Tag : Kindness

Woodstock’s Tragic St. Patrick’s Day Tale

Posted by Dr. Judy at 3:26 am

Were you ever cheery as all get out, sunshine shooting out your every pore,
then “WHAM!”? Do you remember Woodstock, cartoon character Charlie
Brown’s sweet-tweet birdie buddy?

It wasn’t Woodstock’s fault. He was full of green positivity and ready to
wing his way to a wonderful St Patrick’s Day jungle perch.  But that is
when it happened!

We were looking around the condo wanting to find just the right spot for
our photo op. Did he want to sit in a big colorful green plant? Or was a comfy
green patio chair good enough? I got up from my chair… Then OMG despair!
We both looked down as Woodstock and I moved away from my computer desk.
That’s when spotted him…or maybe it was a her.  A green gecko was lying there
just under the pillow I use for my feet. The gecko wasn’t moving, and I knew he/she
was too small for CPR! I had killed it. No more little bugs for that poor little green
soul; all because my size 7N foot squashed his/her little cute tush!

Yes, I felt green remorse. I like the helpful bug-eating geckos. I was glad GEICO
was not around to see my dastardly deed.  Woodstock and I bowed our heads in
prayer. And hero Ken came and rescued me. He picked up the poor little critter
and sent him to greener valleys.

Woodstock, with his wit, suggested we should salute GG (Greenie the Gecko; He’s
only been gone a few minutes, but he already earned a nickname. Nice tribute,
Woodie!) We should remember him/her with some St. Paddy’s Day revelry.
Humor IS one of Woodstock’s top strengths.

So in memory of GG, we list some GREEN phrases for you to savor. (After you tip
your hat to GG, of course!) Here are a few green phrases with a positive psychology
application retort! Turn green into strengths’ gold.

~ “Green with envy.” Why not Open-mindedly share the person’s happiness instead?

~ “Green eggs and ham.”  Yummy Creativity at it’s tasty best! Share and be Fair to
another hungry soul!

~ “Green as a newbie.”  Innocence is Honesty, a great strength. Add Love of
Learning, and watch the newbie soar!

~ “Green apples’ sour.” Everyone winces at a tart situation. What if you
Optimistically made a delicious pie?

~ “Green cash.” What if you Generously shared your good fortune and
surprised  someone with a Kindness?

~ “Green, green grass of home.” How can you use Love, Leadership and
Teamwork to add joy to your family’s day?

~ “Green sleeves.”  Are you old enough to remember Mr. Greensleeves and
his Zestful, Fun, Industrious projects?

~ “Grass is greener.”  Can’t looks be deceiving? What if you were Grateful for
the grass  in your own front yard?

See how many green phrases you can generate. What strengths pop up like a
four  leaf  clover you searched to find?  This ain’t no Blarney…May your
St. Patrick’s Day  be filled  with Irish laughter and twinkling chutzpa!
Don’t forget the green beer!

Is that you I see putting on your green tap dance shoes getting ready to jig?
I loved how you dyed your hair green today!

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I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

Learn From My Nepalese Son: Say ‘Yes!’ to Your Life!

Posted by Dr. Judy at 1:09 am

© 2012 Dr. Judy Krings

“A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.”
~Mahatma Gandhi

Do you start off every New Year’s with telling yourself what you want, need
to, or have to change? What if you actively thought and focused on what is
already RIGHT about your life?

Let me tell you a story about Hari, my adopted son from Nepal. Hari sacrifices
every time he calls me from his expensive cell phone, but he says, “Ama, I just
want to hear your voice.” He isn’t able to call often. Sometimes he has a 4-hour
round bus trip to call or email me. Many times I am with a coaching client, and
I cannot take his call. It kills me when I see it’s him as my phone flashes his number
and I cannot take his call.

Today I was coaching a super sweet, lovely client when his number beeped in.
Usually I would never interrupt a client’s session. But this lady is a super Mom gem,
and I had a gut feeling I needed to take Hari’s call. I asked her permission, and she
was thrilled for me. She happily encouraged me to take it. Bless her!

Back story? Hari, 27, has had many losses in his life, including his mother when
he was 3. In September, Hari lost much of his home and the lean-to for his only
cow in the Nepal earthquake.  I was dying to see how he and his wife and two
kids were doing. He works as a Himalayan guide and does office work at Earthbound
Expeditions In Kathmandu. No one climbs the Himalayas this time of year, so money
is scarce. When my two friends and I were going to visit his home, the roads were
washed out. Hari did not want me to know his house had major damage. He never
wants me to worry about him. He always wants to support me! I didn’t know about
his loss until I returned from Nepal. He only wanted me to remember the good.

After we chatted a short time today, I knew Hari was OK. He was starting to
work on his destroyed home. Heartbreaking, In a third world country like
Nepal, everything happens at a snail’s pace, and Hari is not a man of means.
He needed  to save money before he could begin to rebuild. In his heart,
however, Hari is the richest man alive. He lives his Hindu religion and is the
most positive man I have ever met.

When I quickly returned to my coaching session, my client who follows my blog,
was curious to learn about Hari’s philosophy. She and I had been discussing her
wanting more focus and simplicity in life. I told her what I had learned about
Hari in Nepal, while he was swinging on a 40′ tall bamboo swing. The swings
are erected for holiday celebrations, and people in Nepal are very excited
about standing up and swinging as high to Heaven as they can.

Hari did not know I had walked down to where he was swinging. I stood on
the sidelines savoring the huge grin on his face. With every pull to make the
swing go forward, he yelled the word, “Yes!” over and over.

After the Hari call, my delighted client, now in a very upbeat mode, retorted,
“This is perfect! That is what I need to do. To say ‘YES’ to my life instead of
always focusing on how I need to multi-task to do more. I get It.  Awareness…
Acceptance… To appreciate the little things. That is what I need…Simplicity.
Enjoying what I learned from Hari! This IS my real life. This man has few
material things, but he embraces life and loves Nepal and his family, and you,
his American Mom. This session Is perfect! You respected me and Hari.
He called just to hear your voice. Wow! This makes him happy. And all along
I have been looking for this big concept, ‘What an I do to get happier?’
Now I get it!”

Talk about a win-win! I profusely thanked her for reflecting her virtues and
strengths. Her optimistic, loving, kind, forgiving, and curious values helped
me use my courage strength to ask her permission to talk to Hari. She is
thrilled that I am blogging about this so she can pay her new learning forward.

What do you want to say YES! to in your life? You make my day when I hear
from you, so please put a smile on my face and drop me and email.

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Savor a new adventure and the beautiful photography in my new book:
Photo Adventures in Cuba ~ Unlock Your Power of Positivity”
Click here to take a peek!

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

Cheerios with a 2-Dog Character Strengths Chaser!

Posted by Dr. Judy at 3:00 am

© 2011 Dr. Judy Krings

How do you eat your cheerios? Plain?  with Bananas?
Maybe with a box of sweet raisins?  Do you have pet critters watching you,
praying your spoon might slip, leaving them a tasty drop or two?

When Mom’s beloved caretaker, Cathy, sent this photo, I cracked up.
Teasing, I told Mom she eats her breakfast with 2 bodyguards.
No need for a napkin, either.  They lick her face for dessert!

Want to know about Miss Kiki, the white smarty pants, and Mugsy,
the marvelous brown mini-guard dog? When Mom first went to stay with
Cathy and Bill the end of April, Mugsy decided he and Mom were soul mates.
Granted, it took him a few loud barks to get the larger dogs to hoof it somewhere
else. The huge black dogs, Dudley, the great Dane, and darling German Shepherd,
Jet, had to hightail it when the 2 little terror pups pranced in.

But where did Lucas, the Black Scottie fit in?
Not one for attention, he’s the bystander and sometimes the referee.
Ironic, as Mom had a Black Scottie dog, Katie, she adored. I had bet
the ranch Mom would take to Lucas. But I was wrong. Wise Mom let the
dogs decide where their canine behinds would reside.
Luca-Duca likes to hide under Mom’s chair.

Love trumps. Mugsy was in love with Mom from the get go. He laid claim
to her lap ASAP! Pet time, nap time, treat time (don’t tell!), like a king, he reigns.

Are you wondering how Kiki got into the lap time picture?
Cathy’s watchful eye captured the original scene.
One day a few weeks ago, Kiki kept staring at Mom and Mugsy.
Her doggy brain must have lit up like a Christmas tree.
Cathy swears Kiki figured out Mugsy was hogging all the attention.
Kiki is, after all, the only lady in a sea of 4 male dogs.
It was time for her to garner some respect!

After a calculated moment, Kiki took a long leap. She unceremoniously
landed right on top of Mugsy. Not one to easily give up his kingdom,
Mugsy let Kiki lay right smack on top of him. He never budged for hours!
Mom laughed her butt off.

In some nonverbal diplomacy, the two of them have worked out squatters’ rights.
Negotiation and compromise. Not bad for two pesky pups knowing they’re in luck!

How many character strengths did you notice?
Here’s a few to get you started (even if some of them are of canine origin!):
Love…Patience…Creativity…Kindness…Teamwork…Gratitude…
Critical Thinking…Humor…

What have you learned from your pet today? Ever notice their strengths?
I’d love to hear about your critter capers. And speaking curious capers. . .

Treat yourself, friends and family to my new book:
Photo Adventures in Cuba ~ Unlock Your Power of Positivity”
Click here to take a peek!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

Sharpening Wisdom ~ Positivity Pencil Tips

Posted by Dr. Judy at 3:00 am

© 2011 Dr. Judy Krings

What does a pencil mean to you?

My husband sent me this message about a pencil.
I’d never seen it. I included it as is, but you know me.
I had to sharpen my own pencil and add five more friendly, non-toxic tips.

A Pencil Maker told the pencil 5 lessons just before putting it in the box:

1. Everything you do will always leave a mark.

2. You can always correct the mistakes you make.

3. What is important is what is inside of you.

4.  In life you will undergo painful sharpening;
which will only make you better.

5. To be the best pencil you must allow yourself to be held
and guided by the hand that holds you.

We all need to be constantly sharpened.
This parable may encourage you to know that you are a special person,
with unique God-given talents and abilities.  Only you can fulfill
the purpose which you were born to accomplish.
Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is
insignificant and cannot be changed and, like the pencil, always
remember that the most important part of who you are, is what’s
inside of you and then allow yourself to be guided by the hand of God.

Judy’s 5 Tips To Wisdom Bliss:

1. Your pencil showcases your strengths.
Creativity, kindness, and gratitude to name a few.

2. Your life may get dull. It’s up to you to be aware and seek out new opportunities.

3.  What you write on your wall of life also affects others.
Be mindful your writing language is powerful.

4. You can share your pencil with another who has none.
Communities share great stories!

5. You are creative, resourceful, whole, and enough. Your pencil is magic.
Your possibilities are infinite!

Ok, what would you add? Come on! Stretch your creativity muscle.
I’d love to read your pencil-packin’ wisdom.

Is that you I see with a sharpener?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And speaking of writing, the holidays are coming.
Treat yourself, friends and family to my new book:
Photo Adventures in Cuba ~ Unlock Your Power of Positivity”
Click here to take a peek!

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

Happiness: Son Hari’s Nepal Wisdom

Posted by Dr. Judy at 3:00 am

© 2011 Dr. Judy Krings

What would you take as a gift for your adopted family in Nepal?
All you have is a carry-on for 19 days.

What souvenirs would you want to bring back? Bet you’d want what I did…
Golden memories of meeting my family. Happy, positive reminiscing photos that
would trigger those few days of fun and love.

As Hari’s American mama, “Ama” in Nepalese, I had to bring them all a symbol
of the USA. Materially, I wanted art and a beautiful Buddha and a Hindu
Compassion Buddha.

Hari’s gifts to me were many that I will treasure forever. Mostly treasured were the
gifts of philosophy from his heart. I will get to that in a minute.

You see some of his generously here. There was also tea, ginger, yak butter, candy,
popcorn, and cheese balls! Yes, cheese balls! We ate so many on the trip, he bought
us a case! I even brought some home to Ken.

Hari’s virtuous wisdom:

~ Ama, every day is a good day!

~ We are all blessed. We have happy time together.

~ No worry, AMA. All is as it is supposed to be.

~ There is no late, Ama. This is Nepal!

~ Heart and soul are what matters. You are my gift, Ama.

Talk about strengths in action! How many can you spot?

Wisdom, humor, kindness, beauty, authenticity, generosity, to name a few.

Here’s the back story about the stunning jacket. OK, I admit it, I wanted a jacket,
one that would reflect Nepal’s artistry. It was the last day of our trip and an hour
before we left for the airport. My travel mate wanted one last gift, so lickety-split,
Hari took us off to one of the nicest quality stores. I never dreamed I would get
the jacket you see here. It was pricey, but it fit and I loved the color. That’s when
I saw another side of Hari. The businessman. The son who going to help his Ama
score! He dickered and cajoled. I had $41 dollars left for the long trip home, and
not enough for the jacket. Hari grabbed my moola, but the man would not budge
on the price. Hari had already gotten the price reduced substantially, but I was not
going to buy it. Hari is rich in heart and spirit, but extra rupees were not padding
his packets. Out of nowhere, he with a grin, he opened his wallet and paid the
difference. I protested, but he won.

Back home, I have hung up my beautiful hand embroidered masterpiece so I can
see it every time I enter my closet. A gift of the heart.

How can you look at your strengths and offer someone a gift?
You do… Just by being terrific you!

I love when you email me answer to my questions or comment on a blog.
That is your gift to me and I love you for it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of gifts, thanks to all of you who have purchased my books for holiday
gifts to your clients and friends. “Photo Adventures in Cuba ~Unlock Your
Power of Positivity isn’t just about Cuba. It has 3 questions at the end of each
chapter that are geared for you. These questions to help you spot your strengths
and find creative ways to use them in uniquely powerfully fulfilling ways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’d love to hear from you! Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

Want more adventure?  Don’t forget to take a look at my new book…
“Photo Adventures in Cuba ~ Unlock Your Power of Positivity”
Click here to take a peek!