By Lindy Earl
We have all been in situations that escalate quickly due to unkind words or even a harsh look. We have also been in situations where a person disarmed a negative situation with a few words. I’ve been amazed at the difference a few words of kindness can make.
You have probably heard that a Gentle answer turns away wrath. So why don’t we use it more? You have probably been told patience is a virtue. Yet people tend to be impatient. We are also counseled to consider others before ourselves.
In truth, if we considered others before ourselves, there would probably be fewer car accidents. Why is it so hard to let the other person in? Yet, if we were considering others before ourselves, we wouldn’t be cutting people off at 65 mph. Traffic is just a small example because most of us can relate to it. Think about your words, which carry more impact than an 18 wheeler. In fact, your words can steer a conversation, either positively or negatively.
It doesn’t matter whether you are at work, at home, shopping, or visiting a neighbor. Words are powerful, and a little love in our language can make a huge difference. Whether you are sharing good news or bad news, your tone of voice is part of your message. Your body language often starts sending your message before you open your mouth.
Small acts of kindness can have extreme benefits. It may be as simple as a smile, which will be returned with another smile. That’s a good day. Start collecting smiles and see how high you can count. Letting someone in line in front of you may mean the difference, for a busy mom for instance, of getting home before the bus returns her children. Yes, sometimes it makes that much of a difference.
What act of kindness would you enjoy today? If someone treated you to lunch? A sincere compliment? A gift left on the table? Doing a task without being asked? Fixing something you didn’t even realize was bothering you (think squeaky door or something).
There are a plethora of ways to show your love. They really don’t take that much time and effort, but the appreciation will probably be exponential. Further, the memory will last a LONG time! I don’t want to get too personal here, but last fall a friend told me he had assigned himself a chore at my house. Really? Yep, he noticed that some screws were loose in my garage doors, so he brought his tools and set to work, ensuring all the screws were tightened. To this day I am amazed when I think what might have happened if a simple task hadn’t been addressed. I didn’t even know I needed the favor, yet I will be forever grateful. It would have been enough if he had simply informed me of the problem, but he went one step further. Wow!
The same kinds of things you would like others to do for you, would probably be appreciated by others. So if you wish someone would bring donuts to the office as a surprise, today would be a good day to do that for others. If you would appreciate someone noticing what a great job you did, then you could look for outstanding jobs by others that may be overlooked.
It won’t take long, or much, for you to find some great ways to show a little love – kindness, peace, patience – so start today. Try to make it a daily habit. You will receive more than you give.
Lindy is a Speaker, Columnist, Author, and Consultant. Contact her at LMEarl@EarlMarketing.com or find her on Face Book.
