August 27, 2006

Good day, team,

This week’s challenge comes from an e-mail that a client* sent to me last week. Please have a look:

Friday, Aug. 25, began a week-long celebration of people being kind to others. Born in 1988, Be Kind to Humankind Week is now 18 years old. The week is made up of seven special emphasis days, beginning Aug. 25 and ending Aug. 31.

Speak Kind Words Saturday is my favorite weekly affirmation, because we all seem to completely forget that what we say has terrific influence (for good or bad) on everyone around us.

The spoken word is extremely powerful. It can make us, break us, hurt others, or heal others. Think before you speak. Literally bite your tongue if necessary. Once blurted out, your words cannot be taken back. They sting, and they can destroy a person’s self-esteem and self-worth. Unkind words can create hate and malice.

Consider these suggestions to make your Speak Kind Words Week better:

# A kind word is never wasted.

# Bite your tongue before you allow an unkind comment to flow out.

# Try not to curse and use foul language, especially around children or in public places.

# If you don’t have anything good to say about someone, don’t say anything at all.

# Do not gossip.

# Words are more powerful than most of us realize. Be aware not only of what you say, but how you say it. You cannot take back the unkind things you say. Words cut like a knife, so think twice before you say something you will regret later.

To learn more about Be Kind to Humankind Week and founder Lorraine Jara, visit www.bekindweek.org.

This week is your opportunity to find ways to be kind to others. Whether it’s by speaking kind words, or going out of your way to do something special for someone else, try focusing this week on being kind. There are good suggestions on the above-mentioned web site for what you can do each day of the week.

Have a great week!

Kathleen

Kathleen Doyle-White
Pathfinders Coaching
(503) 296-9249

* Many thanks to John Keith, president of Kavi Corp., for sending me this information.
*

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *