7. Do Random Acts of Service
Sometime today, do a kind deed anonymously, like taking out the
trash, fixing your mom’s laptop, or making someone’s bed.
Organize a “positive social media attack.” Get your friends to attack
someone via social media with kind words and compliments.
8. Do Small Acts of Kindness
Buy a sandwich for a homeless person this week.
Handwrite a thank-you note to someone you’ve
wanted to thank for a long time.
Say You’re Sorry
Before you go to bed tonight, write a simple
message of apology to someone you may have
offended.
14. Competing
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Let’s use competition as a benchmark to
measure ourselves against, but let’s stop
competing over boyfriends, girlfriends, status,
friends, popularity, attention, and just start
enjoying life.
15. 02OPTION
Comparing ourselves makes us feel like a wave of the sea tossed to and fro by the
wind. We go up and down, feeling inferior one moment and superior the next,
confident one moment and intimidated the next. The only good comparison is
comparing yourself against your own potential.
Life is like a great obstacle course. Each person has
their own course, separated from every other course by
tall walls. Your course comes complete with customized
obstacles designed specifically for your personal growth.
So what good does it do to climb the wall to see how
well your neighbor is doing or to check out his
obstacles in comparison to your own? That’ll just
distract you from your own obstacles.
16. Seek First to Understand,
Then to Be Understood
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17. The Deepest Need of
the Human Heart
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The deepest need of the human heart is to be understood. Everyone wants to be
respected and valued for who they are—a unique, one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-
cloned (at least for now) individual. People won’t expose their soft centers unless
they feel genuine love and understanding. Once they feel it, however, they will tell
you more than you may want to hear.
19. 02OPTION
Self-centered listening
A sister who needs a listening ear says to her brother:
“I hate our new school. Ever since we moved I’m
like the biggest outcast. I wish I could find some
new friends already.”
Instead of listening to understand, the brother
reflects upon his own life and says:
“No, you need to start meeting new people and get
involved in sports and clubs like I did.”
Little sister didn’t want any advice from a well-
intentioned brother, no matter how good it was. She
just wanted to be listened to, for heaven’s sake.
Once she felt understood, only then would she be
open to his advice. Big brother blew a big chance for
a big deposit.
20. Genuine Listening
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Ask yourself, “Which of the five poor
listening styles do I have the biggest
problem with — Spacing Out, Pretend
Listening, Selective Listening, Word
Listening, or Self-Centered Listening
(judging, advising, probing)? Now, try to
go one day without doing it.
First, listen with your eyes,
heart, and ears.
PLEASE . . . HEAR WHAT
I’M NOT SAYING.
Second, stand in their shoes.
Third, practice mirroring.
21. Genuine Listening in Action
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First, listen with your eyes, heart, and ears.
I didn’t say you had an attitude problem.
I didn’t say you had an attitude problem.
I didn’t say you had an attitude problem.
22. Genuine Listening in Action
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Sister says, “I don’t like our new school at all. Ever since we
moved I’ve felt like the biggest outcast. I wish I could find some
new friends.”
Big bro is smart, he’ll try mirroring:
“You feel that school’s kind of tough right now.” (Mirroring)
“It’s the worst. I mean I don’t have any friends. And this girl
Tabatha has been so rude to me. She is literally like the queen
bee in Mean Girls. Oh, I just don’t know what to do.”
“Sounds like you feel confused.” (Mirroring)
“I mean, yeah! I’ve always been popular and then suddenly no one
knows my name. I’ve been trying to get to know people, but it’s
not really working.”
“I can see you’re frustrated.” (Mirroring)
“Yeah. I probably sound like I’m psycho or something. Anyway,
thanks for listening.”
“No problem.”
“What do you think I should do?”