in others? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

 

 

“You don’t protect your heart by acting like you don’t have one.”

 

 

 

“When you connect with people from the core, you learn a whole lot more.”

 

 

 

Vulnerability is a source of so many wonderful aspects of life. You must, however, let go to receive them.

 

 

 

 

Desires that arise in agitation are more aligned with your ego

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“Desires that arise in agitation are more aligned with your ego. Desires that arise in stillness are more aligned with your soul.”

—Cory Muscara, instructor of positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania

Image from Unsplash by Piret Llver

There is nothing wrong with wanting things. The idea that we can separate our desires into two categories seems like a useful exercise if we feel the need to do a bit of re-balancing.

What goals are you pursuing that create a sense of agitation and stress?

Where are you pursuing power, status, or other achievements viewed and scrutinized by others in your communities?

What are some of your quieter goals that bubble up in stillness?

These are likely the ones with no specific metric or scoreboard to measure yourself.

EXERCISE:

Create two lists of your ego and soul-based desires.

Consider letting your level of agitation or stillness guide you to which items deserves more attention.

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor

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“Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.”

—Truman Capote, 20th Century American novelist, playwright and actor

Image from Unsplash by the blowup

Wendy and I recently spent a week in Florida to help celebrate one of our dear friend’s 90th birthday. This special lady is only four feet eight inches tall and probably weighs only a bit more than my five-year-old grandson.

During our time together, I had numerous chances to discuss some of her challenging life events and pivotal moments that helped shape who she is.

It is often said that good things come in small packages—in her case, I’m sure that her keen wit, energy and enthusiastic love of life had folks come from near and far to celebrate her flavorful life!

EXERCISE:

How would a shift from seeing failure as a bitter pill to a tasty condiment give your life more flavor to savor in the years ahead?

 

To live only for some future goal is shallow

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“To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain which sustains life, not the top.”

—Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Image from Unsplash by Charlie Hammond

I’ve never climbed a mountain but I’ve learned through watching plenty of nature programs that very little lives at extreme heights.

For the tallest of the world’s mountains, climbers enter the “death zone” when they are over 8,000 meters above sea level. At this height, oxygen is about one third the concentration it is on the ground below.

When one examines more modestly sized mountains, we can readily see the tree line only goes so far before things shift to the cold frosty stuff.

EXERCISE:

How often do you take the time to fully explore and appreciate all the steps on your journey to the top? Where might stops along the way and even deciding not to climb all the way be the wisest approach to take?

Be aware of your attitude and energy

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Be aware of your attitude and energy. Making mindful transitions helps your mode meet the moment.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Patrick Hendry

How masterful are you at tuning into your inner and outer worlds?

How aware are you of your current attitude and energy levels?

How in sync are they with the people and events around you?

Seeing when the pieces fit and feeling when those flow states show up is the best! Wouldn’t it be nice if these conditions could be sustained for hours instead of minutes?

What makes this so difficult may be that we are constantly experiencing more and more transition states that require constant pivoting and adjustments.

Consider all the various sporting events in which you participate or watch.

Mastering the transition game is what separates the good from the great.

EXERCISE:

In what ways can you mindfully monitor your attitude and energy to have more of your modes meet more of your moments?

Friday Review: Creativity

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Friday Review: Creativity

What place does creativity have in your life? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

 

“Creativity doesn’t wait for the perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones.”

 

 

 

“Innovation is born from the interaction between constraint and vision.”

 

 

 

“Some people look for a beautiful place, while other people make a place beautiful.”

 

 

 

 

There is a difference between giving up and starting over

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“There is a difference between giving up and starting over.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by @felipepelaquim

Today’s quote made me immediately think of Thomas Edison.

When you consider all the inventions attributed to him—including the light bulb—it’s clear to see his consistent persistence in action.

How about you?

Where and how often do you begin again and again when things don’t work out on the first and future attempts?

To what degree have you developed the resilience and resolve to start over when your path forward is blocked?

Where and on what important matter did you give up entirely?

To what extent do you feel a sense of failure and regret for not staying the course or finding an alternative route toward your goal?

EXERCISE:

Two books to consider if the quote above resonates are…

The Dip by Seth Godin

The Power of Regret by Daniel Pink

It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving

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“It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like the morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living.”

—F. Scott Fitzgerald, 20th Century American novelist

Image from Unsplash by Hiki App

My morning walk with friends always begins with us smiling at each other. Allen even claps when new members of our club arrive! Who doesn’t like a standing ovation?

Here are a few more quotes I found that can help turn your frowns upside down:

“If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love.”
(Maya Angelou)

“Life is like a mirror—smile at it and it smiles back at you.”
(Peace Pilgrim)

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.”
(Phyllis Diller)

EXERCISE:

To whom will you offer a friendly smile today, to help make their day more worth living?