This is The Purple Almond!
Just a quick post tonight…
about the impact of
one simple random act of kindness.
Enjoy!
Daily Inspiration: Pay it Backward
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Tag Archives: generosity
Community Compassion
Random acts of kindness and the Community Compassion page!
Over the past 34 years, I have been witness to 2 acts of kindness. The first was a few years back. I was picking up some cleaning supplies at the Dollar General store and was in line behind a woman in her late 20’s, early 30’s. There was an elderly lady in line in front of her. Her items had been rung up, and she was digging through her change purse trying to find her remaining balance. She informed the cashier that she was going to have to put some of her items back, as she didn’t have enough to cover the bill. The younger lady (in front of me) told the cashier not to worry about it, and to ring her items onto the ticket, as she was going to pay for the elderly lady’s things. The little old lady was flabbergasted. She just could not do that. The…
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Degrees of Giving: 9 Practical Tips to Enhance Your Generosity
There are many ways to give back to your community, coworkers, family and friends. I found this article on MindTools.com and it provides 9 great tips on enhancing your generosity:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_55.htm
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Self Assessment
I have been reading a lot of poetry posts lately and this one fits perfectly with the theme of my blog. Enjoy!
Where this all greed come from,
When the Mother love is all i saw in my childhood.
Where this selfishness come from,
When I saw my father always for good he stood.
where this cheating come from,
when to bee honest is what in school I learned.
Brain! don’t be a fool,
Don’t let this World to rule.
Honesty is what I should speak,
Love is What i should seek,
Peace is what I should preach,
To help Brothers is where i should reach.
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Start Off Someone’s Weekend With a Bang!
I want to issue a challenge. Think tonight about something you can do tomorrow to get someone’s weekend started with a bang! It could be to pay for someone’s coffee or lunch. Maybe take bagels to work for all of your coworkers. You could have a moment where you tell someone what a great job they do and how proud you are to work side-by-side.
neurolove.me
Take time tonight and come up with a few ideas. I want you to develop a heart of giving and you do that by committing acts of kindness and generosity. You could donate 1/2 of your lunch time to a coworker to give them more time with family.
Whatever you decide to do, I want you to be fully invested in the moment. Pay attention to how it makes you feel and pay even closer attention to the reaction of the receiver.
Be the person that someone speaks of when they get home tomorrow night. Small acts carry tremendous weight and value in the human heart!
Just a thought heading into a glorious weekend!
Danny
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My Incredible Day
I spent the better part of today at Lowe’s Home Improvement in Huntersville, NC speaking with the store associates about MS, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, my personal experience and the Dream Big community. I was surprised by the number of employees who’s lives had been touched by MS. This was my first engagement booked through the National
iliketoquote.com
Society and I am honored to have taken part.
You never know where life my lead so you must keep an open mind and rarely ever say no without first hearing all details of an opportunity. If I had said no to writing I would not be where I am today! I picked up a few new clients for life coaching and added a few folks to the email list for encouragement and support.
Of all the things I believe, this one I believe more and more: ONE PERSON CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!
It feels as though everything I have learned in life, all my experiences, have led to this place. A place that provides me the opportunity to meet and help so many people. One by one the Dream Big community will change the world. I implore each of my readers to take a moment and find an organization to volunteer. There is no greater experience than giving your time to help others. I promise it will change your life!
I must say that today has been a great day!
Danny
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Why I Do What I Do
Someone recently asked me why I do what I do. I wanted to make sure that I answered honestly and thoroughly so I took half of a day and thought about the question. First of all I wanted to be clear as to what it was this person thinks I do. Their question pertained to my blogging, MS volunteering, writing the book, answering all the questions, tolerating the negative comments, tolerating those that steal my posts, etc.
My answer was short and concise: I must be the change I want to see in the world. I have adopted this quote spoken by
neurolove.me
Gandhi and put it into action. I cannot ask anyone to do something I am not willing to do myself. I cannot talk to people about living a healthy lifestyle if I do not. I cannot talk to people about helping others if I do not. I cannot encourage others to give their time helping if I do not give my time. I cannot talk about the Habits of Success if I do not live those habits daily.
I put up with all the hassle, headaches, long hours and aggravation to set the best example I can in hopes that someone will take up my example and go volunteer somewhere and help another human being. That one single act of kindness could begin a chain reaction of events that could lead to incredible results. Or that single act of kindness could stand alone as simply helping one person enjoy a hot meal. I have no idea what the long-term impact of Dream Big will be, if any at all.
I do know that what I do I do because I care enough to do something versus sit around and do nothing.
I do have a sense that this mission I am on is special and the fast growth of our readership shows that others sense that as well. But do I feel this is a mission from God, as this person asked? Not in the usual religious understanding. I shed all religious designations on purpose and adopt a “it is what it is” philosophy. I take action to help and let others define what that means.
Designations detract from the work in my opinion. I love people by trying to help. I love people by volunteering with the MS Society. I love people by giving my money to the homeless. I love people by writing this blog to encourage change. I love people by continuing the many levels of charity work.
And it simply is what it is.
Honestly, I realize that of the 6,500 people who read my blog each month only a handful will actually put principles into place in their life and begin making a difference. Whether it be eating better and losing weight or volunteering at the homeless shelter, if I get 1% to take any type of action I will have succeeded.
So to answer the question “Why do you do what you do?”… I do what I do because the alternative of doing nothing is not acceptable.
Big Dreamer
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Vacation Is Over…
We are officially back from nearly 2 weeks of rest and relaxation! From Florida to Charlotte, Charlotte to Cherry Grove (twice, lol!) and then home again. I must say that 2 weeks off has felt like a lifetime, but I am rejuvenated and ready to rock and roll!
For those that are unaware, Evelina and I returned on Thursday from the beach house only to realize we left a bag full of meds and make up sitting on the ottoman! So at 8:00 pm we jumped back in the car and drove 3 1/2 hours back to Cherry Grove Beach to retrieve the bag of frustration and then drove home the next morning. It added to the adventure, although it was a lot of driving!
I believe I have my first engagement with the National MS Society on July 30 and I am very excited to start this endeavor! The Society does such great work and we are proud to be associated with them.
I have spent some time thinking about the reblogging and have decided that I will reblog 3-4 posts per day, except on the weekends that I offer the Meet n Greet when I will reblog all day. I think this will allow me to maintain my “identity” while helping to promote others.
At any rate, it is nice to be back and I look forward to interacting with all the new folk that are reading since I left for rest and relaxation!
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Danny
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Seek To Add Value To Your World
I could not stay away! I was going to wait till tomorrow to post, but I had a thought and had to share!
I speak with readers and writers throughout the week and it is so gratifying to talk and converse and meet so many different types of people. Meeting people is my favorite aspect of what I do. One of the most common questions or dilemmas that is put to me is “How do I live a fulfilled life?” And as I was sitting in the kitchen eating lunch the answer came to me with sudden clarity.
Most people seek fulfillment or seek to live a fulfilled life. And this fulfillment desire is one of selfishness. The truth in fulfillment is exactly the opposite of what most people think. I propose the idea that in order to be fulfilled one must learn to do for others and focus less on self.
There exists a truth in every human being, a true self, if you will. I am talking about the You that speaks during the honest, soul emptying moments with friends or therapists, not the You that plays the part in the movie called Your Life. Not the you that is always “fine” or the you that envies, lusts, desires, yearns, hates, etc. This You looks to the outside world and desires for material things. This You wants things, success, acceptance, love. This You focuses on itself and its needs, wants, desires.
My belief is that until you put this You in its place and begin living a life focused on adding value to the world around you, you will not experience any type of fulfillment. You must convert your thinking to that of a servant. You must begin to help others. You must deny yourself and devote your life to helping, giving, loving others above yourself.
Until this happens you will continue to seek that which you cannot have. Some use the word “happiness,” but I refuse to use this word. Happiness refers to an emotion and is not a state of being. Happiness comes and happiness goes. I have written in the past about my views on happiness, Stop Trying to Be Happy. Fulfillment is the objective as it is unaffected by our mood or emotional state. I can be sad that someone dies, but still live a fulfilled life. I can be angry that someone has stolen my car, yet still be fulfilled.
Fulfillment can only be found when you step out of focusing on yourself and step into a world of focusing on others. Find a way to add value to your world. Volunteer your time at a local nursing home. Sign up to be a Big Brother or Big Sister. Register to be a driver for Meals on Wheels. Serve lunch at the homeless shelter. Volunteer to sweep the floors at the Battered Women’s Shelter.
Take your life and devote it to helping.
When you find a way to add value to the world around you, you will no longer need to find fulfillment, fulfillment will find you.
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Be Kind and Humble
I found this article on LifeHacker that explains the benefits of being kind and humble:
http://lifehacker.com/how-being-humble-kind-and-calm-will-make-your-life-ea-1561763720
Big Dreamer
