Happiness: It Really Is Contagious

You have probably noticed that where you find one happy person, you are likely to find a whole group of happy people. Perhaps you have a guess at why that is so. Happy people seek out other happy people? I'm sure that is a major factor, but the other explanation - that happiness is contagious - has recently been verified by University researchers. Read the details at npr.org.

Marlene Dietrich: It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter

It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.
- Marlene Dietrich

When you can call them at 4 AM they have become family - real family - perhaps even more real family than your blood relatives. Honor them, and give thanks for them.

Mary Anne Radmacher: Manage through the uncertainties

Manage through the uncertainties. Practice appropriate actions and participate in healthy choices. Value and celebrate the loyalty of the individuals around you: celebrate their competencies and successes, as well as your own. Build up your circle and reinforce it at every opportunity.
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Jim Carrey: If you aren't in the moment, you are either looking forward to uncertainty, or back to pain and regret.

If you aren't in the moment, you are either looking forward to uncertainty, or back to pain and regret.
- Jim Carrey

Show Your Honest Appreciation - Today.

You are Never Too Old to Give or Get Gold Stars.
Show Your Honest Appreciation - Today.
- jonathan lockwood huie

When I was very young, my mother gave me gold stars whenever I did something she liked. Usually they were small gold foil shapes with sticky backs, but Mother also saved some really big ones - three inches across - for extra-special accomplishments. Together with Mother's love, those stars made me feel special, important, and appreciated.

As adults, we are much more likely to receive criticism than appreciation. Our boss, our spouse, and the others in our lives expect much from us. When we fail to live up to their expectations, they criticize, but when we go beyond the call, or better yet do something delightfully unexpected, we are likely to get an "ummm..." response at best.

Appreciation, whether verbal or as physical shiny gold stars, is perhaps the greatest gift we can give to those around us. In the timeless How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie lists "Give Honest and Sincere Appreciation," as one of his fundamental principles.

When was the last time you offered sincere appreciation or a gold star? Perhaps it was recently. In a few offices, gold stars have become a common, if sometimes insincere, practice. Some on-line communities provide gold stars - or green stars or butterflies - for members to award each other. However, most of the time most of us fail to express our appreciation to those people who make our lives better in small, or large, ways.

Consider these ways to express appreciation:

1. Give someone a shiny gold star. It's only tacky or childish if your action is insincere.

2. Send a note of appreciation. Again, if it's sincere, it's always gracious and never inappropriate.

3. Speak your appreciation directly. Say "I appreciate what you did."

4. Say "Thank You" as often as you can.

5. Express appreciation for the person as well as the deed. "I appreciate YOU. Thank You for being my friend - or co-worker, or..."

Give somebody a gold star - Today.