Celebrate the Good
I have been reading all of the comments coming in for the dehydrator. Some make me laugh…like the one from my daughter’s non-boyfriend’s mom, who needs a dehydrator to replace her “decrepit” dehydrator as deemed by my daughter, some make me cry, like the one from the mother who is battling her second bout with cancer and has two young children at home.
I wish I could send dehydrators to everyone that has entered. But that would cost me over 240,000.00 dollars.
Back in November, I tried to start a movement on twitter with a hashtag, #celebratethegood. It was inspired by an observation along the lines of everyday gratitude, except taking it outward. Looking at another person, and instead of just seeing one or two things that drive us nuts, celebrate all of the good things about the person. It can be amazing how a shift in attitude can have such a large impact.
Unfortunately, the hashtag isn’t catching. I guess too many of us would rather sit in the negativity, as it somehow I think it lets us justify our own shortcomings.
Yesterday, I went to pick out a tree. The lot was full of frozen trees that were still tied up. I have a high ceiling in my great room, so I like to get a nine foot tree. I couldn’t find one anywhere. I talked to one of the guys in the lot. No help. The woman who I encountered next was completely unhelpful. And then, he showed up. The teen with the Christmas tree finding cape, flying from his shoulders.
I let him know what I wanted and this teen, Morgan, spent the next half hour, searching through tree after tree to find one that would fit my bill.
He was driven, he was on a mission. His friend stopped by and said, you are crazy. I was simply, completely impressed. This kid said, I love selling trees…and it was apparent.
Last week, I got a new phone. I got remarkable service at Verizon.
At both places, I searched out and found the manager to let them know how exceptional their employees were. Both managers, stared at me open mouthed. One summed it up, beautifully. “Wow, it is so nice to hear something positive for a change.”
It really is up to us…to celebrate the good. It is all around us, we just need to look.
Don’t forget…you have until 10:00pm CST time tonight to put in your comment for the dehydrator. You must put it on that post, and also no double entries or you will disqualify yourself.
Barb wrote on December 6, 2010
Instead of Medicare I rather do Dehydrator care.
What a beautiful way to start a health care program.
Heidi wrote on December 6, 2010
I love to give good recommendations to employees’ managers, when they go above and beyond. I know how it works because I work as a DSL tech support rep. for AT&T, and we are graded on the surveys we get from our customers, so I always try to give them the best service, as I know it will come back in kind.
I also don’t want to stay in a negative thought pattern, so I love the Law Of Attraction and Shamanic energy healing ways of being positive and wanting only good things to happen, to keep my positive vibration high, so the universe brings back positive things to me. It doesn’t always work though, but mostly keeps me happy and loving.
Fran wrote on December 6, 2010
I drive in heavy slow traffic every morning. I am always grateful for a courtesy wave to let me into the flow of traffic. And I always pass a wave or two myself to others trying to get into traffic. One gentleman even blew me a kiss he was so happy! Made me smile.
cyndi wrote on December 6, 2010
Oh, and I love the Twitter movement idea. We all should try to get the word out there. sometimes we do need a reminder that not everything is so bad. After all, We must be the change we wish to see in the world.
cyndi wrote on December 6, 2010
Oh I wish I saw Friday’s email before today. I missed out on writing for the giveaway.
I enjoyed reading everyone’s posts. Good luck to everyone who made it in.
Brooke wrote on December 6, 2010
What a great post! I have been trying very hard lately to tell companies, restaurants, etc. how much I appreciate the people/policies they have when I have a good experience. Positive reinforcement is just as powerful as negative. This is exactly why I give my money to organic/fair trade companies.
Dot D. wrote on December 6, 2010
So very true! We need to celebrate – with a capital ‘C’ – all the good that surrounds us. It’s there. We just need to fetter it out sometimes. Good job at doing just that, Susan!!
CCGAL (Janelle) wrote on December 6, 2010
I like that hashtag idea. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll join you in trying to get it to spread. I tweet almost every day, maybe we just need to find enough of your readers to join forces on Twitter until we reach that “critical mass” needed for the tag to live on. This is certainly the right time of the year to attempt it. Now I’m off to ##celebratethegood.
Jessica wrote on December 6, 2010
I completely agree and totally needed reminding of this today. I started off the day with a very negative attitude towards my husband (as we wives can sometimes do) and the gentle reminder to focus and celebrate all the thing I love about him rather than throne thing I was frustrated with completely changes my thoughts, attitudes and in turn actions toward him. Thank you for posting this!It for sure will make a tremendous difference in the way our day was heading. 🙂