Challenge Yourself Today!

 
Take the time to respond in a positive manner to the very next request you receive.

Not so much for your own sense of doing good; but for the sake of another. Committing a random act of kindness should not be self serving or for self gratification. It should be done because it's the right thing to do.

Enough!

Could you imagine a world where everyone had what they needed to survive and live peacefully. For starters, the basic necessities were met, like food, water and a roof over their head. Add to that a means to make ends meet; a decent education, a car, a qualifying job and money in the bank. Yes these are "things", but things that could make a person's life so much easier so they could focus their energies on maintaining and appreciating a life without struggle.

Attitude is everything!

Often times a person's attitude can be a result of an underlying issue; putting aside for now, any mental or physical disability or ailment. They could be on edge about a bill coming due knowing they do not have enough funds to cover the payment. Or their vehicle, their only means of transportation to the job they're struggling to hold on to, has repair costs that are outrageous. Some extenuating circumstance that has absolutely nothing to do with you or your current situation could cause a person to look at you as a suitable object for which to cast their cares upon. You might be viewed as "having it all together" because you decided to "smile" today in spite of your own problems and concerns. And jealousy is a green eyed monster that turns the [usually] nicest of people into unapproachable beasts.

Give It A Try!

So challenge yourself today by making a conscious choice to put a positive 180* spin on someone's negativity. And don't allow yourself to be pulled into their web of despair. Just because, as the saying goes "misery loves company", you should decide not to go to that party. It'll just ruin your positive high. And if your positive efforts are thwarted or ignored, then kick the dust off your shoes and just walk away knowing you tried. Because not everyone wants to come in from the rain. And your positive umbrella just might allow you to see their tears.


Today! ... Set a goal to help one person in distress.


Tomorrow!! ... Set a goal to help two people in distress.


And so on, and so on, and so on.

Just A Thought...

  
Well? Did you try it? How did the day go?


For one day ... did you try to put a positive spin on any negative that came your way?


I know, I know, it can be rather difficult because you have so much to consider before you respond. And who has that kind of time in this fast paced day and age?


Perhaps that's the problem! We all have succumb to the "super-highway" way of thinking. The internet has been a blessing as well as a curse for some of us. Media in general has made us all rather jaded to some degree. We judge each other without knowing the complete story. We over think, or under think a matter with a knee jerk reaction. Only to reflect on it later and wish we had or hadn't said this or that. Yes, hindsight is "20/20"! And since we know this to be a fact, why do we continue to make the same mistakes over and over and over again?


This tongue of ours is definitely a two-edged sword on so many levels that it's scary to think that we kiss our loved ones with the mouth in which said sword is housed. Too often, I've found myself wanting to join a nunnery of sorts. A place where I would be expected to "keep my mouth shut" unless it was found that I had something of value to say. But then again, I should have enough self control over my own words by choosing to think before I speak. Yes, the choice is mine and mine alone. Just as the choice is yours ... and yours alone.


Choose to encourage someone today!


Choose to commit this random act of kindness in spite of your own current circumstances. You never know whose life you'll touch, and perhaps change for the better, if you'd only take the time to do this.


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Come back to my blog sometime and tell me how "YOU" made a positive difference or a positive change in your own life or in someone else's life.


It can be done. We just have to decide to do it!!


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For One Day

For one day, try to put a positive spin on every negative.

Think it can't be done? It can, it just takes some concentration and resolve on your part.

Think about this when you speak:

Pause

Pause to really think about the next word before it comes out of your mouth. If the tongue is a figurative two edged sword, then why not cut out the negative words before they come out of your mouth - even though they were already formed in your heart and mind. I wonder if the people who "speak their mind" have true friends or just followers who are intimidated by them.

A thought or response has to come from within you. Often the case may be a knee jerk reaction response, but a response none the less. And this type can get us into loads of trouble not only in the real world but in the cyber world as well.

I mean, who hasn't shot off their mouth or an email without thinking it through, only seconds later to regret it and ask, "Why did I say that?" Or in the case of responding on some form of a computerized device, say to yourself, "I need to recall that message!" Because in the real world as well as the cyber world, there are no takesie-backsie's. You can try and damn-it up all you want, but that river is flowing like the white water rapids you swore you'd never ride again after that time your buddies said, "Let's go canoeing!"


Consider the ramifications


Consider the impact that your words will have on the recipient. Will you respond based on the matter at hand? Or based on your current emotional state? Here again that knee jerk reaction comes to mind. If the situation warrants an immediate response, then the answer could be one of a rush to judgement and not well thought out. Some people demand an immediate response but then when they receive it, they find that's not what they really wanted.

And then you don't want to respond based on feelings and emotions either, because this can come back to haunt you. So to keep the response based on the matter at hand, we humans can determine a course of action that does not require feelings or emotion to come into play. Isn't this what separates us from the animal kingdom? Logic! Take a moment to think it through. Often times, I can play out a scenario in my head before taking action. This allows me to see what could happen if I chose to take a particular course of action; or not. I'm sure that we all have this option. If we would just stop and take that second to choose based on logic.

Some may want to call it a freedom of choice or perhaps common sense. But either way, the right way to respond can be made by any individual person who's willing to admit that, first they may not know the answer - pride. Or they are too lazy to find the answer - sloth. Or they're choosing to antagonize the other person to some degree to gain a foothold of some sort - anger, envy.

Opt for a better way to say what you mean

This process can take just a few seconds. Whether your response is, "Let me get back to you on that" Or, "That could work. Let's give it a try". Either way, you'd be surprised how fast the mind can make a logical decision when it needs to.

Decide to make a 180* change
(...to be continued...)