Choices

As the old saying goes, “For every action, there is a reaction”. What does that mean? Here are some easy examples: If you rob a bank, you could go to jail. If you hit someone, you could be charged with assault. Those are what I call easy choices. I would certainly choose not to do those things of course! There are other more subtle choices that we make every day that can also spark a reaction that could last a lifetime.  Saying something unkind to someone could shape how they view themselves and their choices. Choosing not to visit a family member or friend, because you are too busy, might result in never getting to say goodbye to that person.  Speeding up when a car is trying to cut in front of you could result in an accident with life long consequences.  Your action caused a reaction that you might later regret. The reverse of those types of choices is also true. When you smile at someone, you could spark a smile back, delivering an instant dose of feel-good hormones to you both! You could wave someone through in traffic and be the reason they get to their kid’s performance on time. You could pay for the guy behind you in line at the coffee counter and set a wave of random acts of kindness at that counter for the whole day! When we take the time to slow down and analyze the pros and cons for each action or decision, it allows us to make a better decision more often and leads to a more profound and purposeful life! 
 

Something to Think About

One of my favorite quotes is by Maya Angelou. “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." 
 

Weekly Activity 

Reach out to at least five people a day this week with some kind of random kindness – even if it’s just a quick hello to tell them you appreciate them. You’ll surprise and delight yourself with the results.
 

Words of Wisdom

Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. - Desmond Tutu

Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. - Mark Twain

I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind. - Neil Gaiman

Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind. - Roy T. Bennett