 Did you miss me last month? ☺ Life got a little busy so decided to combine months. ANYWAY, an awesome thing happened since we last spoke. I was having dinner with a friend and we were standing at the counter to pay. I was chatting with another gal in front of me, just idle chit-chat. When she paid, she turned to me and said "I am paying it forward, so I would like to pay for your meal." WHAT?? Woo hoo! Poor gal, she never expected my reaction. This is the first time anyone has ever paid it forward to me. I jumped out and down and hugged her, told her in a flurry of words, how I pay it forward all the time and this was my first "payback." I made her come to my car so I could give her my book and hug her again. Her name is April and she was just visiting for the weekend. How cool IS THAT?? See what a difference you can make? One other PIF story. I was at the grocery store and there was an older man who was walking with a cane. I had just grabbed a cart and was walking in, saw him, and offered him my cart. He looked at me and asked, "What is your motivation behind this?" I laughed and said, "just being nice." He asked if it was because he was, "old and decrepit." I said, "Kinda." And we both laughed. We chatted for a bit and both walked away happier. Keep smiling, |
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Yet Another Push to Pay It Forward, or Will Jean EVER Stop? (no)
I have my college class do a MAD (Make A Difference) project every summer.  It was written up in the local paper. Check it out: MAD Article
Self magazine wrote about it in April. "Surprisingly, a lot of joy doesn't come
from doing things for ourselves, but
rather for others;' says Martin Seligman,
Ph.D., author of Flourish.
Commit these acts of kindness to reap happy rewards.
- Clock it. Time is rare, so it's the best thing we can offer, Seligman says. Go old-school and help a busy friend with chores-or go 21st-century and copy your iTunes library for an ailing pal's iPod.
- Talk to strangers. Compliment the woman behind you in the supermarket line about her earrings. Our days are full of anonymous activities, so "it can be a real kindness to take a moment to make a connection;' Seligman says.
- Make a note of it. Pen a thank-you for a good turn you let slide. Want an extra happiness hit? Meet up and read the note to its recipient. Yes, it's a bit weird, but it bolsters an old relationship, Seligman says.
- Write on. Put down in a journal how fabulous doing a favor made you feel.
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INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS
Need to brush up on Italian? Don't know a surrealist from a hole in a canvas? Take heart. Practically any academic subject you ever wanted to learn (or relearn) is available free online. Here are the best collections of free courses (according to Reader's Digest).
~. iTunes U (I Tunes U): Apple's well-tended education portal aims to help you "learn anything, anytime, anywhere."
~ Academic Earth (academicearth .org): Browse lectures at such schools as Harvard, Stanford, and Yale; post questions and comments; see which lectures get A+ grades from fellow users.
~ YouTube EDU (youtube.com/ education):
The site's sprawling academic collection features content from more than 300 colleges and universities from ten countries in seven languages.
~ The Einztein Knowledge Network (einztein.com): Access to complete courses, including downloadable syllabuses and documents, across more than 35 categories, from too-plus university providers. |
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Hope for our future
All too often when we think of athletes and sports these days, the first thoughts are of greed and selfishness.
Well, here is a story of true generosity and selflessness. Three months after Allan Guei won $40,000 in a free-throw shooting contest for top students at Compton High School, he donated his entire take to the other seven finalists.
Guei, a star high school basketball player who is now headed to California State University Northridge on a full scholarship, realized that the other players in the contest needed the money more than he did. Under NCAA rules, Guei could have kept the money for himself, but he made a different decision.
"I've already been blessed so much and I know we're living with a bad economy, so I know this money can really help my classmates," Guei said in a release from the school. "It was the right decision."
Each one of the contestants will receive approximately $5,500, for academic purposes, from Guei's winnings. Many of the other finalists thought it was a joke initially, but now seem genuinely grateful to know that it wasn't.
"He's going to go really far in life," said Donald Dotson, who will also attend Cal State Northridge. "Because of what he's done for us, God will bless him. That's what life is all about; stepping forward to help other people." |
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Quotes
- Albert Einstein -
Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.
Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.
He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed. |
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Mood Booster's
The shower, with its cocoon of privacy and superlative acoustics, brings out the diva in us all. Besides being good clean fun, singing enhances immunity by increasing antibodies that fight sickness, according to one German study. Music therapists believe that singing also boosts your mood. - Prevention July 2011
Reading can up your happiness levels in much the same way hanging out with pals does, a Psychological Science study suggests. - Health July 2011
Take a half hour each day to sit quietly. You'll feel less stressed and improve your memory, according to new multi-university research. Study participants who had a daily time-out for eight weeks showed growth in the area of the brain associated with memory, empathy and sense of self-and a decrease in the region connected to anxiety. If you struggle to silence your thoughts, let Mother Nature help: Relax outside and concentrate on the sounds of chirping birds, the breeze or crashing waves. -Family Circle July 2011
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Summer Treat
Blueberry Ketchup
In a sauce pan mix 2 cups blueberries, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 small minced shallot, 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar, 1/4 tsp. ground coriander, 1/8 tsp. ground ginger. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered, 25-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Amazing with grilled meat.
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A Better You
People who tend to focus on the "ideal" life they could lead are 34% more likely to be anxious and self-conscious about their lives.
People who construct their goals in concrete terms are 50% more likely to feel confident they will attain their goals and 32% more likely to feel in control of their lives.
Confidence, in combination with a realistic self-appraisal, produces a 30% increase in life satisfaction.
My favorite.....Surveys find that happy people tend to have more positive experiences than unhappy. No surprise. What is interesting is: objectively their lives are not really that much different. Studies find that happy people experience much the same range of events as unhappy people. The real difference is in what they define as positive or negative. Happy people are those who use a lower threshold in order to label an event positive.
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An Amazing Woman
There are sure a lot of amazing people out there and I am fortunate to meet so many. I met a very special one while in Utah last week when I spoke to perhaps my favorite group ever (WGU Enrollment Counselors - you rock!)
Jill shared a story with me at the break. The hotel we were at ran out of rooms and a number of people were deciding what they should do. The manager came over and said they did have a room left. One with two double beds, was anyone interested? Jill was. When she went over with him, he said, "You win the prize." What prize? The positive attitude prize! The room wasn't two double beds, it was a two story suite. He said she walked in the hotel with a smile and still kept her positive attitude even when they couldn't get her a room. Her the smile never left. What a great story.
I was fortunate enough to have breakfast with Jill the next morning. Her life story is even more amazing. Long story short, she developed rare tumors in her neck and head and had to have major surgery removing her vocal cords among other things. She now has prosthetic chords (who knew?) and a smile and attitude that are contagious.
Jill is a very proud Mama to Natalie (14) and Luke (10) who are truly are her heart and soul...and married to her very best friend J.R. They are part of the reason she is still alive, what she fought for when she was getting better and the reason she smiles today!
Again, it's all about attitude. Jill is a shining example of how it conquers all. Jill, you are my hero!! ♥ |
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Women's Retreat
Diane Auten and I are facilitating a Women's Retreat in Santa Barbara, CA. over Labor Day weekend. Kathy Cameron who is running it, kept it amazing affordable - $249 total - for two nights stay, dinner Friday night, B/L/D Saturday and B/L on Sunday. Come get energized with other fabulous women, at the very least, come for the amazing view. ☺
For more information
Contact Kathy
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