Look for the GOOD All Around You!
It’s easy to see the bad, intentionally look for the good
| Did You See Anything Good This Week? The subject of this email is ‘what good did you see this week?’ I wonder what you felt when you read that subject. Did you roll your eyes? Did you scoff, thinking there is not much good. Did you smile, curious about what I was going to write about today? Given that you are part of my community, I’m hoping that you smiled or at least became curious about what I would share today. The average person probably rolled their eyes. It is easy to feel like there is nothing good. Reading the news, it is devastating. Scrolling on social media, it is easy to loss faith in humanity. Talking with friends, it can feel like story after story of hardship and disappointment. Even sitting quietly, our brains often start exploring all the mistakes we made throughout the day, the to do list we have not completed, or the challenge our family members are going through. Yet, there is good! Our brains are not wired to see it naturally but it is there…more then you recognize! We have to intentionally look for it, remind ourselves about it, and share with others. We have to build the positive stories of our lives. We have to open our minds and hearts to the good. This all builds resiliency and strength to get through the hard moments. |
| A Good Story from My Week This past weekend I went to the Birkshires to visit a friend. That in and of itself is a good story! Time away from the city, time with a friend I don’t see in person often, time playing! Yet that is just the background to my story for you… We went to dinner one night to one of her favorite places. Nothing fancy, just good food. We ordered a few things to share, as she wanted to get all her favorites for me. When one of the entrees came it was clearly not what we ordered. We got the special of the week and this was not it. When we asked, the waiter said it was the special of the week and then paused and apologized. We were confused because this was conflicting information. Then he explained. They had changed the special of the week that day after the lunch rush. We must have been handed one of the menus from last week, instead of the updated menu with this weeks specials. I held my breath, unsure what would happen next. He then went and got a menu for us. Told us to order something else that we wanted. He said they would not charge us for the mistaken entree and encouraged us to get something we wanted. He was so gracious and kind about the entire mix up. This is not the good part yet. We ordered a new entree and enjoyed our meal together. When the bill came, they took off both entrees – the mistaken one and the replacement one. WOW – what a gift! Not only did they make up for the mistake they made, they went above and beyond (in my opinion). They are a small local business. My friend and I discussed being grateful for the gesture and wanting to support the small business in her town. So, we asked to have one of the entrees re-added to the bill. The waiter said he would check with the manager. The manager came over and said no. She would not add anything back to the bill. She said they made a mistake and wanted to make it up to us, to treat us. She said it was a gift from them for the inconvenience. I was shocked! I was touched! I was surprised by her kindness and generosity. All the time we hear stories of mistakes. All the time we hear how things go wrong. Sure this story could have been about the mistake they made. To me, that is just a side note to their generosity. This is a story of multiple people wanting to do good by each other. How often do people fight over who gets to pay? The restaurant said they would absorb the cost and my friend and I wanted to pay. It was a great moment of goodness! |
| Golden Nugget of the Week: 1. Notice the good! At the end of each day, ask yourself what good happened. Name 3 good things that happened. Yes, it can feel weird. Yes, not everyone will do this. Yes, it will help you feel more optimistic and positive about life. 2. Notice how you frame your stories. Do you see the good or the bad in an interaction? Can you shift your perspective? Can you tell the story differently so that there is more good? Give it a try and you may be surprised that even in hard moments there is more good then you originally saw. 3. Notice the impact of the stories around you. When you watch the news, how do you feel after? When you are on social media, how do you feel after? When you spend time with friends or family, how do you feel after? It is not about never engaging with things that make you feel down, it is about knowing the impact and being intentional with how you engage! |
| One Step at a Time It can feel like there is so much hard out there. There is. So it is important to remember there is also so much good out there also. It is not all good or bad…it is both. Take one small step each day to see the good. After that you can start building good for yourself and others. See the good experience and then share it with a friend. Just like I did here. You could start right now, just hit reply and let me know something good that happened to you! |
| Work with Me If my stories and golden nuggets resonate with you, perhaps you want to work with me in a more personalized way! I offer keynotes, workshops, and trainings for organizations talking about conflict resolution, mental health, and having hard conversations. They are always customized to the organizations, full of action-based exercises, and created to provide real life tools to use as soon as you leave the session. I share personal stories just like I do here. I also work with individuals in personal sessions to help you find the way through challenging situations. From coperate coaching to parent training to couples therapy, I’m here to listen, problem solve, and co-create new ways for you to move forward in your life at home and at the office. At times offering in-person intensives where we spend time in action making change. Hit reply to this email and let me know how we can work together! |
