Be The Good

The whole reason I started this blog was because I needed to find a way focus on the good things in life. At its core, this blog is for me. I will be honest and up-front about that every time. I started it for my own benefit as I had to have some sort of outlet to force me to look on the bright side.  But, honestly, I want to do more to BE the good, rather than just sharing the good. I am in the process of figuring that out for myself. I want to do good things, I want to be helpful to others, I want to volunteer, I want to make a difference. My problem is that I just don’t have the energy to physically do much of anything. I have a family and a full time job. I also have what I now refer to as a “mysterious illness” as I have yet to be correctly diagnosed with anything specific. My “mysterious Illness” limits what I can actually do. It sucks!. Anyway…I digress. The point is, is that I can’t do a lot of stuff that I used to do or more importantly, that I would now like to do. So I will continue to do what I can, and right now that is sharing good stuff with you.

There are a lot of people out there right now who need to see the good and positive things in this life as much as I do. There are a vast number of reasons lately-- that I don’t particularly want to get into--I actually feel like we are all in dire need of this even more today than when I started this blog just a year ago. So far, 2016 has been one heck of a tough year for lots of people. There seems to be a general miasma that we all need to be rid of. So, in that vein, I wanted to share with you two great stories that I came across this week. Both should make you feel good, but for different reasons.

But, before we get to these stories, I would like to share a thought: no matter what is going on in your life, be nice to everyone you come across. It costs you nothing. And, while other people may not be nice to you, by taking the high road and being nice to them, you will feel better about yourself and life in general. And, if you don’t feel like being nice, remember you can always fake it until you make it. Plus, being nice and doing good will come back to you. Just follow the Golden Rule and you will start to feel better about life. I realize it might sound crazy, but there are studies that prove it works!

Here are some links to read up on it if you don’t believe me:

• Study: Doing Good Makes You Feel Good  
• 7 Scientific Facts About the Benefit of Doing Good
• Kindness Makes You Happy…and Happiness Makes You Kind
• 10 Facts That Prove Helping Others Is A Key to Achieving Happiness
• The Science of Good Deeds

Now, on to the 2 stories I was talking about earlier.
The first one is about Rachel Farnsworth, The Stay at Home Chef. Earlier this year Rachel had someone comment on a video that she posted. The person basically told Rachel that her gray hair made her look like an old hag. How horrible is that? Well, Rachel’s response is FABULOUS! She most definitely takes the high road., which she didn't have to do. Watch the video and read her response right here. She tells us that we should all “Be That Person” – and I agree!

The second comes from Jenni Carlson, a sports columnist at The Oklahoman. As most of you know, I went to graduate school at Oklahoma State University. And, needless-to-say, I am a huge Cowboy fan. This past Saturday was Bedlam, which is our rivalry football game against the University of Oklahoma (OU).  Jenni wrote an article that gets directly to the heart of what good sportsmanship is. Read her piece on “Why OU running back Samaje Perine taking a knee instead of scoring a touchdown was Bedlam’s best play” and I am sure you will have new respect for rivalry games and OU. (Perine is a class-act, as is the OU football program.)
 
Both of these stories highlight the fact that we just need more love in the world. You can do your part. It is so simple-- just start by being nice and treating others the way you want be treated. I plan on doing everything I can to make this world just a tiny bit better. Won’t you join me?