(By Guest Blogger: Cynthia Brian, from her book “Be The Star You Are! Millennials To Boomers”)

Experiencing  the world through the eyes of a child is a path to happiness.  Kids have such vibrant imaginations and they know how to squeeze bliss into even the tiniest details. The joy and wonder of being a child is a treasure to remember and relish forever.

When my son was five, he hugged my leg and said, “I love you so much, Mommy. But I don’t know who to love more: you or Santa?  You help lots of people, but Santa helps millions. This is a tough question! My heart skipped a few beats, and the joy that rushed through my veins was as strong as the current of Niagara Falls.  If he only knew…

Here are my simple suggestions for a life-altering payoff. Start practicing gratitude. Taste the sweetness of a …
Read more

An old proverb says a person can actually die two deaths. The first happens when your physical body dies; the second occurs when people stop mentioning your name. Mark and Susan Lacek felt strongly that they would not let this happen to their infant daughter, Faith, and that her brief time on this earth should have a legacy. This legacy is the creation of Faith’s Lodge, a place where hope grows.

Those coping with the death or medically complex condition of a child can find hope and strength for the future at Faith’s Lodge.  Not to forget; but to reflect. In its North Woods setting, Faith’s Lodge provides a peaceful escape for families to refresh their minds and spirits while spending time with others who understand what they are experiencing.

If you know of a grieving parent or a child with a medically complex condition, please share this resource…
Read more

What can you do this year that will instantly make you smile without spending a penny and does not involve eating the right foods or giving up something you enjoy? Scattering kindness, paying it forward and helping others are a few phrases that describe a plethora of activities that create an opportunity to be the person who makes you feel good.

You probably are already doing lots of little things that make others smile.  So this might be the year when you simply do more of them.  Try to catch yourself in an act of kindness.  Notice how quickly you pick up something that someone has dropped but barely notice their smiling nod of thanks.  When you decide to let someone ahead of you in a busy store or driving down the freeway, do you feel proud for a moment because you  just did a little something good?

Simply keep …
Read more

“I am kind wan I hlp my Mom” is what Kevin, a kindergartener at Partnership Academy wrote for his Kindness Project.  Students learned about some important aspects of being kind, like being a good listener and how to turn a frown upside down, in the book “K is for Kindness.”

Kindergarteners were excited to each receive a book of their own to take home and read with their family. This began a week of focusing on kindness where immediate responses to “what are you going to do to be kind” came many “share my toys” and “be nice to my family.”

Now these kind students are creating kindness books. Wonder what would happen if every adult completed a kindness project this week???

 …
Read more

The power of a smile has been documented by authors and singers since time immemorial. When we feel great, a smile comes naturally. It’s an outward sign of joy, happiness, appreciation, amusement, excitement, or contentment. Scientists have found that smiling on purpose can help people feel better. Smiling on purpose changes brain chemistry. So it can be a big help to people who are dealing with depression and anxiety. In one study, researchers discovered that people who intentionally smiled, ended up feeling happy.

Ron Gutman, CEO of Health Tap wrote an interesting article called “The Untapped Power Of Smiling.”  He referenced a study which examined the smiles of students in an old yearbook, and measured their well-being and success throughout their lives. By measuring the smiles in the photographs, the researchers were able to predict how fulfilling and long lasting their marriages would be, how highly they would score on …
Read more