by Linda
In this article, we are exploring the 6 Painless Ways to Be Kind to Others. Being kind doesn’t have to be a big deal. You don’t have to be sacrificial or a martyr to be nice to other people. Remember when you learned about the Golden Rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It’s that easy.
Being kind doesn’t have to cost you anything more than a smile or remembering your manners. And it’s easy to develop a kindness habit, once you get into the groove of being kind to people it just gets easier!
Here are some suggestions to help you get started:
1. Smile
Smiling is easy, cheap, and sustainable. It’s also contagious – smile at someone and their immediate reaction is to smile back. The act of smiling is relaxing and floods your brain with endorphins. As a bonus, smiling lowers your blood pressure and your stress levels.
By making eye contact and giving a genuine smile, you are showing respect and making connections.
2. Reach out
Don’t wait for people to connect with you. Send a message, a card, or flowers to someone you haven’t seen for a while. Chances are you’ll brighten their day. If you know someone has been having a rough time, check in with an ‘are you ok’ message.
If you have elderly neighbors, check-in with them to see if they need anything.
Kindness isn’t That Hard
3. Offer some hugs
Offer your partner, kids, or friends a random hug for no reason. So many people are starved of physical affection. And often as children grow up, they get hugged by their parents less and less. A warm hug lifts them and will make everyone feel good.
4. Show up
If you’re routinely too busy for social occasions, or your kids’ school function or sport, step back for a minute and set some kinder priorities in your life. Give the gift of your time and your support.
Kindness is Serious Business
5. Be a kindness role model
Think back to the people who have shown your kindness, maybe a teacher or a boss or mentor. How did they affect your life? By including kindness in your life, you can be an excellent role model for your colleagues, friends, and family. Show them that being kind is a priority for you.
6. Give some random compliments
Notice when someone does a good job or is looking great. You have the power to lift their day by noticing and acknowledging their efforts.
Well, there you have it. The 6 ways you can spread a little kindness in the world. It’s not hard to do and it will even lift your spirits. I dare you to try it!
by Linda
There are some things we can do in all our relationships to build and maintain strong bonds. This is true because, underneath all our differences, likes, dislikes, and biases, we are all human beings who desire social connections. So, how do you go about building business relationships?
Let me count the ways.
The tips below should be used in all your business building relationships to form bonds that will stand the test of time.
1) Be appreciative
This might mean different things in different relationships, but the overarching sentiment is the same. When they do something kind for you or take the time to support you when you need it, be appreciative – acknowledge their care and concern.
2) Spend time together
It can be hard to find time to get together when we are all so busy, but it’s important for all business relationships. If necessary, set up a standing appointment so that it just automatically happens. This makes sure it happens because you will get used to scheduling other things around it.
3) Communicate honestly
Sometimes you may be tempted to bend the truth to avoid conflict, but building business relationships will be much healthier overall if honesty is held in high regard. It’s possible, to be honest without being brutal. Choose your words carefully and be as diplomatic as possible, while still sharing your feelings openly and honestly.
4) Forgive faults
Forgive them for their eccentricities and annoying habits, and also forgive yourself for any mistakes you make. We all have faults and shortcomings that we bring with us into any relationship. Sometimes to keep the relationship strong, we need to just come to the conclusion that their presence in our lives is more important than the little habits that drive us crazy.
5) Support them
Intermingled between all the good times, there will surely be times when the other person could use a helping hand. Whether it’s helping them move, taking them dinner when a loved one has passed or being a sounding board for a difficult decision, any relationship worth having requires some TLC. And the other person deserves it, just as you do when you need it from them.
6) Do unto others
It’s just a good idea to always live by the Golden Rule, but it’s especially true in relationships that are important to us. If you wonder if something you might do is likely to upset them, chances are it’s better to talk to them about it first. Wouldn’t you want them to do the same for you? It’s better to err on the side of caution.
Looking for ways to building your business relationships? A Relationship Marking Course is just what YOU need!
Let me know if you have any questions. Always happy to help you build relationships with the people that matter to you most in your business, your clients!
by Linda
Forgiveness
When people treat you wrong, it is very easy to hold a grudge. You may not understand how it could be possible to forgive someone for a slight, especially if the action was especially hurtful. Maybe you think forgiveness is about the other person and somehow, they benefit from you forgiving them. Forgiveness is not about the other person; it is about you.
Do YOU Know How To Forgive?
Forgiving another person does not always mean they stay in your life. Sometimes you do not even let them know you are forgiving them. You do not even need to trust them again. Just forgive them to eliminate the negativity in your life.
A Method
Even horrific crimes can be forgiven. For safety reasons, you may want to use an indirect way of forgiving them instead of contacting them directly. Write a letter as if you plan on sending it to the other person. Talk about how what they did made you feel, and about how it made you think about yourself. Write about how you are no longer going to allow them space in your head and how you forgive them for what they did to you.
And Then
When you finish writing, seal up the letter in an envelope and put their name on the front. Then either throw it away (shred it first!) or burn the letter. It does not have to actually be read by the person you are forgiving, this exercise is to help you get past the negativity and the chains that are holding you back as a person.
Professional Help
If you find you can’t forgive on your own, you may want to talk with a professional. Therapy can really help you get past this hurdle. Especially if the person committed a serious crime. If you have been abused, particularly over a long period of time, you may need therapy to help you get past what was done to you. There is nothing wrong with seeking help.
And After – Forgiveness
Once you have forgiven the other person, you will feel like a weight has been lifted, or chains have been removed. Grudges are not healthy for you and they do not affect the other person. When you bottle up negative feelings, you can increase your risks of developing heart disease, and other health conditions. You tend to age faster as well. Not forgiving others can dim your overall outlook on life, so why put yourself through all of that?
REMEMBER
Remember that forgiveness is not about the other person, it is about eliminating the negativity in your own life.
So free yourself today by forgiving others for the wrongs they have done to you.
by Linda
“To get new results you must take new actions and all actions are fathered by a decision.” – Anthony Robbins
The Importance of Making a Committed Decision
The first step in building a successful business is making the decision to do it!
I want you to think about that for a moment. The first step in achieving a successful business is to plan to do so. I bring this up because so many business owners jump into the profession and immediately focus on how to get clients. Then, how to make money, then how to market, and how to close sales. All this before they have fully committed to having a successful business, to begin with. Is this you?
A committed decision is a foundational pillar upon which your successful business is built.
Definition: Decision
That’s powerful! Isn’t it? That’s the kind of committed decision you must make about your business.
For example, you could decide to do whatever it takes. You could decide to build a successful business or to make a meaningful impact in the world. One of my favorites is beautifully simple: Commit to being a business owner. Decide to be a business owner!
Unfortunately, a lot of business owners who are “trying” to grow their business haven’t made a committed decision to succeed as a business owners. They are feeling things out, waiting to see what happens, and hoping to get clients. There is no real commitment or determination. Don’t let this happen to you! The first step to going from “trying” to “succeeding” is a decision.
Benefits of Making a Decision
Building a business is not easy. If you don’t fully commit to doing what it takes, you won’t succeed. It’s that simple.
When you make and connect with your committed decision, you will have more focus, clarity, and purpose. You will have more inspiration and more motivation. Let’s face it, obstacles will arise! If it was easy to build a successful and profitable business, everyone would be a business owner.
Your decision will remind you of the reasons why you became a business owner and why you want to succeed in this business. Right? When you deeply connect with your decision and your reasons, you will be inspired to take the action necessary to succeed.
This may sound contradictory, but the decision, in and of itself, means nothing. It is the inspired action that results from you making a decision and connecting with it every day that really matters.
What a Decision is, it’s Not a Goal
I think goal setting is great, but the power to achieve them comes from the DECISION. The first step is to make a committed decision. THEN you set goals that are congruent with your decision. But the decision comes first.
Decision: Declaration, commitment, general, comes before the goal. Example: To have a successful business
Goal: Where you want to be, specific, measurable. Example: To have 10 new clients in 6 months.
A Decision is Not a Mission Statement
I don’t want you to turn your decision into a long, flowery, descriptive mission statement. There is nothing wrong with having a mission statement for your business or life, it’s just not what I recommend right now!
I’d like you to make a decision that stirs up your emotions. Your decision should connect you with your passion for business. Your decision should strengthen your commitment, inspiring you to act even when it isn’t easy.
Decision: Clear, Concise, Memorable, Inspiring. Example: My life purpose is to be a good business owner. It is who I am.
Mission Statement: A narrative description of a purpose or aim Example: I endeavor to manifest my destiny by enabling single women to achieve greater fulfillment while contributing to the peace and joy of humanity.
Below is a short lesson on making decisions.
Assignment 1 – Make Your Decision
Make a conscious decision, a real declaration, about your commitment and desire to build a successful business.
Ask Yourself: “What decision can I make right now that will spur me into action and help me stay committed to being a successful business owner?”
Examples: “I commit to building a successful business.” “I’m doing this and not giving up!” “I’m an amazing business owner with a huge practice and great life.” “I commit to being a masterful business owner, having a thriving practice and living the life of my dreams.”
Elements of a Powerful Decision
- Clear: It should be easily understood by a 12-year-old.
- Concise/Memorable: You should be able to easily recite your decision from memory. Evokes Feeling The actual sentence isn’t as important as the feeling behind it.
- Inspires Action: The best decision you can make is one that inspires you to take action, even when you don’t feel like it.
Are You Ready? Take time RIGHT NOW and make a powerful decision that inspires and motivates you. This is a critical piece of the foundation upon which your successful business is built.
My Decision:
_____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
Assignment 2 – Build Your Commitment
Now that you have made a decision, the next step is to get fully committed. The key is desire! Identify WHY you want to make it as
Identify WHY you want to make it as a business owner. You need to be fully committed to your decision, because if you’re not, you may falter when challenges arise. And there will be challenges.
It’s not always easy to build a successful business! The key is having strong, compelling reasons so you commit to your decision, take action, and never give up. Below, write down all the reasons WHY you just made a committed decision.
This is a critical step, so set aside some time and think deeply. Why is this important to you? Is this the reason you were put on the earth? Will it enable you to be the best you can be? Will it give you the freedom you desire? How happy and fulfilled will you feel? How will this impact others?
Why I am committed to my DECISION:
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Assignment 3 – Create a Contract with Yourself
Finally, print the contract on the next page, sign it, and hang it where you can be reminded of your promise to yourself every day.
