XSturmination – Random Thoughts To Make Us Better Humans

It’s been a while since I’ve written.  Not sure why.  I guess I’ve been busy with other things.  But I have noticed some things as I’ve stepped away for a while. 

• Positivity breeds positivity.  When you are positive, you aren’t just helping yourself.  You are helping everyone around you. 
• The more you give, the more you get.  This can be applied to almost every facet of your life.  Both positive and negative.
• Without God, it’s pretty hopeless.  I imagine our Creator is wondering why we don’t get this fact.
• Consumerism is ruining us.  There’s more to life than stuff.  Unless we change this, we are doomed.
• The easy road is easy for a reason.  It’s headed downhill.  Make no mistake about it.
• History repeats itself unless we study our past and make a conscious effort not to repeat it.  This applies to both our nation and each of us.
• Your choices today affect your choices tomorrow.
• There isn’t anything much uglier than prejudice.
• There’s more to life than what you see on a screen.
• If you don’t protect your marriage, your marriage will end.  It’s no different than plants dying if they aren’t watered. 
• Adequate rest does wonders for your attitude.
• Just because you think it’s true, doesn’t make it true.
• A body in motion tends to stay in motion.  The reverse is also true.
• If you aren’t teaching or helping someone else, you are failing to fulfill your purpose.
• Sarcasm isn’t necessary.  Ever. 
• Everyone makes mistakes.  Accept the blame & move forward. 
• Life is a lot shorter than you think.  Don’t waste time.  We aren’t promised tomorrow.
• Everyone feels insecure sometimes.  Build people up. 
• Be kind.  Anything else sucks.

There you have it.  I purged.  I feel better now. 

Peace-

When I was a kid, I learned in school that a person must have three things to survive:  water, food and shelter.  It was true.  It was logical.  It made sense and so I never gave it much more thought.  I actually never thought much more about it for over thirty years.

However, recently I am thinking about this a lot more.  As I grow older and am raising kids of my own, I am realizing that there is another critical need that a person must have to survive:  Praise.  Oh, I realize that you can stay alive without praise, but as I examine the issue more closely I am convinced that without it most people won’t want to.

Praise and affirmation are the “food” that fills our souls.  They are fuel to maintaining a positive attitude and a desire to do, to create, to achieve, to perform, to grow & to succeed.  Praise and affirmation are what helps a person build their confidence, and without confidence, a person will never achieve his or her potential.

In ”Be a People Person” by John Maxwell, he writes, “Witholding negative or critical comments is not nearly as important as giving positive input through compliments and praise.”  This makes total sense to me because it isn’t enough not to say a negative or critical comment, one must be praised to succeed.  The old adage “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” is true, but it is only fifty percent of the equation.  Remember, every person has some form of value.  I challenge you to find that value, praise it and see if your words of affirmation don’t make a positive difference in that person.

The Bible tells us that we were created for work.  We will work much more effectively and efficiently with praise and affirmation than without.  The simple formula below is a great reminder of the importance of praise:

Work + Praise increases Energy

Work – Praise drains Energy

With that said, find someone to praise today.  Give a compliment.  Share a positive and kind word.  Give the gift of affirmation.  We all desire it and all too often it is withheld from us.  It doesn’t have to be.

It starts with you.

Peace-