Share the Positive

    When you read an online article that you found helpful, moving, or enlightening, take a moment to leave a positive comment at the bottom of the page. Acknowledge the writer for their stye or content, or even add some additional information that you have about the topic. The writer- and other readers- may appreciate what you have to say. If it inspires you, share it, too. I started subscribing to www.dailygood.org and every morning, I come in to read some truly excellent and uplifting ideas in my inbox. I share the very best ones and have heard from Facebook friends and fellow Tweeps that they love 'em. So, as the old saying goes, accentuate the positive!

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.

The Language of Kindness

    Learn a new language. Or become more fluent in your less dominant language if you are already multilingual. The more people you can communicate with, the more you'll make yourself available for work opportunities. Learning other languages will also open you up to new people and cultures. One time,  friend of mine took a volunteer vacation where he taught English to orphans and abandoned children in Liberia. He said he enjoyed every minute and wants to this every year, as he loved working with the kids. As he told me this story, his smile was at least a mile wide.

Please, Mr. Postman

     Look into a pen pal. Writing to someone in a foreign land- whether it be a soldier, a fellow student, or a long-lost relative- can really help you gain perspective and will do the same for the person you are writing to. You can even write to someone close to home instead of Zoom or text messages! Check out this website for more details on how to find a pen pal: penpalworld.com. Letter writing is more meaningful than an email or text- this beautiful old-fashioned tradition will bring lasting enjoyment to you and your pal.

Save the Rainforest

     Tropical rainforests take in vast amounts of carbon dioxide (a poisonous gas which mammals exhale) and through the process of photosynthesis, convert it into clean, breathable air. In fact, the tropical rainforests are the single greatest terrestrial source of air that we breathe.

    What's truly amazing, however, is that while the tropical rainforests cover just over two percent of the Earth's land surface, they are home to two-thirds of all the living species on the planet. Additionally, nearly half the medicinal compounds we use every day come from plants endemic to the tropical rainforest. If a cure for cancer or the common cold is to be found, it'll almost certainly come from the tropical rainforests.

    Tragically, the tropical rainforests are being destroyed at an alarming rate. According to Rainforest Action Network, more than an acre-and-a-half is lost every second of every day. That's an area more than twice the size of Florida that goes up in smoke every year!

    According to savetherainforest.org, "If present rates of destruction continue, half our remaining rainforests will be gone by the year 2025, and by 2060 there will be no remaining rainforests remaining."

Let's Not Contribute to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

     I don't know about you, but photos of the big patch of plastic and garbage floating in the ocean scares me more than almost anything else. Nearly 90% of plastic bottles are not recycled, instead taking thousands of years to decompose. If you are used to toting around your green tea, juice, or iced coffee in plastic, get a cool-looking thermos instead. This is a great choice for the environment, your wallet, and possibly your health. You can guzzle as much as you want and still be green.

National Solo Vacation Day

     With the pandemic, it can be hard to plan a vacation, even if it's by yourself. But why not plan ahead?! Pick a town, state, or country that you always wanted to go to and go there, alone! Think about it: you can make your own schedule, wake up when you want, stay out, stay in, and eat what you feel like. It can be your reward for quarantine since last year! So start planning your chance at making a memory that will last you a lifetime and add to the story of your life.