Hey, you're cool.

Monday monday monday!!

FRIENDS!! I am alive and well this week... I just baked some coffee cake muffins (my husband thinks they are delicious), I'm doing some laundry, I have some tea, it was amazingly sunny today, the house is tidy, I like my earrings ahhh fantastic. Excited to be dreaming again this week and chasing goals and I'm feeeelinggg gooood, as Michael Buble would say. I hope you are feeling the same after whatever your day held! It's good to feel good. Let's write!

I would like to talk to you today about a real life true story that happened:
One day in the nearby past I was sitting down with my husband working on thank you cards from our wedding (better late than never and that's all I will say on that as my guilt expands a little more each day that they haven't been finished yet... the guilt! the guilt!) and we were going down the list, each of us focused on writing out our cards for friends and family. After a while I asked Andrew if he was remembering to actually say thank you and mention the exact gift that the guest had given us (it dawned on me that men don't typically write thank you cards after showers or parties or weddings, etc.). So anyways, Andrew just kind of looks up at me from the card he was writing with this super cute blank look and says, "No... I was just kinda... writing about what I thought of them." Which I think is so adorable and funny and made me laugh. Andrew thinks highly of everybody so he was just loving the opportunity to handout cards that tell all our guests how awesome he thinks they are. And I bet they are going to love getting those cards!

So anyways, I was just thinking on that today and it occurred to me how fun it would be if people took time out of their day to just sit and write 'you're awesome' notes to people. Not for any particular reason, not to say thank you for a gift or service, but just to spotlight a friend, family member or stranger. Just a quick card (or email, etc.) to say "hey I think you are awesome because of these reasons (but you would actually give reasons)". For extra fun you could even leave your name off of the card. Mysteries keep the mind young. (Probably.)
Now I think of this because one of the things I know in life is this:

People like to be complimented and told that they are cool.

Whether people actually receive the compliment or deflect it is a totally different story, but this much I also know: written comments are harder for people to interrupt or deny. A written comment such as 'you rock' can put a bounce in someones step, but a written paragraph detailing on how and why 'you rock' puts a smile on people's hearts. Apparently I know a lot of things today, because I also know this: a good portion of the time the person taking the time to write out compliments or spotlight somebody else, also ends up feeling more excited and happy about THEIR day.

Dare to care my friends. Dare to care.
I guess on this great day, ahh yes, earth day, I just wanted to highlight the idea and practice of complimenting one another again. Not on the dress or shoes they are wearing (although that's totally splendid don't get me wrong), but one upping our compliments to the actual character and heart of the person themself. Instead of being intimidated or challenged by another person, note what stands out to you about them and don't be afraid to compliment someone on a character trait that you are still working towards.

In closing, people like to be appreciated, especially when they least expect it... so to all those that read my blog every week, I think you are super cool. I may not know every single one of you but I feel confident in saying that you all have completely unique personalities and character traits that everyone can learn something from. You are unique and special and I hope that when you start off each new day you are refreshed in that you get another day of just being you! Have a fantastic week my friends!