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The gift of your attention
“Nothing you can give will ever be more appreciated than your sincere, focused attention—your full presence. Truly being with someone, and listening without a clock and without anticipation of the next event, is the ultimate compliment.” ~Marc Chernoff, Marc & Angel Hack Life At this point in December, I’m usually preoccupied with holiday stress. As Christmas draws closer, I wake up with a chorus of elves reciting a mile-long “to-do” list in my head: When are you going to finish your Christmas cards? What will you bring to the Christmas Eve party? What else do you need for the Christmas morning brunch you’re hosting? Have you overlooked anyone on your…
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The theory of generosity
“You can get everything in life you want — if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” ~Zig Ziglar Everyone talks about the spirit of generosity during the holiday season. The phrase “paying it forward” — giving to someone without expecting something in return — is practically a cliche now. But I’ve discovered over the years that whenever I’m kind or generous to others, my life magically improves, too. Of course, it’s harder to be generous with our resources, time, or abilities if we don’t believe we have enough to share. Frugality is necessary for survival, at times, but stinginess grows from a “shortage mentality” —…
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The light of gratitude
“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” ~Albert Schweitzer The gratitude list is a tool I often promote in the workshops I coach, whether we use it as a writing prompt or a personal growth exercise. And I try to practice what I preach. One of my favorite exercises is to jot down the names of everyone, past and present, who has made a difference in my life. The medical doctors who’ve taken care of my family and me are at the top…
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Cheap shots
“Tune out the cheap shots people take at you. Don’t waste words on people who deserve your silence. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is nothing at all.” ~Angel Chernoff These days, I limit the amount of time I listen to the evening news. Political rhetoric is nastier than ever. I’m tempted to turn away from the cringe-worthy and risk being uninformed — even though I know better. At the end of the day, what worries me most is the fact that nasty political rhetoric seems to have a ripple effect on the folks we encounter in our daily lives. It’s important to spot the difference between constructive…
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It’s a wonderful gift
“I understand you right enough,” the stranger said slowly. “I just wanted to make sure you did. You had the greatest gift of all conferred upon you — the gift of life, of being a part of this world and taking part in it.” ~ From The Greatest Gift, by Philip Van Doren Stern, the story that inspired “It’s a Wonderful Life” One of my favorite Christmas films is the 1946 classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” in which George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) sacrifices his own big dreams in order to help his family and others in his community. In his darkest hour one Christmas Eve, George contemplates suicide, but a…
