World Smile Day!

Flash those pearly whites! Smile as you walk past someone. Maybe it’s the barista handing you your much needed double-shot latte in the morning, your neighbor planting flowers by their lawn as you go to check your mail, or a stranger walking their dog down the street. A simple, genuine smile can brighten someone’s day as well as yours. It’s really not that difficult to do. Remember that saying about it taking more muscles to frown than smile? Well, it’s true!

Uncommon Courtesy

Make a point of smiling at everyone you encounter and cross paths with today. Such a simple thing can mean an awful lot.

Uncommon Courtesy

Make a point of smiling at everyone you encounter and cross paths with today. Such a  simple thing can mean an awful lot. 

World Smile Day!

Flash those pearly whites! Smile as you walk past someone. Maybe it’s the barista handing you your much needed double-shot latte in the morning, your neighbor planting flowers by their lawn as you go to check your mail, or a stranger walking their dog down the street. A simple, genuine smile can brighten someone’s day as well as yours. It’s really not that difficult to do. Remember that saying about it taking more muscles to frown than smile? Well, it’s true!

Simple Acts of Goodness

    Get acquainted with the power of simple human kindness and easy acts of goodness every day. When at the grocery store, return the shopping cart or help the elderly man struggling with his bags. Open doors for people. Say “Hello” with a smile. Every day and in every way choose to take the high road in your travels. The view is much more beautiful from up top!

A Laugh a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

    As the legendary Charlie Chaplin said, “A Day without laughter is a day wasted.” Laughter and good humor are infectious. Sharing a funny story or memory with others helps increase happiness and intimacy between friends, acquaintances, and loved ones. According to helpguide.org, laughter triggers happiness and can strengthen the immune system, boost energy, relieve physical and emotional pain, and battle the effects of stress. Today is a great day! Let yourself enjoy it.

Uncommon Courtesy

    Make a point of smiling at everyone you encounter and cross paths with today. Such a simple thing can mean an awful lot.

Look Up!

    Put down your smartphone and make eye contact, person to person. Nowadays, I consider that a major act of kindness and courtesy, as well.

Earn an Advanced Degree in Giving

    I count myself very lucky indeed to know the world’s only Jollytologist, Allen Klein. The story of how he came to have this distinction astounds me. Ever hear of a “Jollytologist”? Well, meet Allen Klein. Through his books and presentations, Klein shows people worldwide how to deal with everything from traffic jams to corporate culture. Klein got into this unusual line of work after his wife died of a rare liver disease at the age of 34 when he saw how humor helped her, and those around her, to cope. He now teaches others how to find humor in trying times. His audiences include people in 48 American states as well as Israel and Australia, and clients from IBM to the IRS. Comedian Jerry Lewis has said that Allen Klein is “a noble and vital force watching over the human condition.”I agree with Jerry Lewis and would add that Allen Klein makes the world a better place, every day!

Actions Really Are Louder than Words

Pay attention to the body language of others around you. If you notice someone with droopy posture or a frown, offer assistance if they need it. That someone could be having a bad day, and one person noticing could make a big difference.

Seek Out the Shy

    Rescue a wallflower. Most people know what it’s like to go to a party and end up standing by yourself. If you see someone alone, mosey on over to them and strike up a conversation. Nine times out of ten, they will have the most interesting things to say out of anybody at the party or dance.

World Smile Day!

    Flash those pearly whites! Smile as you walk past someone. Maybe it’s the barista handing you your much needed double-shot latte in the morning, your neighbor planting flowers by their lawn as you go to check your mail, or a stranger walking their dog down the street. A simple, genuine smile can brighten someone’s day as well as yours. It’s really not that difficult to do. Remember that saying about it taking more muscles to frown than smile? Well, it’s true!

Let Kids Be kids

    Kids today play outside less than any previous generation. Promote play by donating to Ka-BOOM! (kaboom.org), a nonprofit that has built more than 2,300 playgrounds nationwide, to help make sure all children are within walking distance of a swing set.

Glad Days

    Let someone know that you appreciate having him or her in your life. Sometimes we forget how good it feels to be appreciated; yet we know how lousy it feels to be unappreciated. Go ahead and tell someone how thankful you are for his or her presence; it will only make you closer.

Simple Acts of Goodness

    Get acquainted with the power of simple human kindness and easy acts of goodness every day. When at the grocery store, return the shopping cart or help the elderly man struggling with his bags. Open doors for people. Say “Hello” with a smile. Every day and in every way choose to take the high road in your travels. The view is much more beautiful from up top!

The Good Old Days and the Good New Days

Share happy memories. Keep in touch with a friend by sending an old photo to them via snail mail and write a short note about the day it was taken on the back of the photo.

A Laugh a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

    As the legendary Charlie Chaplin said, "A day without laughter is a day wasted."

    Laughter and good humor are infectious. Sharing a funny story or memory with others helps increase happiness and intimacy between friends, acquaintances, and loved ones. According to help guide.org, laughter triggers happiness and can strengthen the immune system, boost energy, relieve physical and emotional pain, and battle the effects of stress. Today is a great day! Let yourself enjoy it.

No Foolin'

    I don't know the history of April Fool's Day trickster antics but they always make me cringe. I suggest a "reverse prank" instead, where you do something really nice. Heard through the Random Acts of Kindness network about a good deeder buying lottery tickets, adding a sweet little note, and placing the onto a car door where they could not be missed. Can you imagine if you were the recipient of this delightful act and won the Big Scratch Off for a cool million or so?

    Have fun and bring some joy into this early spring day. It may be April Fool's Day but don't fool yourself! Today is about laughter rather than pulling pranks on others. Tell your coworkers a joke you enjoy; find a way to make someone who looks unhappy put a smile on their face.

Don't Be Judgmental; Be Kind Just because You Can

    "Contagious Optimist" Colleen Georges taught me this: It's easy to judge others for their actions and take for granted those we love and meet in chance encounters. We sometimes get so caught up in our busy-ness that we forget others are busy, too. They have rough days just like us, and they benefit from our kindness just as we do theirs. Go out of your way to wave at strangers, say good morning, say thank you, give a compliment, and listen attentively to someone who needs your ear. Do it because you can, because it feels great, because it makes someone else feel good. Don't worry about a subsequent thank you; let a thank you be a beautiful perk rather than an expectation.

Be Ripsniptious!

     Author Art Plotnik helped revive this world in his book Better than Great: A Plenitudinous Compendium of Wallopingly Fresh Superlatives. Simply put, "ripsniptious" (rip-snip-shuss) can be used to express something or someone that is wonderful and highly spirited. Today, you will be ripsniptious and notice all of the other ripsniptious things around you. Let this be your word of the day and let it embody you- and introduce others to ripsniptious of the word ripsniptious! It's fun to say, isn't it? It's even better to be it. It is also a wonderful compliment and I think you are pretty darn rupsniptious for visiting The Lower Haight Holler!