Tag: kindness

Keep Smiling and Shining

Happy February! We made it to another year and I’m so glad it is 2022! Honestly, I’m happy to be alive any day, but knowing a new year is ahead is enough to make me smile.

Living the last couple years in a pandemic has been quite the ride, hasn’t it? We have learned how to navigate this new world of living with Covid unlike anything else we knew before. From wearing masks in public to being top online communicators, we have certainly taken this way of living to benefit us so we can continue to thrive.

I’ve also learned a lot about myself, too:

  • Lots of self-reflection
  • Discovering who in my life is truly in my circle
  • Finding new hobbies or interests
  • Learning more about my ADHD
  • Meeting new people through social media
  • Appreciating nature more
  • Knowing what matters most

Despite my mental health status constantly going through ups and downs, I can see that the last couple years have not been horrible, but really a blessing! How can I not smile?

Typically during the beginning of a new year, we decide to make resolutions or goals to live a better life. This usually entails losing weight, eating healthier or maybe giving up on bad habits. All these are admirable objectives and not to downplay them, but I think there are even better intentions in order to have a positive effect:

  1. GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO BE KIND to others and not pass judgment. I know…that’s a biggie, but so important! Plus, kindness is FREE!
  2. ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES and try not to let change in circumstances bring on stress. We all can be little creatures of habit and not deal with change well. However, change can be a good thing and if we focus on the pros, we can see all the possibilities as a result of those changes!
  3. MAINTAINING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE despite our circumstances. Not only is it helpful to keeping ourselves calm, but having a positive attitude can also be an example for others to follow suit.


Through all this self discovery, I recognize that I have gifts I can share with others. I have always had many interests and been a good communicator, which is what I used as the inspiration to start this blog back in 2020. I have always possessed an artistic side and spending more time with art and photography has enabled me to share some of my passions with others. Additionally, being with people, sharing experiences, making new friends is something I’ve always enjoyed.

I have also discovered there are many people that think just like me, too! I know that may sound silly, but when you surround yourself with the same circle all the time, you miss out on so much. I’ve mentioned this a few times, but the community I met through Tik Tok has been unbelievably amazing. Not only are there people who are inspirational, but are also funny, caring, and honest. I have made some special friendships that I wouldn’t change for anything.

Let’s circle back to change for a moment. recently, I have been confronted with some changes that will make a significant impact on me. At first, upon learning of the changes, I absorbed the information and went through a bit of an assimilation process… first came shock/surprise, second was a feeling of sadness/disappointment and then finally came apprehension/anxiety. Now I’m pretty much at the acceptance stage. I cannot change what is not in my control, so once I went through these emotions, I can now feel more at peace of accepting this news.

My logical part of my brain has been outlining all the pros to this change, but my emotional side has been a bit more “vocal” and has made me wonder more about future. I know I can’t predict how things will turn out. I can, however, take a different approach and embrace the unknown. Instead of a bunch of what ifs, how about more WHAT IF???

There’s a quote from Erin Hanson that I have seen with a Winnie the Pooh drawing of him in the air holding onto a balloon that says, “What if I fall? Oh my darling, but what if you fly?” I love this quote because it says so much in a simple way. It addresses our fear of the unknown, but then quickly assures us there are grand possibilities of success if we only allow ourselves to give it a try.

I suppose my goal in life encompasses many things. I need to keep in the forefront of my thinking that with change comes opportunity. And with opportunity, we can learn and grow. That never ends, unless we stop trying. And that isn’t an option for me. I might fall or fail, but at least I am experiencing life with some wonderful rewards.

Doesn’t that just make you want to smile? GOOD! Now pass it on!

Smiling and shining on a sunny day

Bring Back Love and Compassion

It has been a week since the recent 19 year anniversary of September 11th, a day that will forever be marked in history. I found a common theme across my social media circles and that was we need to get back to how we dealt with that tragedy the days following the attack. I saw statements like, “let’s get back to loving one another; can we please bring back compassionate for others?; let’s forget our differences and remember we are one human nation;” and so many other statements.

It seems we have lost our ability over the last several years of how to be supportive and loving towards each other. Judging and hatred and disregarding others opinions have been more prevalent lately over the last few years. It saddens me to see how we can’t keep that feeling of one community and we are so divided over just about anything imaginable. It’s time to take action…one person at a time.

How can one person make such an impact on another? It may be simpler than we think. Shane Leketa, podcaster of Coffee Talk says, “…we need to get back to basics, invest in others, encourage and support one another,” even if we do not fully agree with everything they believe in or say.

When 9/11 happened, our nation truly united. We did anything possible to help by donating our time, money, support, love, and patriotism for our country. It didn’t matter what race, gender, social status you were because all in all, we just wanted to help our fellow human being. We forgot our differences and just pulled together.

Social media has been both a positive way of connecting with others, but has also served as a conduit for anyone to believe they have the right to say just about anything to the world without repercussions. It’s become our medium of venting, complaining, bullying, fighting, pushing our agendas, and anything else in that realm.

Instead of highlighting the negative aspects, let’s see what positive impact social media has had on us. It has enabled us to share our day with others, encourage and lift each other, reconnect with family and old friends, as well as making new connections with others around the world. One thing seems to be common…many are seeking the same thing and that is love and understanding.

Perhaps we can stop hyper focusing and accept the imperfections of things around us. Even things that aren’t perfect have a purpose and light that should be shown.

Back to basics. Family time, friend gatherings, enjoying the little things, going outside and breathing fresh air or re-connecting with nature. We are so blessed to have technology on our side to help us continue to communicate with one another. However, sometimes, we do need to unplug and pay attention to what is in front of us. Our neighbors. Our family. Our friends. Our world.

There are many suffering from mental illness, or going through difficult times with their families. Some people are completely alone and are battling post traumatic stress disorder. Our older generation has been isolated more than ever since this pandemic. our children are losing their innocence of wonder and amazement because they are exposed to so much. Some parents tell their kids everything and some choose to not share all the negative aspects of our world.

It can get overwhelming thinking about all the stressors in life and what everyone experiences on a day to day basis. So, let’s tackle it differently by breaking down the issues into bite sized pieces where we truly can make a difference and start rebuilding our communities.

Invest in others

What does that entail? taking the time to get to know others, not just superficially, but really understand them. Call your elderly parents and say hello. Help your neighbor who is struggling with a piece of lawn equipment. Write a letter to our military troops who are far from home.

Encourage each other

We all can use encouragement. Sometimes if we lift another person’s spirit, ours can be lifted as well. I’m not saying to do this for selfish reasons, but it’s a natural way of human interaction. We feel good when we help others, so don’t stop what comes natural to us and don’t be afraid to offer words of encouragement when you see someone is hurting or not themselves. Be someone’s shoulder to lean on. Be that ear someone needs to listen. Just be there.

It’s OK to Agree to Disagree

One of the most difficult challenges we face is tolerance of others and their differences, yet still be respectful towards one another. Everyone has opinions or beliefs that may not jive with yours and it is totally fine! How boring would life be if we all believed the same way? It’s healthy to have various discussions, but when we start bashing another person’s opinions and start disrespecting their character, then we have overstepped the line.

There is a thing called Rules of Engagement in the military. It is defined as,

“directives meant to describe the circumstances under which ground, naval, and air forces will enter into and continue combat with opposing forces. Formally, rules of engagement refer to the orders issued by a competent military authority that delineate when, where, how, and against whom military force may be used, and they have implications for what actions soldiers may take on their own authority and what directives may be issued by a commanding officer. Rules of engagement are part of a general recognition that procedures and standards are essential to the conduct and effectiveness of civilized warfare.”

https://www.britannica.com/topic/rules-of-engagement-military-directives

Even during World War I, there was an unofficial cease-fire during Christmas. Enemies stopped fighting. They didn’t want to fight one another even though they were on opposite sides. There was a common understanding that no one would fight on Christmas Day. How amazing is that? To think we actually possessed the respect to lay down our firearms so that we could have a day of peace.

I am not saying we need to treat our society like the military, but there is something we can extract from this and how society treats one another and their differences. Tolerance. Respect. Kindness. Love.

We are one human race, on one planet, with invisible lines that border us. We do not have to allow those invisible lines divide us. We can cross over and get back to basics by being compassionate towards other people, despite ourselves.