Wishing you a blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with
health, happiness and prosperity.

How to Help the World, One Person at a Time...

A few years ago, there was a day that my oldest daughter needed a ride to an event. On the way, she asked if we could stop to get a sandwich so we pulled into a nearby sandwich shop. I followed my daughter in because someone had to pay the bill and of course teenagers never have any money! Once the sandwich was made very young, dark haired girl moved gently to the cash register. Her methodical quiet pace revealed her to have a slightly reserved personality. Without making eye contact, she gave me the total cost in a slight whisper. I in turn, fumbled for my pink wallet amongst the vast array of crinkled receipts in my purse. (Where do they all come from?) As I looked up into the youthful employees face, I noticed that she was wearing adorable eye glass frames which complimented her personal beauty. Without hesitation, I blurted out, “Wow. You have really great eye glass frames. I love how they look on you. They are a perfect fit for your face.”

What happened next is the part of the story I really want you to catch. This reserved, bashful girl raised her torso, lifted her chin, and got a big smile across her face. She looked me straight in the eye and said, “Thank you!”

My daughter and I left the sandwich shop and drove off to her event. Yet, I just could not release from my mind, the vision of that young girls reaction back at the store. All I did was share an honest, heartfelt compliment. Yet it seemed to turn her world around. By watching her body language, it was as if her self-confidence increased. The quick compliment sure made her smile. All I could think about was the amazing transformation that happened to an individual, just because I chose to give a compliment.

Since that time, I’ve often wondered, why don’t people give more compliments?

Here are three reasons I came up with – see if you agree.

1) Possibly it is a TIME issue. After all, we are busy people. You and I are time pressed. We live in a microwave society where we like things to happen instantaneously. Yep, that’s it. People probably don’t give more compliments because it takes too much time. Well, the compliment I gave to the employee must have taken me about 20 seconds – maybe less. If you and I talked about it, I bet we would agree that giving a compliment and making someone feel great actually doesn’t take much time at all. It is something we all can do while we are ‘doing’ life. So if it is not a time issue that people don’t give more compliments, what is it?

2) Maybe it’s FINANCIAL - People are constantly talking about their shortage of money, fuel prices, foreclosures on homes, and the overall mess that the economy is in. Maybe people don’t give more compliments because it costs too much money. Let’s think about it for a second. How much did it cost me to say a few nice words to this young girl? I think we can all concur that this compliment withdrew nothing from my wallet. The sandwich still was the same price. So if it is not because of finances that people don’t compliment more, what is it?

3) This time I think I’ve got it. It must be EFFORT. Sure, there it is; it takes too much effort for us to compliment someone else. Well, I don’t know. Maybe it wasn’t all that hard. I can tell you one thing, I was NOT in the parking lot outside of that sandwich shop giving myself a pep talk and doing cardio vascular exercises in preparation for a big event inside the restaurant. No way. My teenage daughter would have disowned me as her mom! Truth is, it took zero effort on my part to pass along a deserving compliment that day.

So if it takes very little time, no money and the smallest of effort, why don’t people give more compliments?

Might I offer a suggestion? Could it possibly be that we are so caught up in ourselves and our daily happenings, that we are forgetting to look at who is across the counter from us? Maybe?

Helen Keller was such an incredible person, overcoming huge challenges in her lifetime. She said, “To the world you may be just one. But to one, you may be the world.” Now go back and read that again. Chances are that you thought of a very special person that did or said something to you that changed your world. Remember how it elevated you? Remember how gushy you felt inside? Did you smile or was a full-fledged beam from ear to ear? How else did it impact you? Is that a feeling that should be felt by more people?

I encourage you to pay that feeling forward to someone else. What better season to say something nice to another. Just think what would happen if you and I started a complimenting revolution? We could together make an impact that would reverberate across the land. How awesome it would be to see a changed world. Go ahead start today. What are you waiting for? Go out and make a difference in this world – give a compliment.

Simple Things that make you Smile...

A former high school classmate, with just one blog post, has reminded me that life continues to go by quickly and we don’t usually take time to remember the things that make us happy. When I read his ‘personal inventory’ compilation of his simple pleasures, it inspired me to do the same. Although this list may be completely different than yours, I hope it motivates you to take some time and create your own list to reflect on and smile about. Here is mine:

• Walking into Starbucks on a Friday morning to find they still have a piece of Lemon Loaf left for you.

• Having a friend whom you have not spoken with for a long time, give you a phone call out of the blue. Even though the conversation only lasts for a few minutes, it’s the warm fuzzy you feel inside when you hear their voice.

• Feeling their elation when your child tells you about something thrilling that happened to them at school.

• Unending laughter when you are together as a family at the dinner table, over something rather random and corny, but still seems to strike a chord with at least 2 people at the table. You know…the kind that causes near hyperventilation and makes your eyes water?

• Knowing that your 16 year old thinks it’s cool to walk into Target on a Thursday night with both her and her mom wearing pink baseball hats.

• Enjoying family time at Disney World for days on end while being completely unplugged from the world…and not caring how many Emails, Texts, Tweets or Facebook messages you have missed.

• When your heart is hurting and a friend simply says, “I care about you.”

• Getting a snail mail Christmas card with a picture instead of just a card.

• The smell of freshly made popcorn…with extra butter.

• Having your spouse create a memorable tradition by preparing a lobster dinner at home for you on Valentine’s Day because it’s your Birthday…and watching the kids eat hot dogs.

• Being able to receive words of affirmation and appreciation from people because your writings have touched them in a special way.

Realizing that 75% of my list happened within 48 hours prior to writing about it, reminds me that happiness abounds all around. What are some simple things in life that make you smile? We’d love to hear them!

Walkin' in a Wonderland...

Do you ever wonder at the wonder of it all? Do you watch the waves roll in and then look out far beyond them where the water seems to touch the sky and realize that the vast expanse before your eyes is only a small little corner of all there really is?

Ralph S. Marston, Jr. gave these words life in his famed poem “The Wonder of It All”. Webster defines the meaning of wonder as “a feeling of surprise, admiration and awe aroused by something strange, unexpected and incredible”.

Living in the Midwest, residents experience incredible wonder with the change of seasons. The winter months bring sparkling fresh blankets of snow and a bitter chill in the air. One can hear the screams from children sledding down a hill and see the determined efforts of the snowboarding teenagers who are challenged by the run of the course. Come spring, the soft rain showers wash away the heavy compacted snow and give way to a renewal of the land. Green plants start to arise from the earth, birds begin to sing their songs and flowers prepare to release their colorful fragrant blossoms. Summer quickly follows with temperatures skyrocketing and neighbors enjoying the aroma of burgers and brats on the grill. A child’s laughter fills the air as they swing higher than ever before and men listen for the rumble from a nearby speed boat or motorcycle. Before long, another renovation occurs as the leaves on the trees change from emerald to crimson to amber to russet. They flutter to the ground when the brisk autumn breeze blows. Whistles and cheers fill the air at the football games and a crackling of the logs in the fire pit will mesmerize all who stop to feel its warmth. Almost in the blink of an eye, the transformation has come full circle when the approaching signs of winter appear once again. Each season holds a wonder and an amazement all its own.

During the summer months, a tree can be as wide as it is tall, filled with large deep green thick leaves, so abundant that the tree trunk and branches are not visible. Yet, in the winter, that very same tree will stand the test of time, with only its bare thin trunk and peeling bark. Do you ever wonder how it will renew itself and blossom into its full beauty and potential again next year? Ah…the wonder of it all!

We each are walking in a land of wonder and amazement. I urge you to dig deep today to find the wonders around you, to stop and smell the flowers. Find what you have taken for granted. When was the last time you listened to the pitter patter of raindrops falling ever so softly? When was the last time you allowed yourself to slowly eat your favorite food, holding it in your mouth and appreciate the robust flavors it offers? When was the last time you stopped to caress the cheek of a tiny infant or stroked a velvety baby bunny? When was the last time you delighted in the smell of fresh baked cookies and thought back to years gone by?

Today is a new day of wonder. Take five minutes before turning in for the night, to journal some things in your life that you are grateful for…things that make you wonder.

Defining Moments

Tonight my family and I attended a concert where a dear friend was performing. There were several very talented artists involved, but one in particular stood out. I might be a tad bit partial but nonetheless, the reason this singer/songwriter stood out to me was because he presented my youngest daughter with a precious gift. No, he didn’t share any diamonds or pearls with her, nor did he grant her a monetary gift. The present this man bestowed on her is so valuable it will last a lifetime. This complete stranger took the time to recognize an eleven year old child, look her in the eye and plant a seed in her heart with his words and message. He told her about a song he had just recorded called “Undefined”. With thoughtfulness in his eyes and passion in his heart, he told her that “Undefined” meant ‘having no definition’. He proceeded to declare that the world cannot ‘define’ who she is as a person. She is on a journey where she is defining who she is; she can define the undefined, reach for the unreachable, believe the unbelievable, and laugh at the impossible.

With tears in my eyes I stood in complete humbleness. What if everyone was willing to plant a seed of greatness in someone they have never met before? What if you and I took our eyes off ourselves long enough to reach out to a child and tell them they were special? What if we lifted one person each day with our words or message? Dare we ask what might happen?

Today’s world is in need of people, ordinary people like you and I, who are willing to define the undefined; People willing to reach out to the unreachable. People who believe that we CAN change the world…for the better…by planting one seed in one person each step of the way. Who is willing to Flip the Switch and redefine who they are by planting a seed?

It's Planting Time...

Last fall, many people saw the American economy ‘down for the count’. We heard terms like downturn, recession and slump. True, America was sick, but during challenging times, poor discipline and immaturity seem to be revealed. Maybe it’s time to get real and be honest. Try this on for size….the economy is not dwindling – it’s being transformed.

We were sick and now it’s time to fix the root of the problem. Forget the band-aid. Let’s pick up the pieces and put them together in a new way to form a new life. What this situation exposed was simply all the elements that were broken.

What would happen if we embraced the chaos? What if we buried the self doubt, the doom and gloom, the envy and the ‘woe is me’ attitude? Go ahead…pick up a shovel, dig a six foot hole and bury that stuff for good. The truth is, today is a great time for a new generation to rise up and find the strength to start planting – planting confidence, determination and belief.

Think about when the gardener plants a new seed. When that seed begins to sprout, the first thing that comes up is a little dirt - it is then and only then that the shoot begins to appear. Can you hang on long enough to brush away the initial dirt so you can celebrate the new healthy green sprouting growth? That kind of determination will be needed.

The germination period for each seed is different. Some seeds sprout right away but the plant is slow to grow. While others take excessive amounts of time to push through the earth, then their bloom comes quickly. Can you maintain your confidence even when there is no sight of growth?

Think about a farmer. When he plants corn in the spring, he knows without a shadow of a doubt that he will be harvesting corn (not wheat) in the fall. He maintained his belief throughout the entire growing season. Can you sustain your belief throughout growing season?

We’re not ‘down and out’; it’s time to Plant. Planting confidence, determination and belief today has the potential to create an abundant harvest tomorrow.

Choosing Your Battles...

Growing up I've heard the saying, "You have to choose your battles."  I've told other mothers the very same thing.  While this is great advice for parenting (especially when you have a teenager), some battles arrive with full armor ready to take charge that we did not choose.

My dear friend did not choose breast cancer and a brain aneurism...but she did choose to fight.

The battles that have chosen me this last month, I did not choose.  But I know in order to survive them, I have to fight.  And that I will do.

What battle has come to you?  Are you willing to fight?

The world is looking for a generation of people who will rise up when the battles of life get difficult....even scary.  It would be much easier to give in or give up all together.

Know that you are not alone.  Know that YOU can CHOOSE to be a warrior.  I will.  Will YOU?

** Kimberly recommends the book "Warrior Chicks" by Holly Wagner for further insight on this subject.