Be That One

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Coach Muller

What kind of person are you? Are you compassionate, sympathetic, and kind towards others? Or are you someone who is unsympathetic, callous, and impervious in your relationships with individuals?

The following poem was written by Sheri Eckert and serves as a great reminder that we should all “Be That One” kind of person who looks to inspire, encourage, and assist others in their journey of life.

Be That One

Be that one.

That One who forgives when a deep offense has been committed.

That One who loves when no one else does.

That One who shares kindness to those who are mean.

Be That One who looks past the insult, instead seeing the pain that motivated it.

That One who shines the light upon those who sit in utter darkness.

Because the impact of being That One runs far and wide.It brings healing to the wounded, joy to the sad, and hope to those in despair.

Be That One.

“How beautiful a day can be when KINDNESS touches it” 🙂

Burnt Biscuits

Posted on January 5, 2020 by Coach Muller

Photo by Jodie Morgan on Unsplash

Unconditional kindness and compassion for others should be our core focus every day of our lives. I recently came across the following story, written by an unknown author, which illustrates this lesson…one that we all should remember to do each day.

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night when she made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and a batch of extremely burnt biscuits on the table in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed.

All my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day at school has been. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing…he never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits…and I will never forget what he said, “Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then.”

Later that night, I went to say good night to my daddy, and I asked him if he REALLY liked his biscuits burnt. He wrapped me up in his arms and said lovingly, “Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she is really tired…and besides, a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!”

As I have grown older, I’ve thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I’m not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like anyone else. But what I have learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that’s my prayer for you today…that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He’s the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn’t a deal-breaker!

We could extend this philosophy to any relationship. In fact, UNDERSTANDING is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife, parent-child, or friendship!

“Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket…keep it in your own.” So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine 😊

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Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil…it has no point.

The Last King

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Coach Muller

Photo by Inactive. on Pexels.com

Resentment. Anger. Bitterness. Animosity. These are some words that have described the attributes that some individuals have allowed to grab hold of their hearts. In turn, this poison has led to a breakdown in their friendships, relationships, and interactions with others.

Leon Brown once said, “Bitterness is a result of clinging to negative experiences. It serves you no good and closes the doors to your future.” It has also been said that holding onto bitterness is like holding onto an anchor and jumping into the sea. If you don’t let go, you will drown. Anger and resentment are heavy…we must learn to let them go and forgive.

Today’s little story is a great example of these thoughts….

The Last King

There was once a king and he was the last king of a country. He had ten wild dogs and, unfortunately, used them to devour any of his servants that made a mistake or did him wrong.

One day, one of the servants shared his opinion to the king which the king didn’t like it at all. Seething with anger, the king ordered that his servant should be thrown to the dogs.

Begging for his life and trembling with fear, the servant asked,” Why are you going to do this to me? I served you for ten years and was loyal and faithful to you. Please give me ten days before you throw me to the dogs. “The king pondered the servant’s pleas then decided to grant them.

During the next ten days, the servant went to the guard who took care of the dogs and told him that he would like to serve dogs for the next ten days. The Guard was baffled, but he agreed. The servant was dedicated to the feeding of dogs, cleaning, washing, and caring for them while showing them all kinds of love and comfort.

When the ten days had ended, the king ordered the servant to be thrown to the dogs for his punishment. The dogs were released and to everyone surprise, the voracious dogs began licking the servant’s feet!

The King, bewildered by what he was seeing, asked,” What is this? What has happened to my dogs?”

The servant replied,” I took care of the dogs for only short ten days and they did not forget my services. However, I served you for ten long years, my king, and you forgot my dedication and devotion after one misspoken word,”

The King realized his mistake and humbly ordered the servant to be released.”

This story is a great reminder to all of us who tend to forget the good things people do for us as soon as the person has said or has done something wrong. We should remember not to get angry, give up and forget all the nice, caring and thoughtful actions of a friend…sometimes established over a long period of time… just because of one misstep that may have hurt you. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.”

So true my friends!

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“As I walked Out the door that would lead me to my freedom, I knew that I didn’t leave my hatred and bitterness behind…I would still be in prison.” ~ Nelson Mandela

Remembering Our Loved Ones

Posted on December 7, 2019 by Coach Muller

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

All of us have relatives or other people that we know who are advancing in years and who are people that we might consider, “getting old.” As they progress in their age, we sometimes lose our patience with them and become mad or angry. We forget the times when we were younger, that they were kind, caring, and tolerant of our persistent questions and inquiries about so many things.

It is important for all of us to remember our aged loved ones and the love they once openly demonstrated for us.

The following story is a great example of this idea…

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An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45 years old highly educated son when suddenly a crow perched on their window.

The father asked his son, “What is this?” The son replied, “It is a crow”. After a few minutes, the father asked his son the 2nd time, “What is this?” The son said “Father, I have just now told you “It’s a crow”. After a little while, the old Father again asked his Son the 3rd time, “What is this?”

At this time some expression of irritation was felt in the son’s tone when he said to his Father with a rebuff. “It’s a crow, a crow”. A little after, the father again asked his son the 4th time, “What is this?”

This time the son shouted at his father, “Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again, although I have told you so many times ‘IT IS A CROW’. Are you not able to understand this?”

A little later the father went to his room and came back with an old tattered diary, which he had maintained since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page. When the son read it, the following words were written in the diary.

“Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa when a crow was sitting on the window. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a Crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times. I did not at all feel irritated, I rather felt affection for my innocent child”.

While the little child asked him 23 times “What is this”, the father had felt no irritation in replying to the same question all 23 times and when today the father asked his son the same question just 4 times, the son felt irritated and annoyed.

So…

If your parents attain old age, do not repulse them or look at them as a burden, but speak to them a gracious word, be cool, obedient, humble and kind to them. Be considerate to your parents. You should remind and tell yourself every day, “I want to see my parents happy forever. They have cared for me ever since I was a little child. They have always showered their selfless love for me. I will serve my old parents in the BEST way I can. I will always try to say good and kind words to them, no matter how they behave.”

They crossed all mountains and valleys without seeing the storm and heat to make me a person presentable in the society today”.

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“Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”

A Special Bonus Video!

Great Ways To Show Courtesy

Posted on September 18, 2019 by Coach Muller

Photo by Burst on Pexels.com

Common courtesy…is it still with us today? Or has it become a “thing” of the past? Personally, I think it is still alive and well for millions of people around the globe. Today’s post lists some great things to remind us of things that we can do each day to be thoughtful and courteous to the people around us.

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1. In case you miss a call, drop a message as soon as possible if you’re unable to call back.

2. Pay back borrowed money as soon as possible no matter how little the amount is. Don’t assume that they don’t need it, and never make them ask you for it.

3. Turn the volume down when you’re watching video, playing music or playing a game on your phone in a public place or, better
yet, use headphones.

4. Don’t press your phone or use headphones when someone is having a conversation with you.
Unplug the headsets from your ears even if nothing is playing and give them your undivided attention.

5. When using someone else’s phone or computer, don’t go through their stuff without permission.

6. Always leave the last piece of meat for the person who bought it unless they insist they won’t eat it.

7. Don’t use loudspeaker of the phone to have a two person conversation unless you are unable to hold the phone.

8. When someone else cooks for you, offer to help clean the kitchen.

9. If you stay the night at someone’s house, make the bed or fold the blankets when you leave.

10. Don’t let your arguments escalate in public. Find some place else to continue arguing where others won’t feel uncomfortable or interested.

11. If you ask your friends for help with some house work, feed them as payment.

12. When someone buys you food or coffee, try to return the favor within a week (if you can).

13. When you borrow someone’s car, fill up the tank as a way of saying ‘thank you.’

14. Don’t pick up a call while you are engaged in conversation without excusing yourself.

15. Make sure you don’t forget to return that book you borrowed.

16. When someone gives you a gift, no matter how small it is or the way it was presented, even if it isn’t up to your expectation, just say ‘Thank You.’

17. When you have someone older than you who is friendly and makes himself free with you, speak to them with respect.

18. Don’t feel too big to be corrected or reject good advice because you feel it’s your life… Life is a ring; the next blow can come anytime.

19. When you receive messages on social media, try and reply. Don’t feel too proud, maybe because you are a celebrity. Remember, no one knows tomorrow.

20. Last but not least…do something as simple as holding a door open for someone.

What would some other things that you would do to be courteous to other people? What would you add to this list?

Good points to ponder 🙂

The Compassion of a Stranger

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Coach Muller

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

A lady walked down a city street one day, she spotted a beggar. The man looked old, he smelled, was unshaven and dressed in worn-out clothes. Everyone who passed by looked at him with contempt; they didn’t have anything against him but didn’t like him merely because of who he was…a filthy beggar.

But then, a particular woman saw him, she was filled with compassion.

The beggar was improperly dressed for the weather and it was so cold. He was wrapped up in what looked like a coat from a very old and not-so-warm suit. She asked the man with a kind voice, “Sir? Are you all right?”

The man looked at the woman, who, based on her appearance, was an example of what people from a wealthy background looked like. The old beggar thought that she, like every other person, was mocking him. He just shook his head and growled, “Leave me alone.”

But the women did not move. Instead, to his surprise, she smiled at him and gently asked if he was hungry.

“No, I’ve just come from having dinner with the president. Now go away,” the beggar replied with a notable sarcasm. The woman’s smile did not fade. She placed her hands under the beggar’s arm and tried to pick him up.

“Woman, what do you think you are doing?” the beggar said annoyed.

“Is there a problem ma’am?” a policeman shouted, walking towards the lady and the beggar.

“Not at all officer. I’m just trying to get this man to his feet. Will, you help me?” the women replied

The policeman looked at her with surprise, “that man is old Jack and has been here for years. What have you got to do with him anyway?”

“I am going to take him to a cafeteria to get something to eat and get him out of the cold for a while,” the women answered.

“Are you crazy, lady?” the homeless man asked. “I don’t want to go in there!” Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. “Let me go, officer. I didn’t do anything.”

“Here’s a good chance to feed yourself, Jack. Don’t blow it,” the officer advised.

After much difficulty and effort, the woman and the officer managed to bring Jack into the cafeteria. It was past breakfast time and too early for lunch. The manager strode towards the table and asked “What’s going on here officer?” he asked. “Is this man in trouble?”

“She brought old Jack in here to be fed and get a good wholesome meal,” the policeman answered.

“Not in my cafeteria! People like him are bad for business,” the manager angrily retorted.

“Now you know why I didn’t want to come in here!” Jack said to the lady, “now let me go. I never wanted to be here in the first place!”

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. “Sir, I reckon you know Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?”

“Of course I do, ” the manager answered impatiently. “They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms.”

“And I guess you make a good amount of money through those meetings.”

“I certainly do! Why does it concern you anyway?”

“Because I am the CEO of the company” the women replied, showing no sign of pride in her statement. The restaurant owner stood there in stunned silence. “Ohhh.” was all that the manager managed to say.

She looked at the officer, “Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?”

“No thanks, ma’am,” the officer replied. “I’m on duty.”

“Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?”

“Yes, ma’am. That would be very nice.”

“I’ll get your coffee for you right away, officer,” the manager immediately replied.

“You served him right,” he said.

“Oh, believe me, officer, that was not what I intended. I have a reason behind all this.” She stared at Jack intently, and asked, “Jack, do you remember me?”

Old Jack examined her face, “well you do look familiar,” he added thoughtfully.

“Do you remember a cold and hungry girl who frequently visited this place when you worked here?” the women asked, “she has perhaps grown old…hasn’t she?”

The officer looked surprised. He couldn’t imagine this fine looking woman as a poor and hungry woman.

“I had just graduated and had come to the city looking for a job. I didn’t find one for a really long time. I was running out of cash and had been asked to vacate my apartment too. I lived on these streets for days. It was the cold month of February, I still remember how cold, miserable, and hungry I was. And that’s when I found this place and walked in hoping to find something to eat and what my little budget could afford.”

Jack’s face suddenly lit up, “now I remember you. I used to be at the counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy.”

“I know,” the woman said. “Then you offered me the biggest roast beef sandwich, a cup of coffee, and a table for me to sit and enjoy the meal. I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register”

“So you started your own business?” Old Jack asked.

“No, not exactly. That very afternoon I got a job. I worked my way up. Then, I started my own business.” She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. “Please pay a visit to the personnel director of my company. I’ll go talk to him now. I am sure there is something in my office for which we can use your help. We can even pay you a certain amount of your salary in advance.”

Fighting back the tears, Jack asked, “How can I ever repay your kindness?”

“You don’t have to” the woman answered. “Thank Jesus. He led me to you.”

“Thank you for all your help, officer,” she said to him as they both walked out the door.

“On the contrary, Ms. Eddy, thank you. I saw a miracle today. And of course, thank you for the coffee”

She frowned. “I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar. That’s black.”

“I do use cream and more sugar than what is good for my health,” he replied.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“Please don’t be. I have a feeling that this coffee is going to taste as sweet as sugar,” he replied with a smile as he walked away.

Question: What act of kindness did YOU show someone today?

The Dangers of Judging Others

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Coach Muller

Photo by Ike louie Natividad on Pexels.com

It was once said that, “Judging a person doesn’t define who they are…it defines who you are.” Unfortunately, we all fall into the category of judging other people at some point in our lives. We have also been affected at various times by the ways that other people have judged us.

We all need to be more aware of judging others and remember to try to get to know the other person first before we rush to making a judgement about them.

One day, a lovely little girl was holding two apples with both hands. Her mom came in and softly asked her little daughter with a smile, “My sweetie, could you give your mom one of your two apples?”
The girl looked up at her mum for some seconds, then she suddenly took a quick bite on one apple, and then quickly on the other.

The mom felt the smile on her face freeze. She tried hard not to reveal her disappointment.
Then the little girl handed one of her bitten apples to her mom, and said, “Here you go mommy, this is the sweeter one.”

No matter who you are, how experienced you are, and how knowledgeable you think you are, always delay judgement. Give others the privilege to explain themselves because what you see may not be the reality. Never conclude for others. We should never just focus on what we see then judge others…without understanding them first. If we take the time to really get to know and understand what the other person is doing…it will certainly make our lives a lot more rewarding.

Consider:

Those who like to pay the bill, do so not because they are loaded but because they value friendship above money.

Those who take the initiative at work, do so not because they are stupid but because they understand the concept of responsibility.

Those who apologizes first after a fight, do so not because they are wrong but because they value the people around them.

Those who are willing to help you, do so not because they owe you anything but because they see you as a true friend.

Those who often text you, do so not because they have nothing better to do but because you are in their heart.

The truth is that one day, all of us will get separated from each other; we will miss our conversations of everything & nothing; the dreams that we had. Days will pass by, months, years, until our relationship with some people may begin to disappear.

One day our children will see pictures of our loved ones and ask, ‘Who are these people?’ And we will smile, with invisible tears, because we will remember how our heart touched with an encouraging word or some great times spent together, and you will say: ‘THESE WERE THE PEOPLE THAT I HAD THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE WITH’. Hold the times with your family and friends close to your heart.

Love people for who they are!

Take time each day to make people smile and enjoy the goodness of life.

The Mother with One Eye

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Coach Muller

Photo Credit: Fran Ullola via Flickr

Judging other people can be a struggle for almost anyone on a daily basis. People can find themselves judging others in a variety of ways. If could be something as small as how someone looks or how they act. We could be judging them based on what their government affiliation might be or their religious beliefs. The list can go on and on.

An example of how we can sometimes judge is this short story from psychologist and meditation teacher, Tara Brach who frequently tells this story: Imagine you are walking through the woods and you see a small dog. It looks cute and friendly. You approach and move to pet the dog. Suddenly it snarls and tries to bite you. The dog no longer seems cute and you feel fear and possibly anger. Then, as the wind blows, the leaves on the ground are carried away and you see the dog has one of its legs caught in a trap. Now, you feel compassion for the dog. You know it became aggressive because it is in pain and is suffering.

Your judgement changed once you understood the situation.

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I came across this story that simply broke my heart and reminded me of an important lesson: never judge a person until you know exactly of what made them the way they are…

My mom only had one eye. I hated her… She was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students and teachers to support the family.

There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed.

How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school one of my classmates said, “EEEE, your mom only has one eye!”

I wanted to bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear. I confronted her that day and said, “If you’re only gonna make me a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?”

My mom did not respond… I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings.

I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.

Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts. Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even meet her grandchildren.

When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. I screamed at her, “How dare you come to my house and scare my children! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!”

And to this, my mother quietly answered, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address.” – and she disappeared out of sight.

One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.

My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.

“My dearest son,

I think of you all the time. I’m sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.

I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I’m sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.

You see……..when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine.

I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.

With all my love to you,

Your Mother.”

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“If you judge people….you have no time to live them” ~ Mother Teresa

The Golden Slippers

Posted on January 2, 2019 by Coach Muller

Photo credit: Hilary McHone via CC Flickr

There are times in each of our lives when we need a reminder of the importance of having a spirit of giving and generosity towards others. Thus, is the case for the following story that I had posted on an old blog page of mine. While the author of this story is unknown, it is a beautiful story that I am sure will touch your heart and hopefully, remind all of us of the wonderful essence of a caring heart. (warning: tissues may be needed 🙂
It was only four days before Christmas. The spirit of the season hadn’t yet caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our local discount store. Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and last-minute shoppers jammed the aisles. Why did I come today? I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head. My list contained names of several people who claimed they wanted nothing, but I knew their feelings would be hurt if I didn’t buy them anything. Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of items, I considered gift-buying anything but fun.

Hurriedly, I filled my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long checkout lines. I picked the shortest but it looked as if it would mean at least a 20 minute wait. In front of me were two small children — a boy of about 5 and a younger girl. The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands. The girl’s clothing resembled her brother’s. Her head was a matted mass of curly hair. Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers.

As the Christmas music sounded in the store’s stereo system, the girl hummed along, off-key but happily. When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a treasure.

The clerk rang up the bill. “That will be $6.09,” she said.
The boy laid his crumpled dollars on top of the stand while he searched his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. “I guess we will have to put them back, ” he bravely said. “We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow.”

With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl. “But Jesus would have loved these shoes, “she cried.

“Well, we’ll go home and work some more. Don’t cry. We’ll come back,” he said.

Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice said, “Thank you, lady.”

“What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?” I asked.

The boy answered, “Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus.”
The girl spoke, “My Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won’t mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match these shoes?”

My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face. “Yes,” I answered, “I am sure she will.”

Silently I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the true spirit of giving.

A Marvelous Kind of Medicine

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Coach Muller

Photo by JESHOOTS.com on Pexels.com

There is a medicine that has been around for thousands of years and has been used by millions of people around the world in every culture known to man. It is known for its power to change the way people feel about themselves and have a powerful and positive effect on people that are experiencing anxiety, low self-esteem, anger, depression, and a host of other issues.

The great thing about this medicine is that it will cost you nothing and is available for your use at any time, anywhere.

What is this marvelous medicine? Where can you find it?

Simple. It is called kindness. It is available at any time of day and you can use it wherever you may be.

You see, kindness is an amazing and powerful thing, The simple act of being kind to people and developing a habit of thinking of others instead of focusing on ourselves can have a huge, positive effect on an individual’s total well-being.

Let’s see what the positive impact kindness can have on a person who consistently uses this practice…

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Like many medicines that treat depression, kindness stimulates the production of serotonin which is known as the “feel-good” chemical. Seratonin assists in healing wounds, relaxation and is responsible for making people happy.

Acts of kindness can be very contagious. Once someone witnesses another person perform an act of kindness to another individual, they, in turn, will use it to help others. You can see this happen quite often. For example, a person is going to enter a building and the person in front of them stops and holds the door open for them. Sometime later, that person holds the door open for someone else. These actions can create “domino effect” and can improve the day of many people!

It has been shown that kindness can actually reduce a certain amount of pain that a person may be experiencing. When an individual does something nice, their brain releases hormones called endorphins to the nervous system. These hormones interact with receptors in the brain to reduce our perception of pain and act similarly to drugs such as morphine and codeine.

It that been found that people who are kind have 23% less cortisol in their bodies than people who are living under stressful conditions. This results in a person’s ability to have lower blood pressure and stress levels. Cortisol is also known as the “stress hormone” and can have adverse effects on the cardiovascular and immune systems. Perpetually kind people also age slower! According to Dr. David Hamilton, not only does acts of kindness lower blood pressure, but it also creates emotional warmth, which releases the “love hormone” called oxytocin. Oxytocin causes the release of the chemical nitric oxide, which dilates the blood vessels. which in turn reduces blood pressure and protects the heart.

Research from Emory University proved that when people are kind to another person, an individual’s brain’s pleasure and reward centers “light up”…as if that person was the recipient of the good deed…not the giver. This phenomenon is otherwise known as the “helper’s high.”

In a study done by the University of British Columbia, it was demonstrated that a group of people who were classified as “highly anxious individuals” performed as little as six acts of kindness a week for a month. After that one month, participants reported an increase in positive moods, relationships, and a decrease in socially anxious people.

Another interesting fact about the power of kindness was reported by Mr. Stephen Post of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine who discovered that when we give of ourselves, everything from life satisfaction to self-realization and physical health is significantly improved. Mortality is delayed, depression is reduced and well-being and good fortunes are increased.

In addition to the aforementioned information, people which practice consistent acts of kindness also enjoy other attributes of a quality life. In a 2010 Harvard Business School survey of happiness in 136 countries found that people who were altruistic…in this case, people who were generous with their money…were the happiest overall.

Lastly, individuals who steadily show kindness to others can have a longer lifespan. According to Christine Carter, Author, “Raising Happiness in Pursuit of Joyful Kids and Happier Parents”, people who volunteer their time, tend to have fewer aches and pains. giving help to others protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease. People 55 and older who volunteer for two or more organizations have an incredible 44% lower likelihood of dying early…and that’s after eliminating other contributing factors such as physical health, smoking habits, exercise, gender, and a host of other things.

(Resource: http://www.randomactsofkindness.org)

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There are two great quotes about kindness from two well-known people that I would like to leave with you…

The great philosopher, Aesop, once stated one of my favorite quotes regarding kindness…“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

Mark Twain, the legendary American author, once said about kindness… “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

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So, increase your quality of life today…go out and be kind to someone today. It will make you feel great, make your life happier, increase your physical well-being, build your self-esteem, and lead to good fortune!

A Light in a Life of Gloom

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Coach Muller

Photo Credit: Eric Moreno via CC Flickr

It seems to me, generally speaking, that people are becoming increasingly more uneasy, drab, and miserable. Negativity, pessimism, and a general malaise pervade today’s society. Wars, rumors of wars, terrorism, harmful and destructive banter, violence, riots, race bating, etc., have basically resulted in air of melancholy throughout the land. Its negative influence is apparent just about wherever you go in today’s world.

So, what you do? Is there anything that we can do to improve this situation…Maybe in our own small way? It has been said, that for every one negative thing that a person says to another individual, that person should then say seven positive things to offset that negative word.

Our words are powerful weapons that we can use to uplift others, build up their confidence, self-worth, and overall sense of well-being and self-reliance. There are many, many things that we can do to accomplish this goal…share a few kind words to someone, giving others compliments, a courteous acknowledgement, a word of encouragement…the list goes on and on. Today’s story is a beautiful example of the kind of encouragement that warms the heart of another individual, but it also demonstrates the sad illustration of regret.

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his room-mate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn’t hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Then unexpectedly, a sinister thought entered his mind. Why should the other man alone experience all the pleasures of seeing everything while he himself never got to see anything? It didn’t seem fair. At first thought the man felt ashamed. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window – that thought, and only that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running in. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with that the sound of breathing. Now there was only silence-deathly silence.

The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”

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Which person will you be?

How bright is your light?

The choice is yours!

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Story Source: truthbook.com

Gestures of Kindness

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Coach Muller

Photo Credit: Pixabay CC0 Public Domain

There are many kinds of people that we can find in today’s world: the pessimists and optimists, the solemn, the boisterous, the sad, the happy, the mean and nasty, the thoughtful and caring…the list goes on and on. There are also numerous ways that people convey the way they feel towards others by how they act, what they say, and how they behave towards others.

Think of five different people that you may know…whether or not they are you friends or not does not matter. Think of how they act and/or what they say…OK…think of the way that you feel when they are around you. Do they make you happy or sad? Angry or joyful? Worthless or invaluable? Do they make you feel like a million bucks and on top of the world or like a loser that isn’t worth a dime? Our actions, more than our words, really can mean everything to people that we come in contact with everyday.

Let me tell you this quick little story: Every Sunday, my family and I go to church and every week, as I am walking to my seat, there is one elderly usher, who I will name Charlie, that I always look forward to see the most. I have known Charlie for many years now, but unfortunately, I have never really gotten to know him and I have only learned things about him by bits and pieces. I know that he lives alone with his beloved dog, lost his wife years ago, enjoys camping, and loves the Lord. Like I said, I really don’t know much about him…BUT…I do know this, he is a man with a gentle soul who always has kind words to say, a big smile, a caring spirit, and has always been a HUGE inspiration and source of reassurance to me…he is a quiet man of encouragement!

How many of you are a “Quiet Encouragement” to others? The great thing is this…you don’t have to do or say a lot of things to be a light and inspiration to others! So, make a goal every day and determine how many people you will try to encourage through simple gestures of kindness!