Healthy Friendships

We sure had some crazy weather this week...wow! Looks like a nice weekend ahead. Hope you have some fun plans! Good friendships are good for your health and happiness, but you need to nurture them. Just like a marriage, you need to work on staying connected and forgive and forget any slights. Friendships share a lot in common with marriages so don’t take them for granted and don’t forget you need to work on them to keep them healthy. Here are three reminders of small things you can do to be a better friend. Be there for your friends, in good times and bad. The most valuable thing you have to give is your time. Let friends know that you care about and appreciate them. When was the last time you made a simple gesture, like a phone call or personal visit instead of an email or text? If a friend needs to talk, it’s your turn to listen. Give advice or offer your opinion, but only if your friend asks for it. Of course, keep your conversations private. Keep it fresh and dynamic. Introduce your friends to other friends. One-on-one is wonderful, but adding new friends to your circle can bring different viewpoints, interests and personalities. CB Since 1906! I am ready to go to work for you today. David

The Healing Power of Kindness

When was that last time you noticed you were grumpy, then, out of the blue, someone does or says something nice to you? Didn’t it make you feel better…even a lot better? When you are kind to other people, it also makes you feel good about yourself. And it’s good for your health. Researchers have found positive people have fewer health problems. In his book, It’s a Meaningful Life, it Just Takes Practice, author Bo Lozoff writes about the importance of being kind and building a better community. That community encompasses family, friends, co-workers, and the people you meet in your daily life (the bank teller, cashier, the parking lot attendant). So as you go about your day, be kinder to your spouse, your kids, your co-workers, and wherever your travels take you. Then see if adding a little more kindness to your daily diet makes a difference in how you feel, how other people respond to you, and how others feel when you are kind to them. It’s a worthwhile experiment!

Keys to Happiness and Success

Albert Schweitzer once wrote, “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” Here are seven steps you can take today to achieve more happiness and success in your life: 1. Believe In Yourself. Identify your natural talents and abilities. Do what you enjoy and what you do best. Truly successful and happy people find joy in their working lives. Invest your time in what you do best. Focus on your strengths and not your weaknesses. 2. Develop a Vision. First, define your path and start working your plan. Write down a vision for yourself and your life. Be specific. What do you want to accomplish? What do you want your life to look like in 5 years, 10 years? 3. Develop Good Habits. Happy and successful people choose good habits. If you’re watching too much TV, chronically late, or eating poorly, make a commitment to change your bad habits into habits consistent with your goals. 4. Show Gratitude. The happiest people are also the most grateful people. Count your blessings frequently and you’ll quickly start seeing a change in yourself and the world around you. 5. Take A Chance. Seize opportunities! Success and happiness does not come to those who sit and wait for it to be brought to them. 6. Give to Others. Studies reveal that the happiest people are also the most generous. Do, say, or give something nice to another and see how your own life improves. 7. Take Responsibility. You hold the key to your future. Take responsibility for your actions. Choose the work you like to do, and do it well. Ultimately, you are the master of your fate. You choose your own future by the decisions you make and the actions you take.