Who Cares?

Growing up in the 80’s would make you believe that anything could be solved in a 30 minute episode. There was no problem that required more than that amount of time to resolve unless it was a mini- series or an after-school special. One of my favorite shows was the CareBears. They understood that in order to resolve some issues, you need help. Each of them had a special gift that was tattooed on their belly, and when things got gloomy, they would join hands and do the “care bear stare.”

How many of us suffer in silence? How many of us wear our fake smiles, every day? We put on a show, and people never really know what’s really going on with us. We were not created to do this thing alone. We were not created to suffer in silence. There are people who care about you. There are people who will go out of their way for you. Open up. Let people in. Stop asking, “who cares?”

Unsung Heroes

They walk among us. They work alongside us. They live with us. Every day we encounter unsung heroes. Grandmothers raising grandkids. Surrogate mothers and fathers who stepped up when no one else would. Stepparents who embrace their spouse's children. Teachers who take the extra time to pay attention to the little things. Nurses who give a little more TLC. Customer Service Reps who go the extra mile. Strangers who smile in your direction. These are just a few of the unsung heroes who add to our lives on a daily basis. Acknowledge their sacrifice. Acknowledge their generosity. Appreciate them. 

ROI

ROI measures the amount of return on an investment, relative to the investment’s cost. To calculate ROI, the benefit (or return) of an investment is divided by the cost of the investment. The result is expressed as a percentage or a ratio.

"So, what's in it for me?" Most people want to know if they give you something how it will benefit them. ROI is easy to calculate when you are talking about tangible investments. What about time? What about emotions? What about expectations? When we invest in people, we don't always see immediate results. We don't always reap the benefits of everything we sow into people's lives. It's ok. Life has a funny way of bringing things full circle. Continue to live. Continue to grow. Continue to sow.

Learn

They say you learn something new every day. I can say that I really do learn something new every day. I learn new information. I learn about myself. I learn about my triggers and my limits. I learn to listen when my body speaks. I learn how others respond to me and how I respond in return. I learn to pay attention to everyone around me. What did you learn today? Pay attention. Every day is a new opportunity to learn to learn every minute of your life. 

"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored." -Earl Nightingale
 

Forgive

Forgiveness is for you. It doesn't mean that you will forget. It doesn't mean it will stop hurting, but it does release you. Forgive so that you can be forgiven. Forgive because it takes more to hold onto it. Forgive because you have been forgiven. Forgive because unforgiveness may be blocking your blessing. Forgive so that you can be free. 

Change

Change is all around us. The weather changes. The seasons change. Time changes. People change. Life happens all around us, yet many of us struggle with change. Change is a constant. Embrace it. Do something new. Cut your hair. Try that new restaurant. Take the scenic route to work. Change is good for the soul. Sometimes, change is the very thing we need.