Be polite. Say, thank you. NOPE

In the South, we use “thank you” to a fault. It’s actually part of our culture of politeness. Most of the time the words are just habit and don’t express true gratitude to another human being. There is nothing wrong with being polite, but let’s be real too.

When is the last time you were truly thankful before the words “thank you” came out of your mouth. The next time you are about to drop a “thank you” on someone, pause and truly feel thankful before you speak. Thankfulness is a connector, an uplift, and a positive energy this world desperately needs. Deploy it with truth and intention.

O give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

1 Chronicles 16:34 KJV

How do you boil a frog? One degree at a time. If you throw him in a boiling pot, the sudden change will cause him to jump out. But, if you slowly increase the temperature, he does not see the small changes until he is “well done”.

This fable is most commonly used to make us aware of drift in our lives. We better take note of the small changes we make because they will have a compounding effect over time. Even though the story is told from the negative, I believe we have positive drift as well.

What are the things that make you smarter, kinder, better, stronger, healthier, wiser, and sharper? Most likely, the answers involve some kind of relationship. 

Most healthy people have friends who eat right.
Most smart people have friends who study.
Most fit people have friends who workout.
Most leaders have friends who read.
Most wise people have friends who think.

Human beings are hard-wired masters of mirroring. It takes little effort to act like the group. The questions you have to ask yourself are… “Am I in the right group?” and “Who are my friends?” Just as a frog is boiled to death, any area of our lives can be brought to a boil with the right relationships.

How often do you break promises?

I bet it’s more often than you think. The reason: we seldom include ourselves in the equation. It’s so easy to break the promises we make to ourselves… we don’t even think about it.

I will workout tomorrow.
I will turn off the TV tonight.
I will take a social media break.
I will go for a walk after dinner.
I will start that business.
I will ask for a promotion.
I will stop being late.

I will …

The promises we make, and the promises we break are a huge part of forming and maintaining our character. Honor the promises you make to yourself. It’s a HUGE deal.

Unstable work
Unstable leaders
Unstable emotions
Unstable relationships
Unstable income

If you read this list out loud it paints a dark picture. Now remove the letters “un” and read it again. HUGE DIFFERENCE… Right?

Remember two things.

1. Small changes can make a HUGE difference. (you can be that change for someone)

2. Stability makes for a bright future. (you can be that stability for someone)

My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

Proverbs 24:21 KJV