Wednesday October 26, 2016 

Most of us, in the end, live ordinary lives. You are probably not a Nobel Prize winner or a rock star with fame and fortune. But you are remarkable. May you be blessed with a kind word, a walk outdoors, the communion of human touch. When you think of all the things that bring you joy, they are utterly ordinary. Be content with the life you live.

Thank You for the darkest days.

It infused me with an understanding I wouldn’t otherwise have.

Life is something I must learn on the job, empathy is earned.

I can tell someone, “I know how you feel”

or I can actually live through it and graduate to authenticity.

It’s the scars and the stumbles that make it real

as I reach out to someone else.

Thanks to the depression, the disappointment, the dangers

I'm uniquely equipped to be a giver of empathy.

1. Practice gratitude in every moment, even when life stinks. Look for something, however small, to appreciate, and your brain will release serotonin and dopamine, both of which make you feel better. Gratitude is magic medicine that never runs out.

2. Be kind without expecting anything in return. Do it because it feels better to be kind than not. You experience 100% of emotions you give to others, so when you act kindly, you feel kindness towards yourself.

3. Seek meaning rather than happiness. The simplest acts, if meaningful to you, will bring you closer to feeling full, alive, and very happy.