The Caring Catalyst

Who Cares - What Matters

The Happiness BEAST

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S i m p l e    Q u e s t i o n:

W H A T      M A K E S     Y O U     H A P P Y ?

A good Cigar

Some fine music 

Adult Beverage

A Book

A Beautiful Outside Setting

?               ?               ?               ?               ?

Not for everyone, huh?

Is there that overwhelming

100%

slam-dunk

one-size-fits-and-pleases-all

solution to

W          O          R          L          D

or

p e r s o n a l

H            A            P            P            I            N            E            S            S

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.       .        .

the answer might not

uhhhh make yoiu

h          a          p          p          y.             .             .

Maybe it’s just being overemphasized;

Did you know that

H A P P I N E S S

has it’s own it’s own

h     o     l     i     d     a     y ?

Just a few years ago

The General Assembly of the United Nations

proclaimed MARCH 20

to the be the

International Day of Happiness.       .       .

Oops.          .          .

I missed it;

I didn’t celebrate.          .          .

But it is easy to see why

H A P P I N E S S

is worth celebrating:

Happy people are healthier;

they get sick less often

THEY     LIVE     L O N G E R

Happy people have better realtionships

more friends

make more money

are more productive at work.     .     .

Based on decades of research

it’s become very clear

that Happiness is not just a personal issue;

it’s a matter of public health,

global economics

and natural well being

B           U          T

it’s subjective, isn’t it?

THE   GREATER   GOOD   SCIENCE   CENTER

(Yes, it really does exist–Google it)

They simply recommend through

S   C   I   E   N   T   I   F   I   C        S   T   U   D   Y

ACKNOWLEDGE    THE    GOOD

(WRITE DOWN 3 THINGS A DAY YOU ARE GRATEFUL )

ADD    HAPPINESS   THROUGH   SUBTRACTION 

(GIVE IT UP PRACTICE–GIVE UP WHAT YOU REALLY LIKE JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME SO YOU CAN APPRECIATE IT EVEN ALL THE MORE)

FIND MEANING AND PURPOSE

(TAKE PICTURES OF PEOPLE AND THINGS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND LITERALLY JOURNAL FOR 15 MINUTES A DAY JUST ABOUT YOUR IDEAL FUTURE AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE)

USE   YOUR   STRENGTH

(PICK ONE OF YOUR STRENGTHS AND USE IT EXCLUSIVELY IN A NEW AND DIFFERENT WAY FOR A WEEK AND THEN ANOTHER AND THEN ANOTHER. . . )

CONNECT     WITH     OTHERS

(JUST DO FIVE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS A DAY–NOT OVER A WEEK, BUT A DAY FOR A WEEK; STUDIES SHOUT THAT WHEN YOU DO–GIVE–IT SIGNIFICANTLY MAKES YOU HAPPIER)

WHAT      REALLY     MAKES     YOU     HAPPY ?

It’s different for everyone

T       H       A       N       K       F       U       L       L       Y  

QUICK  ANSWER:

WHATEVER   FEEDS   YOUR   SOUL

but you’ve got to

ACTUALLY  FEED  YOUR  SOUL

it won’t happen

through osmosis 

IF HAPPINESS IS A TRAIN

YOU DON’T HAVE TO RIDE THE CABOOSE

OR JUST BE A PASSENGER

WATING TO GO TO THE DINING CAR

ENGINEER THAT TRAIN

AND TOOT-TOOT YOURSELF DOWN THE TRACK 

NOT TO HAPPINESS

BUT TO YOUR

S E V E N T H     H E A V E N 

SEE YOU AT THE STATION!

CHOOO-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

When Generosity is More than a W O R D

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Do you have one?

Do you remember a time when you actually saw an

A C T    O F    G E N E R O S I T Y ?

Erin, my wife, gave this Parka from Alaska via a Thrift store, right off her back on a cold winter day when she saw someone she recognized, who rode his bike everyday from his house to a local coffee shop, now in a cold snow storm, without a coat.

A friend, Terry, did the same thing a few years ago. A group of us from Church made sandwiches, bought gloves to literally pass out to the homeless on a cold, Sunday afternoon. We literally had given everything we came downtown to give and there was one, cold gentleman who got there late and asked if there was anything left; the sandwiches, gloves, hats had all been distributed, but Terry literally took off her coat and sweatshirt and gave it to the man.

I just heard about a guy on an airplane who actually tipped the Flight Attendant a $100.00 for the amazing job she did serving during the flight.

He was standing at a Stop Light in front of a Strip Mall with a Panera Bread.  As I came up to the light he was standing there just holding a sign.     .     .no bucket or anything to collect money.  He wasn’t aggressive.     .     .just standing there holding a sign I’ve never seen anyone  E V E R  hold before:

S    E    E    K    I    N    G           H   U   M   A   N          K    I    N    D    N    E    S    S

I rolled down the window and for the first time in my life,

gave a   $10     d o l l a r      b i l l 

and the meal we had just bought.        .        .

I never knew that such an offering could buy such an expression on someone’s face;

Do you have one?

Do you remember a time when you actually saw an

A  C  T      O  F      G  E  N  E  R  O  S  I  T  Y ?

There is no way to ever measure,

is there,

the exact effect it had on the

O            N            E
who actually received such an act of generosity–

F  O  R  G  E  T        T  H  A  T

Having witnessed an Act of Generosity…

WHAT EFFECT DID IT HAVE ON YOU?

Has it worn off?

Did it inspire you to

GO   AND   DO  LIKEWISE ?

G e n e r o u s      A C T S

will do that…

so do the TELLING
so do the HEARING

of such acts. . . .

DO    TELL

S H A R E

so that WE will not only get the benefit.         .         .

but be inspired to make our own

Stories   of   Generosity

to be witnessed
to tell
to be told
to experience
to inspire yet even more
to tell
to be told
to experience
to inspire
to make

G   E   N   E   R   O   S   I   T   Y

more than just a mere

WORD.      .      .

DO   TELL

S H A R E

What’s

Y  O  U  R       S  T  O  R  Y ?

A Better Place

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Are you in a

B E T T E R       P L A C E

because of

S        O        M        E        O        N        E 

literally

created it

and put

you

in the

heart of

T       H       A       T

v   e   r   y

B  E  T  T  E  R      P L A C E

Maybe the biggest question:

Are you the

s              o              l              e

r e a s o n

S         O         M         E         O         N         E

is

in

a

b  e  t  t  e  r       p  l  a  c  e ?

I’ll tell the world, I’ll sing a song,

It’s a better place since you came along    

Your touch is sunlight

through the trees

Your kisses are the ocean breeze

Everything’s alright when you’re with me

And I hold my favorite thing

I hold the love that you bring

But it feels like I’ve opened my eyes again

And the colors are golden and bright again

There’s a song in my heart, I feel like I belong

It’s a better place since you came along

I see the whole world in your eyes

It’s like I’ve known you all my life

We just feel so right

So I pour my heart into your hands

It’s like you really understand

You love the way I am.     .     .

Maybe if we were to sit across from

e     a     c     h ‘ s

o          t          h          e          r    

and do nothing

n  o  t     o  n  e     t  h  i  n  g

but just look

into one another’s

e   y   e   s

we’d not just see

those we love

d i f f e r e n t l y.            .            .

I               M               A               G               I               N               E

if we were to sit

across from those

who have

hurt us

disappointed us

mocked us

disrespected us

intentionally went out of their ways

to feel each of those things

in utterly devastating ways

countless times

o                     v                     e                     r

would it be the same kind of

lyric

or even more

l         i         f         e

c          h          a          n          g          i          n          g   ?

Dare   to   find   out.          .          .

u        n        b        l        i        n        k        i        n        g        l        y ?

Your Compassion Fingerprint

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6303

WHAT’S      IN      IT      FOR      ME ? 

It’s a question asked by many.       .      .

by me.         .         .

by you.         .         .

b  y         u  s.

It’s really asked when it comes to

being   kind,

being   compassionate, 

not   o  n  c  e,

but time and again and again,

over and over.

HOW  MANY  TIMES  IS  ENOUGH?

WHEN’S  IT  OUR  TURN?

WHY  NOT  US?

All good questions,

but can we just take a deep breath,

no.           .           .

go ahead and take three deep breaths in a row,

holding each one for about five seconds

and then letting them all the way out real slowly.         .        .

P           A           U           S           E

And reframe the Questions

to just one single

o      n      e:

W h y     P r a c t i c e     C o m p a s s i o n ?

The scientific research is really starting to pile up

and it all dramatically points to what you might have felt

but now can fully experience.

The benefits of being

C      o      m      p      a      s      s      i      o      n      a      t      e,

literally,

can improve your health,

well-being,

and relationships,

both your intimate,

close ones as well the fringe friendships.       .       .

Many scientists are even telling us that Compassion may even be vital to the survival of our species and through actual dedicated, intentional practice, these benefits can literally be

off      the      charts !

The Compassion Research is telling us:

  • Compassion makes us feel good: a compassionate act activates pleasure circuits in the brain.
  • Being Compassionate–tuning in to other people in a kind and loving ways can actually reduce the risk of heart disease by boosting the positive effects of the Vargus Nerve, which helps to slow our heart rate.
  • Brain scans during loving-kindness meditation, which directs compassion toward suffering, suggest that, on average, compassionate people’s minds wander less about what’s gone wrong in their lives or what might go wrong in the future, making them happier.
  • Brain scans also show that when people experience compassion, their brains activate in neural systems to support parental nurturance–they become better parents.
  • Compassion helps make people better spouses; they’re more optimistic and supportive when communicating with others.
  • Compassion helps make better friends.
  • Employees who receive more compassion in their workplace see themselves, their co-workers, and their organization in a more positive light, report feeling more positive emotions like joy and contentment, and are more committed to their jobs.
  • Compassionate people are more socially adept, making them less vulnerable to loneliness; loneliness has been shown to cause stress and hare the immune system.

So.        .        .

WHAT’S   IN  IT  FOR  ME?

Hmmmmmmmmmm.      .      .

it seems,

not   one   thing.      .      .

It’s    m a n y    things!

Pssssssssssssssssst:

 N  E  V  E  R      T  R  U  S  T      T  H  E      S  C  I  E  N  C  E !

Use yourself as your own private lab experiment.         .         .

Test it for yourself.

What have you got to lose?

Ummmmmmmmmmm:

Just  being

 L    E    S    S         C    O    M    P    A    S    S    I    O    N    A    T    E  !  

A True VICTOR

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images

Are you a Victim

or a

V          I          C          T          O          R  ?

Or    just    a

Chuck,

Erin,

Sam,

Henry,

Danica,

Johnny,

Joe,

an Anybody.        .        .   

Somebody.        .        .

Nobody.        .        .   ?

About once a month we get free buffets at the Horseshoe Casino

Great Dinner.         .          .

but the

S            E            R            V            I            C            E

was way beyond ordinary;

V   i   c   t   o   r

He seated us

and poured out ice teas

and then gave us some complimentary bottled waters.       .       .

He got real excited when he announced

that he had something very special for us,

and he even more excited

when he brought some special made appetizers.        .         .

did I mention that this was a    b  u  f  f  e  t

and not some Four-Star restaurant?

He brought us back fancy desserts

that weren’t up on the dessert tray.        .        .

He couldn’t be more accommodating and kind;

He got a little embarrassed

when I asked him about himself

and how long he had been working here at the casino.        .        .

He said he loved

w           a           i           t           i           n           g  

on   people

and that we had been great people to serve.       .       .

W               O               W

I was watching the other servers,

but no one was running around like Victor.        .        .

No one was giving

who they were serving

anything      e   x   t   r   a.        .        .

I even saw a few roll their eyes

when someone had left them a less than satisfactory tip.        .        .

Victor      was      a      most      excellent

S      E      R      V      E      R

A    True    Caring    Catalyst

I gave him a huge tip that night.        .        .

He was very grateful and very surprised;

I told him that he was most excellent and he

m        a        d        e

our night extra ordinary.        .        .

I have him a big tip

but he had given me a

t          i          p

much    larger

and even more significant:

S E R V E      P E O P L E     

MORE   THAN   THE   EXPECT   OR   DESERVE

WITHOUT   ANY   EXPECTATION   OF   ANYTHING   IN   RETURN

He made me ask a question

a     r e a l     q u e s t i o n:

Am I more of a

V   i   c   t   i   m

  or    a

 V        I        C        T        O        R ?

Victor showed me that no matter what Color

No matter what your Race,

No matter what your Creed,

No matter what your Gender,

No matter what your political Persuasion,

You can still serve others by serving in the best way possible;

Victor showed me that it’s not about

doing for others as you would have them do unto you

so    much    as    serving    others    as    they    would       like

in a most perfect way.           .           .

Victor      s   h   o   w   e   d

that it’s not about giving people what they deserve,

it’s    about    just    giving    to    others

j  u s t          b e c a u s e

Are you?

Are you more

A Victim

or

A         V   i   c   t   o   r?

Psssssssssssssst:

S         H         O         W           M         E.        .        .

better still

S  H  O  W        O  T  H  E  R  S

(lots of them)

o      f      t      e      n

Life ASSURANCE

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This week is a very Holy week in the Judeo-Christian population that spans the World.

It always brings to surface the most interesting questions and debates but it always focuses on doing for others what you would want done for you.        .        .

for being

K I N D;

We spend literal billions of dollars

INSURING LIFE

but easily go in the

RED

when it comes to

ASSURING LIFE.        .        .

What’s in it for you?

Is it just Dollars and Cents?

A nicer Home?
Better furnishings?
Higher Education?
Prestigious Job?
Comfy Bank Account?
Healthy Check-Up’s?

W H A T ?

I mean, can we actually LIVE

off a Feel-Good Emotions?

Will merely witnessing HAPPINESS

make you HAPPY?

Will reaching UNDERSTANDING

make you HAPPY?

Will feeling Love

guarantee what no money or vast amounts of it

BUY?

WHAT      IS      IT      YOU      DESIRE      MOST?

Sometimes.        .        .

It’s NOT the Ripple you cause,

but the one you

C  A  U  S  E       T  O       B  E        C  A  U  S  E  D

in others.         .         .

The one you might never know exists,

let alone ever having knowledge of I N D U C I N G.         .         .

Life INSURANCE

may never be used.        .        .

L  I  F  E       A  S  S  U  R  A  N  C  E

will never fail NOT being Utilized;

Hmmmmmmmmm of the Day:

LIFE ASSURANCE   is something we’ll all be able to CASH in on.      .      .

It’s what’ll make a Holy Week,

H       O       L       Y

even when it’s

N        O        T !

Now

THAT’S a POLICY

we all should invest in

L  A  S  T        W  E  E  K.          .          .

To BE A Caring Catalyst

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5488

 

She’s had over 30 more Christmas’s than me, but she most likely won’t see another one

— h e r e —

with family and friends.

I asked her what her secret was

after she told me that she felt fortunate

for having had a long, blessed life:

K    I     N     D     N     E     S     S

she whispered with a shine in her eye that hadn’t dimmed any.

Sometimes,  I think the best research out there is that which comes from our own experiences and then,

well then,

we actually  N O T I C E   it.

My personal research over these past twenty   p l u s   years of bedside sitting

has taught me that people don’t expect

or want much towards the end of their lives.    .    .

 J  U  S  T      A      P  E  R  S  O  N      W  H  O:

Took time to sit with them 

Was a good listener

Helped keep their pride and self-respect

Maintained Confidentiality

Was trustworthy, dependable, patient

Respected and championed their rights as a patient

Helped their family and them to maintain as much control as possible over the situation

Heard them and responded appropriately; laughed with them, cried with them

Accepted them totally, was not upset by their physical appearance or limitations

Was comfortable with herself or himself

Was comfortable with silence and with touching

Was aware of our own limitations

Was realistic about death

Could support them without having to give support

Was unbiased, non-judgmental

Would remain a friend to their family after they died

Could help them live until they died

Was Kind

No diplomas necessary

No special certifications

No ordinations

No money exchanged

No

Excuses!

It’s been said by many before and most likely never heard enough:

WHEN YOU HAVE A CHOICE OF BEING KIND OR RIGHT. . .

be kind

always

(all-ways)

. . .Discover what it really means to be a

C A R I N G    C A T A L Y S T– W H O   C A R E S

 

By Leave a Comment

https://youtu.be/b-xScLIevw0

LOVE   HAS  NO  LABELS.          .          .

if that were

ONLY     T R U E

if that were

ONLY  THE NORM

and not the

n     o     n     s     t     a     n     a     r     d

Love   Has   No   Labels

is a movement to open our eyes to there unconscious bias.     .     .

While the vast majority of Americans

consider themselves

UNPREJUDICED

many of us unintentionally make snap judgements

about people

based on what we see–

whether it’s

race

age

gender

religion

sexuality

or disability

By becoming aware of our own

b i a s e s

WE can work to end bias

in ourselves,

our families

our friends

our communities.       .       .

Hmmmmmmmmm of the DAY:

WE    NEED    AN    ORGANIZED    MOVEMENT

to show us we need

LOVE     WITH     NO     LABELS

Let’s make it this Simple:

Challenge that;

Inspire that;

Mirror that;

Share that;

B      E             T    H    A    T

(not often)

A L L  –  W A Y S !

http://thecaringcatalyst.com/2208-2/

WHY BE KIND

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W          H          Y  ?

Why  be

 k                   i                    n                    d   ?

A  learned Rabbi once told me

to always ask a

q     u     e     s     t     i     o     n

with  a

q     u     e     s     t     i     o     n

So.       .       .

W h y     b e

m                     e                    a                    n  ?

There’s a lot of negativity out there

that we actually

A  R  E      N O T

immune.     .      .

I love that filmmakers,

Jessie Aurit and Alexandra Berger

wanted to do something to

c        o        m        b       a        t

all   of   the

s        t       u       f       f

out

t                   h                   e                 r                   e   

and  kids

are the perfect

v               o               i               c               e

that  we  may  actually

l          i          s          t          e          n

.          .          .the children discussing

k        i        n        d        n        e        s :

What  it  is.        .        .

Why  it  is important .        .        .

The consequences of being unkind.          .          .

Why  kindness  is  vital  for  our  future.          .          .

Your  Favorite ?

Mine:

“IF    YOU    BE    NICE    IT    GIVES    YOU    A    MAGICAL    LIFE”

y     e    a   h.        .        .

a     m a g i c a l     life:

L                    E                    T             ‘       S

let’s

K          I          N          D          N          E          S          S

It’s the main ingredient

of being a Caring Catalyst

and here’s the not-s0-big-secret:

It’s in all of us

and there’s always ever just one thing that keeps it from coming

o  u  t.          .          .

y                       o                       u.            .            .            .

TABLE’D U P

By Leave a Comment

https://youtu.be/vDuA9OPyp6I

A    R    E        Y   O   U        H   U   N   G   R   Y ?

For what?

Steak?

Potatoes?

Salad?

Broccoli?

Corn?

Mashed Potatoes?

Spanish Rice?

Shrimp and Grits?

Ribs?

Eggs, Bacon and Homefries?

A Grande Breve Latte?

Cake?

Pie?

Sherbert?

Rootbeer Float?

Milkshake?

Cookies?

Candy Bars?

Tic Tac’s?

Gum?

Popcorn?

Well.            .            .

that which feeds you,

r   e   a   l   l   y

r        e        a        l        l       y

feeds you.          .          .

E  A  T       Y  O  U  R       F  I  L  L

Feed the Beast

and  Feed  it often

until you’re slothingly 

F  U  L  L

and.       .       .

don’t go hungry

ever again.        .        .

and more.        .        .

f   e   e   d       a   n   o   t   h   e   r 

and really take care

of the

hunger problem!

Maybe what the world needs now

is just a huge table full of

hungry people

willing to share

t     h     e     i     r           b     e     s     t     s

to   the    left

and   right   of   them

and   not   being   ashamed

to   go   for   the

s    e    c    o    n    d    s

or

t    h    i    r    d    s.        .        .

T   a   b   l   e       U   P

Bon appetit

Professional Speaker, Author, Assurance Man