February 16, 2010

Who Are The Ones Who Care?   Please take this quiz:   1.      Name the five wealthiest people in the world. 2.      Name the last five Heisman trophy winners. 3.      Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest. 4.      Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize. 5.      Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress. 6.      Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.   How did you do?  The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.   Try another quiz:   1.      List at least two teachers who aided your journey through school. 2.      Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. 3.      Name four people who have taught you something valuable. 4.      Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special. 5.      Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.   Were those questions easier for you to answer?   What's the lesson?   The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards.  They are the ones who care.   (From the philosophy of Charles Schultz, creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip.)   Pay it forward.  Care about someone and make a difference in their life.       "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."             Maya Angelou   "You can have anything you want in life if you find a way to help enough other people get what they want in life."             Zig Ziglar   "It's your unlimited power to care and to love that can make the biggest difference in the quality of your life."             Anthony Robbins   "You never lose by loving.  You always lose by holding back."              Barbara De Angelis     The second quiz is a valuable exercise to complete.  Oftentimes, we take people for granted and we just brush them off as they pass through our lives.   We are slow to give them their just due.  Yet, think about it.  These are people who have collectively helped make you who you are today.  They deserve more than a passing glance.   Walter Hailey of Dental Boot Kamp taught me that when you help others get more of what they want, you will get more of what you want.  It was a philosophy to take dental care to the next level.  Yet, he also knew that it applied to life in general.  So did Charles Schultz.  People care that you care.  When that happens, everyone wins.   Have a fantastic week and care about someone.   Stephanie     We grow by "word-of-email" so please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone whom you think might benefit from and enjoy it. Thanks so much! Contact Us: stephanie@7steps2abalancedlife.com