This is the summer of Kindness. You have been challenged! Take part in the 2018 Summery Kindness Challenge. Kindness1It is really easy, but you need to stay dedicated. Just complete 1 kind act daily through the end of June! You got this, right? SaWEET!

Go to https://idontstink.com/kindness-challenge/ and see the details. We have a kindness meter that will grow with each kind deed. When you create a free account, you will have your very own kindness meter too! No pressure, no emails (unless you sign up for Daily Positive Points) so you don’t have to worry about SPAM from us. But it isn’t required that you have an account, it’s just fun stuff watching the meter grow. All you have to do is commit to deliver a single kind act a day. That’s it!

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” -Princess Diana

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” -Mark Twain

“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” -William Arthur Ward

“Be kind, don’t STINK!” Sweetie (from idontstink.com)

With love and gratitude,
Bill

DadA little over seven years ago, after well over seven years of suffering at different levels, my father finally let go.  I was actually in Chicago on a business trip when I got the word that things had taken a turn for the worse.  I cancelled the rest of the business trip, caught some connecting flights and ended back up in Louisiana to see my dad in what would be the last time I saw him alive.

My father had a pretty tough life although if you talked to him, you wouldn’t even get a hint of it.  I remember often right before a cookout or nice dinner he would say, “I wonder what the poor folks are eating tonight.”  Truth is, if he knew of ANYONE in need, he would give the shirt off his back to help them.  I don’t just believe this, I witnessed it over and over again.

Dad was in the third or fourth grade or so when he was forced to drop out of school because his father had taken ill and couldn’t work.  He literally became the “man” of the house and took care of his younger brother and sister.  This continued on for quite some time but he did go back and get his GED and joined the Army.  I learned only upon is death that he was actually a captain and was in charge of a company of soldiers.  Interesting that he never shared that with me but that was dad. He would never say anything that would give him attention or could be considered putting him in the spotlight.

There are some parents that teach their kids through talking, demanding, and “do as I say, not as I do” methods.  Others simply teach through their actions.  I can honestly say that I have never heard my dad say a curse word.  As I was typing this out, I thought, certainly there must have been a few times but there simply wasn’t.  I was the youngest of six kids so maybe he ran out of them by the time I came along, but I doubt it.

I believe that because he had such a tough start, he could always relate to anyone in need.  It didn’t matter if it was a hitchhiker, a homeless person on the side of the road or anyone who asked for help, family or friend, he would always offer it.  I believe he remembered how tough he had it from his own experiences that there were instant connections.  If someone was in need, he could and would instantly strike up a conversation and give whatever money he had on him.  I’m not just talking about a dollar or two, it typically was whatever he had on him at the time.  Some might look at that as naïve but I understand it to be compassion and empathy.

I can remember a number of the times the person he was talking to (that clearly needed assistance) didn’t even ask for help or money, but he would simply ask them first.  He must have known what it was like to be in there shoes so he was able to save just a little of their dignity by offering assistance first.  What a man!

When I say they don’t make men like that anymore, I really mean it.  Since his passing, I have struggled much more than I expected.  The hurt doesn’t go away, doesn’t get any easier, it just simply dulls just a little.  Through the past two years, I have at times struggled by all the things I could have or should have done while he is still around.  But you know what?  He wouldn’t have wanted that.  I can see him looking in my eyes telling me something like, “we’ll have none of that” then ask about the weather or anything to change the subject.  It bothered him deeply to see anyone hurting or struggling and his natural, automatic response was to offer help.  What a man!

Father’s greatest gifts to their children are not all the stuff they accumulate, the gifts they give them, the money they provide, nor the power and influence they possess.  No, not at all.  A father’s greatest gift is simple.  It is living by what you preach (or don’t preach at all in my dad’s case) which is then measured by their actions both in times of glory as well as in times of struggles.  The gifts my father taught me were kindness, compassion, empathy, forgiveness, love, gratitude.  These gifts have been well ingrained within my soul.  My goal in life is to share these same traits with my own son and if I can accomplish a tenth of what my dad taught me, my life will be considered a success.

I miss you daddy!  Happy birthday.
Love,
Bill

Below are 13 extremely powerful Jim Rohn quotes. If you like, this week my Daily Positive Points will feature some of the quotes.

  1. “The difference between where you are today and where you’ll be five years from now will be found in the quality of books you’ve read.”
  2. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
  3. “Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.”
  4. “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
  5. “Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you.”
  6. “motivation alone is not enough.if you have an idiot and you motivate him,now you have a motivated idiot.”
  7. “You cannot change your destination overnight. You can change your direction.
  8. “Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don’t fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgement, repeated every day.”
  9. “To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask?”
  10. “Don’t just read the easy stuff. You may be entertained by it, but you will never grow from it.”
  11. “Miss a meal if you have to, but don’t miss a book.”
  12. “Don’t let your learning lead to knowledge. Let your learning lead to action.”
  13. “Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

With Gratitude,
Bill

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” -Princess Diana

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” -Mark Twain

“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” -William Arthur Ward

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” -Scott Adams

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” -Lucius Annaeus Seneca

“Always be a little kinder than necessary.” -James M. Barrie

“Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.” -Theodore Isaac Rubin

“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” -Henry James

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” -Amelia Earhar

Here are a few more of my favorite Kindness Quotes:

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” -Lucius Annaeus Seneca

“Always be a little kinder than necessary.” -James M. Barrie

“Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.” -Theodore Isaac Rubin

“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” -Henry James

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” -Amelia Earhart

With love and gratitude,
Bill

Here are a few of my favorite Kindness quotes to go along with the 2017 Kindness Challenge:

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” -Princess Diana

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” -Mark Twain

“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” -William Arthur Ward

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” -Scott Adams

Love, Kindness and Gratitude,
Bill

Hey you. You there! You have been challenged! Take part in the 2017 Summery Kindness Challenge. Kindness1It is really easy, but you need to stay dedicated. Just complete 3 kind acts daily for the next 21 days! SaWEET! You can do that, right?

Go to https://idontstink.com/kindness-challenge/ and see the details. We have a kindness meter that will grow with each kind deed. When you create a free account, you will have your very own kindness meter too! No pressure, no emails (unless you sign up for Daily Positive Points) so you don’t have to worry about SPAM from us. But it isn’t required that you have an account, that just the fun stuff watching the meter grow. All you have to do is commit to do 3 kind acts a day. That’s it!

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” -Princess Diana

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” -Mark Twain

“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” -William Arthur Ward

With love and gratitude,
Bill

Did you realize that all those little open things you need to do are really weighing you down and keeping you from being in a state of happiness and contentment? While they may seem minor, when taken as a whole, most people have so many things to do it is hard to stay organized enough to complete them all. This prevents you from reaching your maximum performance in both your work/school environment and your home life. The sense of being overwhelmed then starts a belief system inside you that confirms there is never enough of you or time in the day. Today is a good day to start a new belief system and get you on track knowing that this is a world of abundance no matter what form it takes.

This exercise will provide you with a system of staying focused and leave you more time to do the things you enjoy. I started this exercise in January of 2006 as a way of being more productive at work. It seemed that everyday when I got to work, I immediately got overwhelmed with so many things to do that I felt I didn’t accomplish anything at all. However, I did not understand it because I was busy all day long. I would also wake up in the middle of the night and remember that I either forgot to do something or needed to do something the next day. From the very beginning when I started to use this system, I never wake up at night any more nor have that little panic attack followed by anxiety for forgetting to do something important. Can’t you see how this is actually keeping you from experiencing peace?

Let me warn you before I go any further, it does require discipline. Once I made up my mind to use it, I could not live without using it any longer. The ideas are not new, they are not earth shattering, nor will they give you instant gratification, but I promise if you use this method (or any other time management method) you will be amazed by the results. Now, I know what you are saying, “This is just a standard ‘to do list’ just like all the other ones that don’t work for me.” It might look like one, but I am introducing a new way of using the age old tool by tying it directly back to ideas in this workbook. Trust me on this one, the successes I have achieved by using this method have been unbelievable. The funny thing is that I did not realize what I was developing for several months.

Ready to start?

First, start with a clean piece of paper each day and keep it with you all day long. This paper can be the template I built and included in this section, but make sure it is a hard copy. Draw a line right down the middle of the page and put 2 headings: On the left write “I Will Do Today” and “I Will Do Later” on the right. By writing those headings, you are affirming you WILL do these things and the universe will conspire with you to help you complete each item on the list.

Try this to get you started:

  • Before doing anything in the morning, create your To Do List. This is the VERY first item of the day. This can be done before you leave the house, at your job before you get started, or even at school before classes start.
  • Only put things on the left side of the page that you WILL do even if it means working late into the evening to complete them. Put everything else on the right side of the page.
  • List EVERYTHING you need or want to do. Simply decide if is it important enough to do today (left side) or if it can wait for later (right side).
  • As new “to do” items come up during the day, decide which side of the paper they belong on.
  • After the first day, you will have checked off all the things on the left side and now are left with the list on the right side. Identify which items should be moved to the left side along with new items that came up the day before.
  • Never overload the left side of the page. If you do, it will turn into a standard “to do list” and will probably fail. When you first start out, only list absolute must do’s; then, as you get yourself trained on this method, you can start putting more items on the left side. Just take it easy at first.
  • Print your list. I suggest taking it with you during the day. I do this because more than likely I will be given additional tasks during meetings or I might think of something else that needs to get done. After items are added, pick which side of the page it belongs on.
  • It is important to add the amount of time required to complete the item. Be sure to list a realistic time. This allows you to scan them quickly and pull out ones that take less time when you only have a few minutes before a class or something else you need to do.
  • Do not put your list in any order. Simply write them out as you think of them.
  • Be sure to make a new list every day. Do not try to use the one from the day before because the priorities may have changed and I believe that re-writing the list every day is a way of re-affirming that you will complete your tasks for that day.
  • At the very bottom of the page, write 3 affirmations to include the following topics:
    • Manifesting
    • Commitment
    • Connection to Others

Once you have made your list for the first day, you will feel slightly better just for putting it on paper. A good exercise to do is a data dump where you basically jot down every single thing you can think of that you need to do first. The first time I did this I had well over 60 items. After you have all your items listed, pull out a new sheet and write them down on the daily “I WILL Do Today” list. You will need to determine what side of the paper they belong on. One thing that I noticed was that once I listed them all, I felt a sense of relief and, as I started my daily work, the list got smaller and smaller.

How I use my list throughout the day:

  • If I have a task that requires me to call someone and I have to leave a voice message, check the box but CIRCLE it because it is not a completed task most of the time. If a voice message will work, then I just check it. When I am making out the list for the next day, I add all items that were circled & checked back on the new list. I then determine whether or not it needs to be done today or later.
  • As emails/voicemails come in during the day, use the DOT rule:
  1. a) Do it – if it takes less than 3 minutes, I complete it
  2. b) Off-load it – delegate it to others or decide not to do it at all
  3. c) Task it – if it takes more than 3 minutes to complete, I write it on whichever side of the page it belongs
  • Upon returning to my desk from a meeting, I check voicemails and emails and use the DOT rule above.
  • Upon returning from lunch or any extended length away from my desk, I will review the list and find items that will take 5 minutes or less and complete them. I then go to the 10 minute ones and do them. I have found that by marking those things off my list, I get a sense of accomplishment and seem to be more productive the rest of the day. At first, I would continue working on a 3-4 hour tasks but about 2-3 hours of additional work would come in and nothing would get checked off. By completing the items that require less time, it keeps me focused on the task at hand and more productive.
  • If I have any task or project that will take more than 2 hours, I will always write it to state something like “Start on…” or “Continue working on…” This is because it will typically take more than a day to complete.
  • I put EVERYTHING on my list. It does not matter if it is a call to my mom, a dentist appointment, a bill that needs to be paid, a car wash, etc., I put it on whichever side it belongs.
  • On occasion, I do not complete everything on my list. This typically happens when I do not allow enough free time. Allow plenty of “down time” to complete new tasks that get added during the day.
  • Train yourself to put only the important things on the left side of the page. As you get more productive, you can add more but, at first, limit what you put on the left side.
  • When you complete all the items on the left side of the page, you can start working on the right side.
  • One other thing that I do at work is listen to Mozart in the background. I read somewhere that of the “Mozart Effect” where someone did a study about how listening to Mozart calmed children down at a playschool or kindergarten. They had a controlled study with Mozart in the background in one area and nothing in another. It was a long study but the results were proven over and over again that the kids reacted better with Mozart on versus other things. I had heard someone say that Beethoven was close to heaven while Mozart was heaven. So I decided to listen to Mozart during the day.

As soon as I developed the “To Do List” I did my own study to see if I could be more productive with Mozart in the background. Normally, I would say just listening to Mozart could not help; however, through my studies and understanding, I knew that there had to be a connection somewhere. After about six weeks of using my “To Do List” I decided to try listening to Mozart and documenting different days. I put “WM” (With Mozart) on the top of each page where I had Mozart playing all day. For the others, I left the top blank. To my surprise, after only two weeks of doing this, I immediately realized that I indeed was way more productive when Mozart was in the background. For the first week alone, I tried listening to it three of the five days. On the days that I listened to Mozart, I had checked off EVERYTHING on the left side and checked off at least two to three items on the right side! On days that I did not listen to Mozart (sometimes I got busy the moment I got into the office and forgot to turn it on), I did not check off all the items on the left side of the page  and added more things to both sides. Now I cannot really explain the reasons why, but I can only tell you that over the next six months, this same trend held true. I was always more productive listening to Mozart versus not listening to anything.

If you would like a template of what I have used for years, just send me a message through “ask Sweetie”, social media, or simply leave a reply in this post.

With gratitude,
Bill

NOTE: This exercise was taken from my first book, “7 Days to Inner Peace: The Building Blocks of Awareness.”

Today’s Message

Today is a new day filled with unlimited possibilities. Let’s focus on the good and leave all that negative STINKIN’ THINKIN’ where it belongs, in the trash!

Today’s Quote

“Hope Smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘it will be happier’…” ~Alfred Tennyson

BONUS THURSDAY!!!

Click here to go to the exercise called, “Take Out Your STINKIN’ TRASH!” Then you can get ready for the new year, STINK-FREE!!!!

FrownyFaceThis is something I was pondering today as I noticed every single person around me at the club looking at their smart phones. I then thought about how many times I pull it out when I have a few minutes with nothing going on.  From there, I started making a conscious decision to recognize every time I was using the phone and why.

Then it dawned on me. Are we afraid of our own thoughts? What explains the addiction to constantly check email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.?

The truth is that for me, I certainly have been using my phone way too much. Often I wouldn’t even make it through a movie without checking it. The important revelation for me was that it is easier to play with the phone than to force yourself to deal with silence and pay attention to what you are thinking.

Times have changed. What we have to be aware of is that our kids are watching every move we make. We need to set good examples for them. We need to start putting the phone down when we are together, and for me, I plan to start putting it in the other room so I am not tempted.

Smart phones are great as long as they do not make us dumb in our relationships with others. We need to take time to be fully engaged in conversations with others and set aside some downtime from the phones every day.

The next time you feel the urge to check your phone for no apparent reason, ask yourself, “Am I afraid of my thinking?” Then take the next steps to change it next time.

With gratitude,
Bill