Too many people think the grass is greener somewhere else, but the grass is green where you water it. What are you nurturing today?
Green Grass
Category: Growth
A Smile Connects Us
All growth occurs when we are uncomfortable. So, act first, then feel the benefits of your actions. Celebrities and famous athletes often tout their “platform” to communicate messages. Well, we all have our own platform called our lives. One small act can change the world of another person … and our world also. Be the…
A Rich Life
This poem by William Arthur Ward was printed on a magnet and stuck to our daughter’s locker when she was in 6th grade. The adventure of life is to learn. The goal of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The secret of life is to dare. The beauty of life is to give. The joy of life is to love. Take just one line from this poem and…
A Helping Hand Connects Us
The warm feeling of well-being that washes over you when you've done something kind isn't just in your head. It's in your brain chemicals, too. Most research on the science behind why kindness makes us feel better has centered around oxytocin. Oxytocin plays a role in forming social bonds. It's tied to making us more…
Control Your Destiny
Watch your thoughts,they become your words. Watch your words,they become your actions. Watch your actions,they become your habits. Watch your habits,they become your character. Watch your character,it becomes yourDESTINY. —Frank Outlaw
First Step to Find a Partner or Best Friend
Julie and I have been married for over 39 years. Our daughter, Grace, and our son-in-law, Teddy, have been married for just over 39 weeks. It’s a blessing any parent can appreciate—your little princess finding her prince. Although it was different amounts of time, both of our relationships started with being a bit vulnerable. Some…
Pursuing Growth, not Perfection
Occasionally my youngest child asks me to send her a poem. It can be for any number of reasons. Typically, it is a quick text poem to hopefully brighten her day. In this case, she was challenged in a new role while working with colleagues who were 30 years her senior and feeling like she…
Give a Compliment to Connect
Building human connections starts with one small act of reaching out. You must go first to take that action. Ask a room of 1,000 people if they like being complimented, and you will get 1,000 hands raised (if they are being honest with themselves). That’s because receiving a compliment primarily triggers a dopamine release in…
The Loneliness Epidemic
The loneliness epidemic is not isolated to the United States. It is global. The World Health Organization revealed that 1 in 6 people worldwide are living with loneliness. That’s over a billion people. Further, loneliness is linked to an estimated 100 deaths every hour—more than 871,000 deaths annually. Your heart doesn’t know the difference between…
Human Connection and Your Health
Social isolation is an objective condition, and loneliness is the emotional state that arises from it. According to the Surgeon General’s report, the lack of social connection poses a significant risk for individual health and longevity. Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29%, respectively. Further, lacking social connection…