Scatter Joy All Around

     Think about how you can create little moments of happiness for others. Help a friend plant her garden, buy an extra coffee for a coworker, pay the toll for the car beyond you on the bridge, and even take your kids to a movie. All those little things can add up to big joy.

Do YOU!

     This is your life! Only you can truly control your choices. Choosing happiness is the best way to achieve being good to yourself as well as the world. Here are some suggestions for how you can ensure simple joy in your life:

• Be the best you can be by your own standards
• Surround yourself with people who inspire you and make you feel good
• Focus on what you have, not what you lack
• Optimism trumps pessimism every time!
• Smile often and genuinely
• Be honest to yourself and others
• Help others
• Embrace your past, live in the present, and look forward for what is yet to come
  

National Motivation and Inspiration Day

     Think about the things that motivate and inspire you. How can you inspire others? What lifts you up? Who fills you with hope and happiness? Cultivate these qualities in yourself and pay attention to who provides your "day lifters". You may be surprised!

Love and Lattes

    Leave a tip and a little thank-you note in the tip jar at your favorite coffee or ice cream shop. Many of us remember the days when we had to work retail or hospitality whole in high school or college. The staff is working hard, especially during a pandemic, so show your appreciation for your latte and their positive attitude with a dollar or two. I have put in little "good job" notes in the tip jar at my local Peet's Coffee and Tea. I think good work should be acknowledged and people should know they are appreciated (and so should their boss!). I have made lifelong friends at the two Peet's I have frequented and it is nice to see them across the counter every morning. Those relationships all began with four little words: "How are you today?"

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. Through his books and presentations, Klein shows people worldwide how to deal with everything from traffic jams to corporate culture. Klein got 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 audience includes people in 48 American states as well as Israel and Australia, and clients from IBM to the IRS. Comedian Jerry Lewis had 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!

Just Say Hello!

    Try something new this year and check out the Just Say Hello campaign on Oprah's website. The campaign (find it at oprah.com/health/Just-Say-Hello-How-to-Participate) encourages kindness and strives to combat loneliness by reading and connecting. A howdy-do to a stranger might make your day and a new pal in the process.

    I read about this excellent friendliness project in Oprah's O Magazine a few Sundays ago and immediately felt inspired felt inspired to try it that day. My boyfriend and I went to do our weekend chores, which include buying fresh flowers from our neighborhood stand. And older gentleman was standing there smelling the roses, always a good idea in my mind. I remembered to say "Hi" as instructed by Oprah and he responded with a big smile and asked for my input on flowers for a lady friend.

    As you might imagine, quite a conversation ensued, and my boyfriend, who is even friendlier than I am, joined in. Soon the florist was involved and our new gentleman friend turned out to be a fascinating conversationalist. He had been a fighter pilot in the Korean War, very highly decorated, and had traveled all over the world before returning home to El Cerrito. Widowed some years back, he was only beginning to get back out there and date. After landing upon a carefully selected bouquet of red roses and pink lilies, he headed off to the dance at the senior center. I noticed he had a good bit of pep in his step and I remember having a good feeling about his first date.

    We kept our eyes peeled for Colonel Jarvis when in the divinity of the flower shop, and sure enough, the next time we saw him he had pictures of his lady friend from the dance featuring a corsage he had gotten for her. Things were looking pretty swell all around and he looked pleased as punch.

    So, thanks, Oprah, for another great idea!

Resolve to Be a Force for Good in This World

  

    New Year’s Day. Did you make a New Year’s resolution for this year? Throw that word resolution out the window. It’s not strong enough to hold people to their goals—or at least that is true for me and everyone I know! If you want to eat healthier, spend more time with your family, or finally volunteer at your church’s soup kitchen, go ahead and make these things happen. Tell people about your mission and maybe they will join forces with you. I had so much fun at Glide Memorial Church serving lunch that my friends asked to come along with me! Or, if you want to jump-start your New Year’s with a major act of kindness, head on down to LA for the New Year’s Race for A Place Called Home (apch.org). They are a safe haven in South Central Los Angeles where underserved youth are empowered to take ownership of the quality and direction of their lives through programs in education, arts, and well-being. These young people are inspired to make a meaningful difference in their community and world.