Sunday, August 26, 2012

Dignity & Respect Tip #7: Be Open!

There are only a few days of summer remaining. Why not take this time to try new things and expand your horizons. We too easily get stuck into a comfortable routine. Trying new things keeps our minds active and our hearts open. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Try a new type of food or cuisine
2. Learn a few words in a foreign language
3. Listen to a new type of music or find you next favorite band
4. Volunteer
5. Try an artistic pursuit like painting, dancing, or try out for a community theater
6. Start a collection
7. Read a book
8. Go to a cultural festival
9. Learn three facts about a religion different from your own
10. Introduce yourself to a stranger

Tell us what you discovered today!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Dignity & Respect Tip #5 – Say Thank You!

Let us take time each day to remember the people who love and support us. Make sure they feel appreciated and you inspire everyone around you to be more loving, charitable, and open-hearted.

Here’s ten ways you can show your gratitude everyday:

1. Write a card
2. Send an email
3. Make a phone call
4. Bake cookies as a gift
5. Pay for a movie ticket
6. Surprise someone by cooking them dinner
7. Send flowers
8. Do a household chore
9. Offer a ride
10. Hug

How do you like to say “Thank You”? Share your ideas!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Dignity & Respect Tip #1: Sweat the Small Stuff

It is often the small things such as being kind and courteous that make a difference. We all lead very busy lives and sometimes in the hustle and bustle of everyday life we can easily forget how even our smallest actions impact the lives of others. Take time today to examine how you treat everyone you meet. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Drop a hand-written card in the mail to give someone an encouraging word.

2. Shovel snow for an older couple down the street.

3. Call a friend going through a difficult period to show your support.

4. Send a client something special that made you think of him or her.

5. Invite a friend to dinner and plan an evening with his/her interest in mind.

6. If you are a parent, plan a special day with your kids, but don’t tell them.

7. Offer to take a co-worker (who is not close to you) to lunch and buy it.

8. Pay the toll for the person following you and tell the gate attendant to communicate your brief message.

9. Stop by the hospital to visit a friend.

10. Cut the grass for a neighbor who is overwhelmed at work.

Find more great ideas on how to brighten someone’s day here:

http://www.littlethingsmatter.com/blog/2010/06/17/25-unexpected-ways-to-make-someones-day/

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Make this School Year Bully-Free!

 

We are already in August, and that means school is just around the corner for people in certain parts of the country. As we prepare for another school year, here are a few ways you can help protect your children from being bullied in the upcoming year:

1. Ask school officials and teachers about what they do to prevent bullying and hold schools accountable for their anti-bullying policies.

2. Watch for warning signs in children at the start of the new school year, such as sudden changes in behavior and not eating.

3. When you see bullying behavior, call it bullying and tell your children that it's unacceptable behavior.

4. Discuss bullying with your children. Use real situations, news stories, television programs and movies as opportunities to talk about bullying.

5. Regularly ask children about bullying and address any problem immediately.

6. If your child is being bullied, letting them know you understand and share their distress can help them feel better.

7. Discuss and/or role play possible responses to bullying, such as walking away, not showing emotion, staying in groups to avoid being singled out, and confronting a bully.

8. Do some self-assessment. If you use intimidation in your dealings with others, you may be setting a bullying example for your child. Or if you're bullied by other adults and don't put a stop to it, your child will believe that's the way to respond to bullies.

Read more here: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/09/03/making-sure-back-to-school-doesnt-mean-back-to-bullying