Seriously, why bother with fixing this and fixing that? Why be better at getting better? What is the point, really, of self-help, self-love and self-esteem?

 Is it to just feel better about you, your life and your loved ones? And then what?

Is it to be perceived as a good and kind person? And then what?

Or, to be seen as successful, creative, productive, organized, talented…or whatever is your image of what you seek with self-help? And then what?

What is the point of self-help? After all the personal improvements, insights and “aha” moments, then what?

Frankly, I believe the point is to help others. It truly is that simple. The point of getting better at being human is to be good to other humans. It’s to play an active role in our society, getting involved in the areas of life that is in desperate need of change and connecting with the people who are in any kind of pain or suffering around our community, our country and our world.

Self-help as an end in itself is just plain self-centeredness.  If that sounds harsh, stop and reflect on where in your soul it has hit you. What needs to change in you for that statement to make perfect sense and not in anyway be perceived as offensive or “harsh”?

Why IS self-help a billion dollar industry? To what end? How do we justify spending so much presumably getting better at being…whatever…and our world continues to fail at serving so many? If we are spending so much to improve ourselves, it seems the world we live in ought to be improving, beginning of course with our immediate circle of influence and moving outward as our newly developed minds and hearts would demand. 

So ask yourself…why am I improving myself? Who benefits? As I improve, how does my environment benefit?

If you and I are not involved in any cause bigger than our little world how can we feel good about being human? Even more poignant question is “how can I feel good about being a champion of and pursuer of self-help?” What IS THE POINT?

The ‘Habits that Help’ blog is about creating new powerful personal and professional habits that HELP the world. So let’s create a habit of responsiveness to issues that matter in our world. Let us create habits of taking action and feeling responsible for our fellow human beings.

I suggest you:

1)         Reflect on what your deep concerns are in your community – where you live and where the issues exist

2)         Do your research – beyond the “news” programs and learn more about these concerns and issues

3)         Take action to spread the word and take a stand on any issue that resonates with you

4)         Create or strengthen your habit of responsiveness by doing the free program offered on this page…take 21 days and consciously take action each day in an area of your choosing

5)         Be grateful for the life you live, wherever you are free to live it. In that gratitude will come empowerment to do more and take more concrete steps towards change.

Take these five steps and say hello to a more joyous, connected, peace-making and loving you.

Wishing you an abundance of peace, joy and love,

Julette Millien

~♥

In responding to a friend’s email recently, it occurred to me that we can all use these suggestions for staying motivated. Her question was ‘how do I stay physically motivated?’

So here it is:

 Physical Motivation is something we all need everyday; some days more than others. So here are a few suggestions: (and I know you all do some of these most of the time or even all of the time – in which case try adding a twist, do it in a different place or at a different time or with a different attitude…)

1. Get an accountability partner/buddy to share daily/weekly goals with – and respect the relationship by reporting into them consistently and regularly
2. WRITE about the lack of motivation and try peeling the proverbial onion back to the source of the lack of motivation…and DEAL with it
3. Wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual and talk, then LISTEN to God
4. Go to bed without noise, TV, or other distractions that seep into the subconscious
5. Listen to at least one powerful piece of music EVERY day
6. READ God’s word daily
7. Have daily sessions of imaginative play and visualizations around your goals and dreams…SET THOSE GOALS!
8. Write daily about your progress and challenges around goals and dreams
9. EXERCISE – any kind – 5 times per week, at least 30 mins.  WALKING is great choice. ( I do zumba, taebo frequently and weights whenever I can)
10. Sign up for a walk or marathon – looking for a partner, would love to do one this spring…
11. Do Ring ‘n Pray with us … :-) (6 and 7 and 8 a.m. available) [This is where you call someone at 6, 7 or 8 in the morning and pray for them as the phone rings, that’s it!]
12. Go OUT and do something different when the slump comes on
13. Get busy with an act of kindness when you sense a down feeling coming
14. SAY OUT LOUD some powerful affirmations MANY times per day – post them around the house/office
15. Start the day with 5 minutes of a routine…deep breathe, drink a glass of water, thank God, stretch, be still…do whatever sequence works best for you…but if the day gets started with a powerful routine every single day, the self-discipline muscle will grow and joy will be more consistent
16. WATCH what is being consumed – excess starches, sugars and caffeine…NOT good for moods and motivation. Creates highs and inevitable lows…
17. Don’t speak with de-motivating people when you are not motivated and inspired…and even then, BE CAREFUL, guard your mindset
18. Decide on a way to handle a lack of motivation, ahead of time and then COMMIT to adhering to that specific prescription when needed. Share this goal with someone…accountability is KEY
19. Do whatever it is you DON’T want to do in that moment – do whatever will stretch you
20. MASTERMIND! Join or form a mastermind group and get the benefits of group motivation

Ok…this was SO helpful for me!!  You have no idea!…

The following was recorded by me one year ago…

“Yesterday was such a challenging day so I went into the yard/garden and did some physical work, fasted, wrote a little, talked things out with my best friend (and hubby) Chris, prayed consistently and IT DID GET BETTER!  I also reached out to two nieces who needed my help, repeated affirmations…”

In other words I did most of the suggestions listed above So I tell you, THEY WORK!!

You just have to commit to a plan, know what works and DO IT consistently. 

I hope something here is right on time for you – right now, as you read this article or, useful when next you sense a state of de-motivation or a productivity lull settling in. [Tip: select your top 5, print and post in a place where they will be sure to be seen when needed.]

For those of you creating ‘habits that help’ – you know it takes daily work! Being productive and motivated is essential to staying engaged with the process of habit creation, on a daily basis. So do what works and don’t forget to share your tips with others.

Feel free to pass these on as well.

Wishing you an abundance of joy, success and of course, love.

Julette Millien

♥~

                                                            

Hello,

Imagine this: you’re in real danger and need to run to safety…do you drop the heavy bags of groceries you’re carrying?

It’s instinctive, we lighten our load when the journey requires it. So why not drop the emotional baggage weighing you down in this journey of life?

Why drop the load?  A better question truly is, why NOT drop the load? 

Just as in the physical world where we can move faster, do more and enjoy the journey more when the load is light, in the spiritual/emotional/psychological world, with baggage released we can be more creative, have more energy and get more accomplished from moment to moment when we are lighter and freer.

 Lightness leads to more life… and to more love.

What are you holding on to that needs to be dropped?

ANYthing and EVERYthing that is weighing you down! 

 Angry about someone’s irresponsibility? Drop it.

 Disappointed with team members or children dropping the ball? Drop it.

 You still feel numbness or pain about unresolved issues from long ago? Drop it

 People annoy you with their petty ways? Drop it.

 People’s selfishness shock you, and sadden you? Drop it.

 Still feeling betrayed by what someone did days, weeks, months or years ago? Drop it.

 Frustrated over what you have not accomplished? Drop it. 

Yearning for improved relationships with loved ones? Drop it. 

Feeling guilt and shame over your own pettiness, irresponsibility or lack of integrity? Drop it. 

You are fearing the outcomes of a particularly challenging life situation or issue? Drop it.

What are you dropping here? You are dropping the anger, shame, guilt, fear, annoyance, disappointment, pain, shock, sense of betrayal…you want to drop the emotions and thoughts that are negative and cause additional pain and damage to your spirit, mind and body.

Negative thoughts are toxic. Actual damaging secretions are released when we think and dwell on negativity. You wouldn’t drink poison so why be ok with toxic thoughts.

Now what you do want to keep – [don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!] – are the positive motivations beneath the negative thoughts and emotions. For instance,  wanting better relationships is a very good thing but becoming anxious about it, is not. Feeling a fair amount of remorse over your mistakes is good and healthy. But it’s necessary to get the lesson and move on. Getting stuck in guilt and shame is a complete waste of time.  Observing others being selfish should impact you…but not in such a way that you get absorbed in judgment and annoyance.

So review what you are releasing and be sure to keep the good stuff intact.

I choose to believe that everyone wants the same thing. We want love, we want connection and we want peace. There’s just so much ‘gook’ in the way…and you know, hurt people hurt people.

 Like a hummingbird going into flight, get light. Let patience and love guide your thoughts and decisions and you will be amazed at the outcome!

 Wishing you all the best as you get light!

Julette Millien

♥~

 Hello!

Habits –good ones at least, especially those that help you to help others, are a good thing, right? So what could possibly be dangerous about a good habit?

Habits that are good are generally considered good because they add value to (your) life. I think we all could agree to that. The question then is this: do your good habits bring the highest and best value to (your) life? ‘Your’ is in parenthesis because bringing value to your life is a first step towards bringing value to life in general; helping yourself is ultimately about helping others.

So are they? Are your good habits bringing the best value they can bring to your life? Think about a couple of what you consider your good habits – are they doing their absolute best to bring value to your life.  If not, perhaps they have fallen prey to these 3 sneaky dangers:

 1)    When behavior becomes habitual, often we loose our sense of excitement and the value we place on the benefits of that behavior can be taken for granted.  When habits become routine, we begin to go on automatic, taking our self out of the equation in a very real sense: automatic can become ‘without conscious thought’ very quickly. When this happens, the actual reason we are doing what we do gets lost. A great example is saying a prayer before meals ( or at any other time we deem necessary). I have had to make an extra effort to remain conscious, present and grateful at prayer time before meals (especially if ‘hungry’ is high) because I have felt the flippancy with which I and others can pray. When a habit becomes perfunctory behavior, be aware of the slippery slope that follows.

 

2)    Good habits can give us the false sense of living a “good life.” Because we are doing the right things it does not always mean we are being the right things. A person with a high degree of self-discipline can train themselves to do what they put their mind to do but they may not necessarily walk the talk – internally, spiritually – of those “right things.” Doing good things can mislead us into thinking that doing is being, when it is not.  

 

3)    A very wise man, Dr. Therman Evans said once “good is the enemy of great.” What he meant was this: doing things at a level of good stops us from getting to great. When we accept ‘good enough’ habits and behaviors we stop striving for excellent ones.  Excellence takes a back seat to good.   So how can your good habits elevate to excellent habits?  And what would that mean to your life?  ‘Good’ might mean “for the most part, I have a habit of organizing my desk at the end of each day” which probably translates to having a messy desk once or twice per week..   But think of how much more you can accomplish – creatively and productively – if you had an excellent habit of organizing your desk daily; This would mean that with very few  if any, exceptions per week, your desk is clear and ready to get more high level work done each morning.  Don’t let your good habits rob you of your greatness!

These dangers and their consequences can easily sneak up on you so be aware and be vigilant about remaining present and connected to all you do, habitually or not.

Review your present habits through the prism of these three sneaky dangers and make adjustments where necessary. Having excellent habits that help us to add the most value to our life and, to actually be what we are doing is the goal.

Wishing you an abundance of success, love and joy,

Julette Millien

♥~

Hello!

The presence of love in our life is a given. We have an unlimited supply in us and we just have to know how to turn the flow on. Whether we believe in God or not, we are created with, through and for love. We are love.

Now whether we believe that or not, does make a difference. If we believe it we will tend to look for our ‘on’ switch.  If we don’t believe we were made with, through and for love we will tend to aimlessly go through life looking for it in all the wrong places…outside of our very own self.

Finding the faucet to turn on the flow of love is an inside job.

We have all we need within. Just learn how to access the supply and all will be well with your soul.

Here are five choices you can make today to turn on (or increase) your flow:

1)      Sing a song, do a dance, express your love for life as often as you can.  The choice to sing, dance or any way express your love for life will send a signal out to the world (even if you are alone, as this is a spiritual thing) that you are a beacon of love and love is what you seek to share. It will flow right back to you.

2)      Say ‘thank-you’ for at least three “things” as often as you can.  Say it loud because you are proud to be grateful. Saying thank-you will increase that which you are thankful for. So be thankful for love, for sure. Be thankful for life, for joy, for peace, for whatever degree of health you do have, for all that you have that add value to your life – be specific.

3)      Breathe and be still as often as you can. Well, yes, I do know that you breathe continually anyway and that’s pretty often – lol. But I mean a different kind of breath. A deep diaphragmatic breath that gets major oxygen into your lungs. Take several seconds to draw the breath in and hold in for as many. Then release the air slowly and deliberately, being as still as you can be.  Be present in that very moment and feel the joy of life.  Being still means get the constancy of thoughts to stop. A challenge no doubt; but the benefits of stilling the mind are many. Quieting the mind will have you hear the deep wishes of your heart.

4)      Forgive and release all that is blocking the flow of love as often as you can. Grudges, guilt, shame, regret, anger, doubt, unforgiveness…they all and each block the love that is within you from flowing out and that which is out trying to get in as well. When these negative energies exist in us (through our own illusions of negativity) they take up space and become heavier each day. Release all and be free to love and be loved.

5)      Imagine the flow of love in your life as often as you can.  Our imagination is powerful. It is our “success (or sadly, failure) machine.” Maxwell Maltz talked about it in his amazing book Psycho-Cybernetics.  With our imagination we have the power to align all the forces in our body, mind and spirit – or not. Our body operates on the basis of goal achievement…all the systems, organs and processes work to accomplish specific ends to keep us alive and well. The body ‘understands’ and operates under the power of organized effort.

The imagination has the ability to conjure up pictures and stories and visualizations of what the mind has decided upon – or the opposite, if those are the thoughts and visualizations we choose to engage in. By getting the imagination constructively and positively involved in the process of finding what you seek, you are calling in the big guns. When aligned with your goals, the imagination is what adds the fuel and continued motivation and inspiration to take right actions.

Very often we set goals (like turning on the flow of your love from within) and we sabotage our self by having thoughts and imaginings that do NOT support what we seek. We take wrong actions – actions that steer us away from our goals.  I am suggesting that you use your powerful imagination to increase the flow of love in your life. Imagine the flow internally…flowing all through your body as you drink water perhaps. Become creative with your imagination and see yourself as vividly as possible being a vessel of love. Imagine yourself sharing that love freely. Spend as many minutes as you can sitting in a very relaxed state imagining your flow of love reaching as far and as wide as you’d like.

Make these five choices daily and watch your flow of love become an unending and abundant flow that brings joy to the world. 

Notice all choices are phrased in terms of “as often as you can.” It’s an easy answer, why that is; you want a flow that is continuous, not drip, drip, drip…so your actions have to be as consistent as possible. It’s a mindset and lifestyle of love we are after, not an occasional occurrence.  Daily activity in these areas will maximize your benefits.

Wishing you an abundance of love, peace and joy,

Julette Millien

♥~

Joy by Karl Jensen

Hello! 

Do you know it’s one of the most regretted things of the dying?  “I wish I had let myself be happier” is what people who were dying shared with a palliative nurse in London. Her other findings are here. [How to Avoid the Top 5 Deathbed Regrets] 

Living with more joy doesn’t come as naturally as you would think.  We have to make a deliberate effort or we can easily get sucked into the routine of living day-to-day, taking care of the necessities and ignoring what feels to many like a luxury; joy.  Joy is a necessary part of living and loving and giving and we have to make a conscious effort to grow it in our lives.

Here are 10 tips sure to save you from regret by increasing your joy:

1)    When in the midst of an experience and you catch yourself thinking about what it reminds you of, or about future events park those thoughts and get lost in the sensations of the present event

2)    Get present by listening fully to what is happening. Listen with your eyes, your ears and your heart

3)    KNOW what brings you joy..yes, many of us don’t even know what that is, so how can we seek it and increase it?  Make a list of your top 5 sources of joy

4)    Seek out those joy creating sources regularly – at first, you will need to plan it and schedule it as it is probably not part of your regular routine (avoids deathbed regret #2)

5)    Watch those ROUTINES – they can rob you of your joy! Do the routine things you do with fresh awareness and gratitude

6)    Spend time with your loved ones regularly – schedule  it if it is not the norm (this happens to be deathbed regret #4 – not seeing friends more)

7)    Exercise daily – get the adrenaline pumping, create those happy hormones called endorphins,  and get fit all in one 30 minute session 4-6 times per week [add an extra layer of joy and work-out doing something you love –like Zumba for me – WITH someone you love]

8)     Allow yourself 15 minutes a day of imaginative play time.  Imagine all the dreams, hopes and passions of your life being pursued.  See all the  details in full color and sound

9)    Take at least one step each day towards fulfilling your top dream – it doesn’t matter the size of the step, just the consciousness of pursuing your true self will fill you with joy (this avoids deathbed regret #1!)

10)  Give joy. Spread love, help someone, do an act of kindness, make someone laugh, laugh with them, roll down a hill with a child, be of service, love others as you love yourself and as God loves you.  Give joy, sow joy and you will reap joy.

Of course an argument can be made to stop with the regrets completely because they are a waste of even more time. I agree with that! We don’t want to have regrets as we die and we really don’t want any as we live. So let’s live to avoid them and even if we have a few, don’t bother! Just keep it moving and be sure to not waste this present moment – which gives you something more to be tempted to regret!

Live fully now, with only accountability for the past – no regrets. We just need to know that we are fully responsible for our lives, accept that and move on.

Regrets quickly progress to blame and guilt. Don’t get on that slippery slope; just refuse to do regrets!

Wishing you a abundance of joy,

 Julette Millien

♥~

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out… Robert Collier

One worthwhile task carried to a successful conclusion is worth half-a-hundred half-finished tasks. Malcolm S. Forbes

Successful men and women become successful because they acquire the habit of thinking in terms of success. Get the success habit in the small circumstances you control, and soon you’ll be controlling the bigger ones. Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill dubbed the term Success Habit in his 1937 book, Think and Grow Rich.

Hill wrote of being inspired by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who believed anyone could achieve success by “a simple formula” of duplicating effective behaviors.

There are several key words in this sentence and you can decide which one resonates most deeply with you.  “Duplicating” is my word of choice.

What that means to me is this:  what I do everyday is what I will create or what I practice I become.

Whether I’m trying to or not, I’m creating habits daily.  They may be ‘success habits’ or bad habits but they’re habits.

Consistency is the key no matter what kind of habit you’re creating…you may not be intentionally building a bad or ineffective habit BUT by repeating the same behavior daily, it is what you’re doing.

WHAT EVER you practice daily and consistently will be your new habit.

If you are not consistent, stopping and starting certain actions then you’re building a habit of inconsistency with that behavior.  

The key is to practice the habit – mentally and actually -  the way you want it to manifest.

So, will you commit to a successful habit-creating strategy based on consistency?  Or, will you create a habit of inconsistency, stopping and starting and taking action when you feel like it?

I know you want the former.  Do you want it badly enough to be consistent, through tough times, unexpected events and even on the weekend?

Do Now: Spend a few minutes reflecting on which success habit you really would like to create.
If you have a habit of inconsistency with that behavior, can you think of why that is?

Usually behaviors that interrupt the creation of bold new habits serve a purpose.

There is something these behaviors provide…comfort, security, avoidance, acceptance…what’s behind your inconsistency? The more you know about why you are inconsistent, the less mystery is attached to your inconsistency.

Knowledge is power.  Or, can be power if you do something with it! [Sadly, for most of us, we know far more than we do. And an argument can be made that if we don’t do what we know, then we really don’t know it yet.]

Reflect on the ‘whys’ behind your behaviors, the iceberg beneath the tip…then use that knowledge and  TAKE ACTION, armed with a genuine understanding of your needs and HOW to achieve your dreams.

Know this: what you practice you create.  The way the game is played is a direct reflection of how the team (or you) practiced.

Consistency of right thinking, practice, action and behaviors for at least 21 days straight is how habits are formed. Sign up here (on this page) for my free daily email coaching program on creating a new success habit in 21 days.

So, what are you doing the next 21 days?

Wishing you abundant success,

Julette Millien

~♥

Hello,

Bronnie Ware wrote about her experience as a palliative nurse taking care of those who were dying. She gathered her research and wrote a book titled  The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.  An excerpt from her book is in an article at her website here. 

Here are her findings with some added tips on how to avoid each of these sad regrets:

1. “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.”
   

        My suggestions:

• Devote an hour a day, a day a week – and actually, even 5 minutes a day or an hour a week would suffice – to imaginative play.   Get very relaxed and comfortable and permit your dreams to flood your thoughts, and your emotions. Let your imagination be free to visualize them as real and present. And if you don’t have dreams – consciously – as yet spend some time reflecting on what you’d like to do, to be and to accomplish. Turn your dream into fodder for your imaginative play
• Write your dreams
• Expand on your writing and include the action steps needed to make them real
• Take action daily and be GRATEFUL for each step taken
• Tell someone – get an accountability partner!
• Celebrate your weekly  or monthly accomplishments and benchmarks.

2. “I wish I didn’t work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.”

 My suggestions:

• Set some guard rails – like the ones on the highways that keep us from the dangers of the edge. Set limits for work hours per day and per week
• Keep your word and be accountable
• Plan activities with loved ones an ask them to hold you to it
• Read about living a balanced life in the 5 vital venues of life here.

3. “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win”

 My suggestions:

• Practice expressing yourself in easier situations first and build up to the more challenging ones
• Set a goal to express something to someone once a day or once a week
• Write your feelings and read the out loud
• If speaking is too much at first, write letters
• Take on other challenges and core issues in your life to build up your overall courage.

4. “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.”

My suggestions:

• Just do it! – Call, skype, txt, write, email, visit as often as you can…just do it!
• Set weekly goals and just do it!
• Let your friends and family know you are trying to do better…let them know your intentions
• Forgive all.

5. “I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.”

 My suggestions:

• Do a life examination…on a scale of 1-10 how happy are you? In the 5 vital venues of life (Self, Home, Relationships, Work/school, Community/Place of Worship) how happy are you? 
• As you ask and answer this question, do not replace “happy” with “content”
• Anything less than a “9”…reflect on why it is so and commit to making the necessary adjustments.
• Reflect on what your dreams are (#1) and see where you can incorporate those action steps into your daily life.
• Have an intention to be happy, and even more to be filled with joy each day. Joy is deeper and better than happiness because it’s not dependent upon happenings and daily situations. Joy stays and it is a choice you can make right in the middle of turmoil.

My prayer is that you live your life with joy, and commitment to a life of ‘no regrets.’ To do that, you have to be determined and committed to daily actions; you have to BE all that you seek.

It’s never too late to have a change of heart and live fully. Start in this very moment! If you do, you will bring joy not just to you but to the world.

Wishing you an abundance of joy, love and light,

Julette Millien

♥∞

Hello there!

How much time do you spend in the workplace, on your business or at school?  I bet it’s significant!

So how about spreading some love and kindness in that venue too? Love is not just for friends and family…it’s for every relationship, project and undertaking.

You will increase your sense of well-being and everyone else’s as well.   Research shows that by doing, receiving AND observing kindness, we create positive feelings and improve our health!  Kindness is healthy and contagious!

The kinder your environment, the more productive the interactions will be; and healthier the connections. Staff, clients and colleagues will give more of their time, their commitment and their creativity.

Kindness pays in business…even Donald Trump honors this principle.  An agency being nice to his wife paid off in huge and surprising dividends months later… See here.

Don’t let this be the motivation though – let increased business be a natural outcome of genuine and real kindness. With just the profit motive as its foundation, the love and kindness in a business will be hollow and have little lasting impact.

Manipulation is not kindness.

Here are some suggestions for acts of kindness in the workplace:

1. Write letters of appreciation to staff, colleagues, managers, clients
2. Deliver INSPIRED customer service…find ways to WOW your customers -  internal and eternal ones
3. Organize your work space, offer to help a colleague do same
4. Offer to assist a colleague with a project, especially  if you enjoy the work and they don’t
5. Stop and have a sincere conversation with the support staff if you are management and with management if you are not – reach beyond your inner circle of comfort
6. Tell your manager or professor what they do really well and you appreciate
7. Tell your staff how much you appreciate their efforts – with words letter or a treat
8. Take your best client(s) to lunch
9. FORGIVE your colleagues or supervisors or clients or teachers for something that’s been bothering you for months or years. (this is love & kindness towards YOU too)
10. Brighten work space with flowers, plants or pictures
11. Pick up some rubbish/trash around your workplace (inside or outside)
12. Compliment a work colleague for their excellence (one you don’t have the best relationship with)
13. Recommend a competitor to a potential client if you are unable to meet their needs
14. Give another driver your parking spot in the company garage

It’s right to be kind, it improves your health and well-being AND it happens to make great business sense at the same time.  How perfect is that?

Remember, have FUN with this.  If it’s not coming from the heart, it’s not kindness.

Wishing you an abundance of love and kindness..and the joy that will follow,

Julette Millien

♥∞

Hello My Friend,

Today let’s spread love where for some it’s easiest – the family, friends and loved ones front; the relationship venue.   Of course for some folks it’s the most challenging venue…but you know, stretching is good. lol

Do something kind and loving for family members and friends, today:

1. Make breakfast in bed for loved one
2. Phone call to family member, to say ‘i love you’
3. Write a letter/card to friend, family expressing sincere care, concern, admiration…
4. Share a scripture or spiritual message with someone
5. Pray for someone who has hurt you recently…or long ago
6. Take a long walk with child; or a bike ride
7. Visit a sick family member or friend in hospital or at home
8. Help a neighbor with yard work, garbage disposal, or with a house plant
9. Compliment a child – sincerely and substantively
10. Help a child with homework
11. Give your partner  or your child 30 minutes of dedicated listening time
12. Leave love notes in lunchboxes and book bags and briefcases and handbags
13. Send a financial gift to someone who needs it, unexpectedly and even anonymously
14. Send a thank-you note to a friend or family – for doing what they always do
15. Share a funny story or cartoon with someone who needs a laugh
16. Get family members, staff or friends to sign a card with love notes for someone
17. Buy an inspirational book for a friend
18. Tell ALL your family members how much you appreciate them especially those who hear it rarely!
19. Call and visit the senior members of your family
20. Buy a small plant – or get one from your yard, and wrap it with pretty paper; give it to someone who needs a boost (and who loves plants)

Have fun with these, do as many as you can and watch how your heart swells with joy.

This 21 Days of Love in Action event has been a magical experience – today is day 20.  I URGE you, if you haven’t been as active spreading love as you’d like, it’s NEVER too late.  Never, ever too late.

Kindness and love is a powerful way to BE the change we wish to see in the world… one interpretation of Gandhi’s profound quote.

In Light and With MUCH Love,

Julette Millien
♥∞