Respect Even Those With Whom You Vehemently Disagree

It comes down to the way you treat people.
When you treat people with dignity and respect all the time,
you can work through anything.
- John Bacon

I never considered a difference of opinion
in politics, in religion, in philosophy,
as cause for withdrawing from a friend.
- Thomas Jefferson

There is no respect for others without humility in one's self.
- Henri Frederic Amiel

Be modest, be respectful of others, try to understand.
- Lakhdar Brahimi

There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem,
the more likely one will be to treat others with respect,
kindness, and generosity.
- Nathaniel Branden

Every human being, of whatever origin,
of whatever station, deserves respect.
We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves.
- U. Thant

Respect Even Those With Whom You Vehemently Disagree.

There is magic in respecting others.
Respect customers, vendors, bosses, employees, co-workers.
Respect parents, spouses, sons, daughters.
Respect the trash collector, the mayor, the bank teller, the truck driver.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Further reading: Condemn None

Each To Their Own

How To Be Happy In Life

Humble Yet Confident
        

Share the Season - Share Yourself

Is there someone who will be alone this Christmas unless you share your holiday with them? Invite them to spend the day with you.

One must know not just how to accept a gift,
but with what grace to share it.
- Maya Angelou

The wise man does not lay up his own treasures.
The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.
- Lao Tzu

Spending the holidays without family can feel depressing. If you are not with your family this holiday, take positive steps to feel good about yourself: affirm your self worth, spend time with your religious (or community) group, and extend yourself to be of service to the less fortunate.

Giving is the highest expression of our power.
- Vivian Greene

Among its other benefits,
giving liberates the soul of the giver.
- Maya Angelou

Further reading: Share the Season

Channels Made for Sharing

The Power of Generosity
     

Do The Very Best You Can and Trust That God Will Handle The Rest

Boredom is the feeling that everything is a waste of time;
serenity, that nothing is.
- Thomas Szasz

Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued,
is always just beyond your grasp,
but which, if you will sit down quietly,
may alight upon you.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne

Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often.
- Anonymous

We have a good life when we manage to live with both
satisfied and unsatisfied needs,
when we are not obsessed by what is beyond our reach.
- Kjell Magne Bondevik

Laugh at yourself and at life.
Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity,
but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain,
cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective
that seemingly terrible defeat and worry
with laughter at your predicaments,
thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution
that is certain to come. Never take yourself too seriously.
- Og Mandino

Do what you can, and do it well.
Accept the rest with equanimity, and trust in God.
No one can ever do more than that.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Further reading: The Blessing Of Serenity

Live in Peace

Pay Attention to the Natural World
       

Give Thanks for the Miracles of Each Day

A single grateful thought toward heaven is the most perfect prayer.
- Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Today... Give thanks for the miracles -
Give thanks for the love.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Keep a grateful journal. Every night,
list five things you are grateful for.
- Oprah Winfrey

We can stand affliction better than we can prosperity,
for in prosperity we forget God.
- Dwight L. Moody

Further reading: The Power Of Gratitude

A Thankful Heart

Love All Of Life

Have a Conversation with God, Today
   

Life Is Not "Fair," But It Can Still Be Joyful

When I hear somebody sigh, "Life is hard,"
I am always tempted to ask, Compared to what?
- Sydney Harris

Adversity can crush our spirit - or strengthen it - it is our choice.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

What if we just acted like everything was easy?
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Whenever you say or even think, "This is hard,"
that task or challenge becomes difficult.
Dread it, and it becomes terrifying.

When you choose to move past fear -
fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of "looking bad," fear of losing respect -
life becomes much lighter, and most any task becomes possible - perhaps even enjoyable.
Most any challenge can become an adventure of discovery.

The secret to a great life is recognizing that life was never intended to be fair.
Life simply isn't "fair," and that's okay.
The joy of life comes from playing the game of life as best we can,
focusing far more on the love and good example we can contribute
to other lives than on demanding money, stuff, love, or appreciation.
Service becomes a source of joy when it is not viewed as a duty.

Life Is Not "Fair," But It Can Still Be Joyful
Life is as easy or as hard as you think it is.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Further reading: Do Not Rail Against Life

Strength In Hard Times

Circumstance Reveals What You Are Made Of