The Huffington Post |  By Lindsay Holmes

Each day we have tons of inquiries — for our co-workers, our friends, our families. But do we ever ask ourselves any questions? If we don’t, we may be framing our own mindsets through someone else’s lens. Below are seven questions that will not only help you take a positive perspective on your day, but set up tomorrow for greater success.

What did I learn today?

Just because we’re no longer in school doesn’t mean we have to stop gaining insight about the world around us. In fact, research suggests a constant pursuit of new information as we grow older may contribute to more well-being. It doesn’t matter if it’s a few words in a new language or how to use the copier at work — end each day with more knowledge than the day before.

How do I feel?
We should always prioritize our mental health. Your emotional wellness is just as crucial as your physical wellness, despite what the stigma around mental illnesses may have you believe. “Unfortunately, in health care, we tend to split the mind and body sometimes,” John F. Greden, M.D., the executive director of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center, previously told HuffPost. But, he says, the two actually work in tandem. Pay attention to shifts in your thoughts and feelings, for if they go unresolved it could start affecting your behavior.

How did I make others feel?

How you treat someone else says a lot about who you are. Approaching someone with compassion, authenticity and kindness can go a long way. In fact, research suggests that extending generosity to others not only improves their lives, but increases our well-being also.

What can I do better tomorrow?
No one is perfect. We’re constantly making tiny errors or massive mistakes — but we’re still here. It’s important to acknowledge your speed bumps, but set goals for yourself in the future. In other words, we need to make friends with failure. Author Mike Liguori explains why screw ups are actually blessings in a HuffPost blog. He writes:

Failures … provide us clarity. Initially, when something doesn’t work out, we tend to sulk on how bad the situation is and how we completely screwed up. When the dust settles and we can shift our focus to the pros and cons of the experience, clarity brings perspective. It allows us to view what went wrong and instantaneously we look to the next venture aware of past mistakes or reflecting back on the previous experience.

What am I grateful for?

Gratitude isn’t just some vague, spiritual concept that only works if you believe it does — there’s actual science behind practicing a little thankfulness. Studies show writing down what you’re grateful for can lead to stronger relationships, better sleep andincreased happiness.

How much stress did I experience?
Burnout is a silent killer when it comes to our productivity and happiness. If we just roll through the motions each day without taking a critical look at our lives, we may not realize how exhausted we really are until it’s too late. As HuffPost President and Editor-in-Chief Arianna Huffington explained to Time, we need to check in with ourselves as often as we do with our phone’s batteries:

We have a million ways to recharge our phones, portable chargers, cables, extra battery packs, but look at how we treat ourselves. Our own energy has to be below 5% before we figure out that we need to sleep, to recharge, to take a break. That has to change.

What made me smile?

Because everyone deserves to end their day on a happy note. Just think of how much better you’ll sleep if you go to bed with more jubilant thoughts. If your day was the absolute worst, this just might cheer you up.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.  For lovely eyes, seek out the
good in people.  For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.  For
beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you’ll never walk alone.

– Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) British Actress

I don’t think my eyes are lovely…a bit bloodshot.  But I know how to smile
with them.  I have met many people who speak kindness with their eyes and I
want to be like them.

A slim figure… uhh, not so much. But sharing food… I can do that.

Beautiful hair…. mine is short, grey, and has gel in it. And my one-year-old does
sometimes run his hands through it. That’s when I have gel and jelly in it.

I am almost always walking away from good people and toward other good
people…and in between I am thinking about how lucky I am to know and be
surrounded by great people.  I never walk alone.

I am pretty sure I have never had anyone compliment me on having attractive
lips.  But I have the ability to speak words of  kindness, and don’t we all?

What will you do today to be more attractive?  

Kirk Out

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Sometimes we’re so concerned with finding a way to fill every single minute of every day interacting with people that we forget to take a step back and give ourselves some quality “me” time. Spending time alone is a way to recharge your mental batteries and regroup — everybody needs to do it now and then! So get over your fear of missing out or your reservations about being seen somewhere solo, and embark on a mission to treat yourself to these 19 dates with yourself.

1. Go to the matinee of a sad or embarrassingly bad movie. Feel no shame as you cry or swoon alone in the corner. Who cares? No one is there to see you!
2. Travel somewhere new. When you travel with other people, you always end up making compromises on what sights to see, where to eat, and what activities to do. Traveling alone — even if it’s just to the next town over — gives you the luxury of going at your own pace so that you’re able to soak up everything about the trip that you want to.
3. Take yourself on a dinner date. Bring along a book that you can’t put down, and immerse yourself in good eats and good reads — really, what’s better than that? Try to resist the urge to look at your phone and take your time as you enjoy ordering anything you want without anyone else asking for a bite.
4. Tour a museum. Let’s face it, a lot of your museum experiences probably involve a teacher, a tour guide, and a pack of rowdy kids. Set out to see every piece of art or history a local museum has, and spend time interpreting them exactly how you want to — not how the little paper pamphlet tells you to.
5. Have a spa day, or get a massage. It’s probably best for you to take on the steam room solo, anyway.
6. Go to a bookstore and get lost. Spend hours exploring every genre of book known to the world. Better still, snag one off the shelf and plop down in a comfy chair. Close down the store trying to finish that book (hey, you’ll save some cash), and leave only when the employees start giving you the side-eye.
7. Binge on a TV show. There is always another show to catch up on or rewatch, and there’s no one better to do it with then the one person who you know is just as excited as you are to plow through an entire series in a day.
8. Go to a free concert. Find a band that you like playing in your area, or seek out someone new with a sound you like. You never know — they may be the next big thing, and you found them first. When you go to a concert alone, you spend more time listening to the music and less time worrying about everything else going on around you.
9. Sing karaoke. Be bold! Pick a spot you never go to (that way you won’t miss it if you can’t show your face there again), and sing your heart out to a bunch of strangers. If you can do this, you can do pretty much anything.
10. People watch. Go to a public place, like a park or the mall, sit back, and enjoy the show. People watching is always interesting, often hilarious, sometimes sweet, and every once in a while, it can even make you give some of the stuff you do a second thought, too.
11. Indulge in some selfies. OK, as a general rule selfies should probably be taken sparingly, but every once in a while, it’s healthy to get dressed in an outfit you love and shamelessly take photos of yourself that you actually like. Let yourself keep clicking until you get it right. No one is there to judge you, except maybe your dog.
12. Complete a project you’ve been putting off. Make yourself go to a coffee shop, buckle down, and work. Update your résumé, put together a portfolio, finish your great American novel, apply to a new job or grad school, whatever. Just do it!
13. Challenge your mind. Complete a crossword, sudoku, or, if you’re feeling ambitious, a Rubik’s Cube. If you finish them all by yourself, you get total bragging rights instead of having to share them with a partner.
14. Take a hike. Spend some time with mother nature and see how the two of you get along when no one else is around. Stop and smell the roses, watch the sun set, embrace the quiet.
15. Get experimental in the kitchen. If you try out new recipes on your own and mess up, the only hungry, disappointed person you have to deal with is yourself. You can work on perfecting the dish until it’s just right — then serve up a flawless result the next time you’re with friends, and act like it was your first try.
16. Stargaze. Lay on your back and marvel at your complete and utter smallness in comparison to the rest of the universe.
17. Try a new workout. Sometimes certain workouts (read: Zumba, Booty Barre, anything dance-related) can be a little bit embarrassing to learn in front of other people. Master one of these fitness skills alone, or at least work on them enough so that when you’re in a class or doing it in front of your significant other, you look like you know what you’re doing . . . sort of.
18. Go shopping. Sometimes when you’re on a shopping mission, having other people with you can slow you down or make you feel rushed. It’s the worst when you’re trying to be thorough to find the best deal or the perfect pair of jeans, while the person you’re with is tapping their foot by the door.
19. Take the longest, hottest bath of your life. Turn on some soothing music and enjoy a long soak with no fear of unwelcome interruptions.

~Zig Ziglar

Click here to read all about it >>>>>  Friends

~Zig Ziglar

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life changing experiences that you hear other people talk about, the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me.

Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.

First, he motioned to his youngest son (maybe 6 years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other’s face, I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, “Me, too, Dad!”

Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe 9 or 10) and while cupping his son’s face in his hands said, “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!” They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.

While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps 1 or 1-1/2) was squirming excitedly in her mother’s arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said, “Hi, baby girl!” as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.

After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last,” and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed, “I love you so much!” They stared at each other’s eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t possibly be.

I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm’s length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, “Wow! How long have you two been married?”

“Been together 14 years total, married 12 of those,” he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife’s face. “Well, then, how long have you been away?” I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. “Two whole days!”

Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I’d assumed he’d been gone for at least several weeks, if not months. I know my expression betrayed me, I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after 12 years!”

The man suddenly stopped smiling. He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, “Don’t hope, friend . . . DECIDE!”

Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, “God bless!” With that, he and his family turned and strode away together. I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, “What’cha looking at?”

Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied, “My future.”

– Unknown