Positive Stories

Life in Small Steps

Nurturing a grand vision for how a person thinks the world should be is not meaningless. Knowing I cannot yet affect my fellow human beings on a grand scale, I opt to work in small steps; whether it be holding the door for a stranger, or offering a smile and a hello to the folks I meet while traveling the sidewalks, I find that as time goes on I am more often than not greeted in kind. It's like Thoreau said: "If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

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An Honest Pay Off

Last year, a friend of mine found a bag with $1000 cash inside a stall in a public restroom. His dilemma involved weighing his need against a stranger's loss. The following week, he related that once he pursued the rigorous task of tracking down the owner, and found success, it was the best he'd felt in some time. The gratitude experienced by the stranger and the character embodied by my friend, to put it simply, can't be price-marked.

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Natural Resilience

A storm leveled most of the cornstalks in my neighbor's garden, bending them to nearly a ninety-degree angle at ankle height. Within two days, having been coaxed by the August sunshine, they stood upright once again in defiance, twice as strong. It warms my heart when I see the same resilience practiced by human beings.

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Random Act of Kindness

While I was parking my car downtown last week, I noticed a man next to the car in front of me putting coins in the parking meter. Thinking nothing of it, I went into the store, and was probably inside for no more than five minutes. When I came back outside and went to my car, I noticed the same man was coming down the opposite side of the street, checking all of the parking meters to make sure everyone parked there had enough time left. You don't see that very often, so I thought it was worth sharing.

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A Winning Understanding

As a coach, I try to ensure my players are always learning, whether we win or lose. It's the type of learning that counts. Sometimes you don't play well. So you learn from that experience and work things out. Sometimes, the other teams' talents are simply better than ours. I make sure my players understand why they should appreciate that. Winning is the result of practice, dedication, determination and quite frankly sometimes luck.

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Good Reaction

Stress is something I find relatively easy to manage. There are always things going on around me that can cause stress, whether I'm at home or at work. The thing is, it's really how I react to those stressful situations that determine how I feel. That's just it. It's always about the reaction. I just don't let it stress me out. The stress will always be there. Doesn't mean I have to feel bad about it.

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I Know I Can

I woke up to see the sun shining and the snow melting. Today's not the "I think I can" kind-of-day. Today’s an "I know I can" kind-of-day.

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Good Mood Guy

There's a guy at work who always seems to be in a good mood, no matter what's going on. Our customers could be unhappy, or coworkers can be in bad moods, but it doesn't seem to affect him. The environment is much more enjoyable and light-hearted when he's around. I'll admit, there is a real benefit in having a positive attitude.

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Kind Stranger

I was walking down 8th street the other day when it was below zero, and the wind was howling! An elderly gentleman pulled to the side of the road and asked me if I wanted a ride to where I was going. Here's to the kindness of strangers.

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Warming Up

It's been so cold this week! I am ready for winter to be over. I did hear though it's supposed to warm up this weekend. I keep reminding myself that it's going to get warmer. There’s always something to look forward to.

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