Kindness quotes

  • Health & wellbeing,  Kindness quotes,  Motivation,  Positivity

    Get glowing!

    “Remember that you are, indeed, as the stars. You glow with the same intensity. The answers that you seek outside of yourself may very well be found within the cosmic intelligence inside you. Go ahead; show the world what you are made of! Sparkle, shine, light the way, and brightly blaze as you are meant to do.” ~Mishi McCoy Lately I’ve been obsessed with sequins, stars, and glitter. The way I see it, “sparkle and shine” shouldn’t be limited to Christmas ornaments, Fourth of July fireworks, or cocktail dresses. Though the holidays are over, I’m still carrying a Vera Bradley tote bag that’s embellished with sequins. And my new Skechers…

  • Civility and manners,  Communication,  Kindness quotes

    The words we wear

    “Words are the clothing of our thoughts.” ~Jonathan Swift “Watch what you say!” my mother used to scold. Like most kids, I wasn’t born knowing how to filter insensitive remarks. Children are notorious for expressing brutally frank opinions on everything they notice, from bad breath to obesity. It’s our responsibility as adults to teach our kids social skills — including civility and diplomacy. There’s a delicate line between “candid” and “tactless,” after all. These days, too many grown-ups think it’s fine to blurt whatever comes to mind. Watch any political debate, and you’ll probably agree that most candidates have perfected the dubious art of the blatant insult. If words are…

  • Generosity,  Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Musuem,  Holidays,  Kindness quotes

    How generosity grows

    “A field is empty, but if you put in the effort to grow something then you will have a garden. And that’s life. If you give something, something will come back. Give nothing, nothing will come back. To grow a flower is a miracle: it means you can grow more. Remember that a flower is not just a flower, it is the start of a whole garden.” ~Eddie Jaku, The Happiest Man on Earth Have you ever noticed that generous people seem to have a surplus of wonderful things in their lives? In today’s quote, Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku reminds us that we reap what we sow in the field of…

  • Friendship and relationship advice,  Generosity,  Kindness quotes

    Some thoughts on gifting

    “Giving doesn’t impoverish us; it makes us richer.” ~Martha Beck, The Way of Integrity Who doesn’t enjoy getting presents? There are many different gifting styles and practices — and psychotherapists have some interesting theories on that. Some people get a thrill out of selecting the perfect presents for their loved ones, while others simply don’t express their affection with material things. I know many people who discourage gift-giving because they don’t want to feel obligated to reciprocate. Others don’t have a budget to buy gifts, but will gladly receive them. All said and done, the gifts we treasure come from the heart — or are made by hand. A dear…

  • Animals,  Civility and manners,  Kindness quotes,  Photo stories

    Social graces

    “Sometimes, to have good manners means putting up with other people’s bad manners.” ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr. American socialite and author Emily Post advised that having good manners isn’t just a matter of using a dinner napkin or refraining from burping aloud at the table. Courtesy, she said, is all about being “sensitive to the feelings of others” and putting them at ease. Civility is another word for kindness in action. I know I’m not the only one who’s noticing an increase in uncivil, insensitive behavior every day — on the road, in restaurants, in grocery stores, and on TV. If we’re not careful, it will sour our positive outlook…