Finding The Good

"There are a million reasons you can find to tear someone down. Work to find that one reason to build them up." - Dean Sweetman

It seems very easy to find what is wrong in this world or in people. The weather is too hot or too cold. The government is too over bearing. My co-worker is lazy. There is so much we go on about. There certainly is a lot of bad in this world.

The truth is there is a lot of good in this world.

We should attempt to acknowledge all those things which are good around us. This is especially true with the people we come in contact with. And this also means family and friends with whom we can sometimes be the cruelest.

Do not consider this a "can't we all just get along" statement.

What I am referring to is our inclination to be critical of others. The reason we do is because it draws attention away from our own shortcomings. But when you tear others down, you are actually tearing yourself down. The whole "reap what you sow" idea comes to mind.

Think about how you interact with your spouse or children. Do you find conversations beginning with, "why didn't you" or "how could you"? When was the last time you praised them for just being them, for a small talent or gift they have?

Good things outnumber the negative if you look close enough.

Look for the good things and praise the person for them. It does not take a lot to find goodness in someone, it only takes you trying. Goodness will be reaped in the due course of time. Build up others and you it will build you up as well.

Stay inspired my friends!

Deeper Than First Look

"The beauty of a person must be seen through their eyes, for that is the doorway to their heart." - Unknown

Do you judge people at first look? To use an old adage about 'judging a book by its cover' there is so much we can miss if we do. And most every one of us do judge others at first glance at one time or another. It is partly biological, to assess the situation quickly.

But the tone of our encounter gets set by first impressions.

Knowing this to be our tendency, it becomes important for you to understand that it is happening. If your first impression is undesirable, a second try is always important. Even if you see a person who doesn't dress the way you think normal people should, the inner person is who you need to seek.

Long ago I knew a friend of my older brother. His name was Richard and was known to associate with a pretty rough and rowdy crowd. When Richard would rode up on his Harley motorcycle, many would take one glance and instantly think trouble. But if you talked to him, he was actually a very nice person. I am sure he had a streak of issues, but looking beneath the surface one could find something an outer look could not convey.

Search for the hidden goodness and many times you will find it.

The same could be said of a "wolf in sheep's clothing" when it comes to first impressions. The well dressed and spoken person could actually be something completely different inside. The veneer of outward appearance can be quite deceiving.

One must look beneath the surface and into the eyes of a person to see who they really are. First looks and first impressions are a generalization our minds make to assess something quickly. Knowing this will give you an ability to look deeper to find the real person.

It might be that your first impression was correct.

Then again, you may find something completely different and you would have missed it without looking further.

Stay inspired my friends!

Free To Connect

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” ― Charlotte Brontë

I am back in the United States after a business trip to China. It was a very successful trip and the folks in China are pretty talented. I spent much of my time getting to know some of the new folks and reacquainting myself with those I have known.

The disappointing thing during my trip is that I was unable to blog while there. China has certain sites blocked for a variety of reasons. Those reasons are based upon Chinese government regulations. You can agree or disagree, but it is how things are done in China.

The list of sites currently blocked in China is a pretty interesting list of names. The list includes sites that I use to write my blog, so it pretty much shut me down for the week.

It is not for me to argue with China and how they control access to the internet. What I would like to say is that it feels good to have open and free ability to access the internet. Some may argue too much access given the varied types of searchable content. It also feels good to have an ability to write once again and provide hopefully a spark of motivation or inspiration.

Even without the internet, we are all free in our ability to connect and impact other peoples lives. Enjoy your freedom and turn that freedom into helping someone else.

Stay inspired my friends.

Pedaling Along In Life

"Persistence. Perfection. Patience. Power. Prioritize your passion. It keeps you sane." - Criss Jami

I will be there shortly folks. I'm traveling on business in a country where Google and its associated applications are not looked well upon.

Enjoy some of my older posts this week and I'm pedaling as fast as I can to get back to writing.

Stay inspired my friends!