Do Something Nice For Someone Else

I’m sure you’ve heard of the gold rule: Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you. This used to be a standard by which many people lived their lives. Today though, it seems like the golden rule is: Do before done unto you.

One of the best things you can do to feel good about yourself is to do something nice for someone else. Watching someone smile, or a tear in the corner of their eye, because of something nice someone else did is wonderful.

Here are some simple ways to make someone’s day. Give them a try:

Send someone flowers. Flowers don’t have to be expensive or elaborate to make someone’s day. Send a simple bouquet of carnations or a pretty green house plant. Just the simple gesture is sure to put a smile on someone’s face.
Call someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Is there an old friend you’ve been thinking about that you haven’t spoken to in a long time? Why not give her a call?
Hold the door open for someone. A quiet gesture, like holding the door open for someone who has their hands full will really stand out. Everyone is so busy that we often forget these simple acts of kindness.
Turn off your cell phone. Cell phones have truly disrupted our entire way of living. In the name of “convenience” cell phones are increasingly a menace everywhere you go. The next time you’re in the doctor’s office or having dinner in a restaurant, turn off your cell phone or set it to vibrate. These uninterrupted moments go a long way.

August 8, 2008 | Filed Under Encouragement, Self-improvement | Leave a Comment

Simple Ways to Show Your Teen You Care

Teenagers go through quite a bit of physical and emotional changes. If you are the parent of a teen, it is crucial that you make sure they know how much you care about them. Many parents fear of pushing their teens away from them if they show interest in their lives. The truth is, teens need to know their parents care.

Here are some ways you can show your teen that you care… Read more

June 11, 2008 | Filed Under Encouragement | Leave a Comment

Positive Words of Encouragement—6 Ways to Encourage Someone Today

Do you know someone who seems to be down in spirits? Do you wish there was something you could do to help them feel better? Here are six things you can do to encourage someone today:

1. Give them a card. With technology today, hardly anyone at all ever thinks about giving or sending cards to each other anymore. Go to the store and buy a nice “thinking of you” card. Write an encouraging note inside the card and mail it to that person, or give it to them personally.

2. Call someone. If you know someone who is having a difficult time, why not pick up the phone and call them? Sometimes people just need a lifeline. They just need to know that there is someone else out there who really does care. A simple phone call can greatly lift someone’s spirits.

3. Send them some flowers or a balloon bouquet. Again, technology has driven us to be more withdrawn to ourselves, doing something thoughtful like this would really brighten someone’s day. If you’re not a flower person, you could send a nice balloon bouquet with a candy assortment attached, or a green house plant.

4. Pay a compliment. Everyone likes to hear nice things said about them. Pay someone a compliment. Don’t go overboard with it; just pay a genuine compliment and watch it brighten their day.

5. Be a Secret Pal. If you’d like to do something nice, but don’t want to make a big deal about it, you could become someone’s Secret Pal. This way, neither of you feels awkward or self-conscious.

6. Be genuinely kind and considerate. Sometimes just being nice to someone means more than anything. We all need friends, so become someone’s friend today.