Great Moments in Olympic Sportsmanship

The 2014 Winter Olympics are nearly upon us!

As the world's top athletes gather and recite the Olympic Oath, perhaps we can draw inspiration from their words:

"In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams." 

As we mull over those words, "in the true spirit of sportsmanship," let's also think about the Olympic motto, Citius, Altius, Fortius—Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger." The founder of the International Olympic Committee, Pierre de Coubertin, had another well-known motto for the Olympic athletes: "The most important thing is not to win but to take part!" (He borrowed the phrase from a bishop's sermon given at the 1908 Olympics.)

It's a great time to remind ourselves of the importance of good sportsmanship, even if it's on the neighborhood cul-de-sac, the Little League field, or a community team (for kids OR adults!). If you need some inspiration, check out these Top 10 Moments of Olympic Sportsmanship, the BBC's collection of inspiring personal stories, and a great story about a festival in Punjab, India that offers the community an Olympics-inspired event.

New Year...New Listening

As we continue to make fresh starts with the new year, let's focus some self-improvement efforts towards a very simple act...listening.

At least, it seems like it should be simple, but becoming a better listener can take work. How often have you been frustrated when chatting with a friend who is distracted, interrupting, and not fully present? And have you ever found yourself wishing you could be a better confidante for your friends? Or to be a more mindful and "in the moment" during conversations?

We have some tips for you!

It's OK to be quiet when listening. In fact, resist the urge to interrupt. Even if you are trying to sympathize or encourage a friend, you don't have to chime in with your own thoughts—sometimes the speaker just needs to talk and be heard. You can be that receptive friend.

Check your body language—right down to your feet! If your feet are both pointed to the person with whom you're conversing, you are likely fully in the conversation. If even one foot is pointed away from the person, it may look like you're looking for an escape!

Minimize distractions. Silence the cell phone, turn off the TV...do what it takes to help you focus on your friend.

And if you're doing the talking...

Slow down. Speaking more distinctly and slowly allows the listener time to hear you. When you listen to a fast talker, details get missed, like the last name of someone being introduced, for example. (And people introducing themselves often say their name so quickly it sounds like one word.) 

May the new year be filled with good conversation!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

Joyeux Noel!

Felix Navidad!

Mele Kalikimaka!

God Jul!

Buon Natale!

Vrolijk Kerstfeest!

Here's to a New Year full of warmth, love, and kindness to all!

Be a Light: Last-minute Lines

Whether you ordered holiday gifts weeks ago or are still checking things off your list, it's likely you'll somehow get caught in the last-minute shopping frenzy. 

Even if you just need one thing at the grocery store or post office, you may find your regular errands are complicated with traffic jams and frantic shoppers. Maybe you're one of the frantic shoppers. No judgement here! 

The point is, shopping, driving, waiting in lines—it gets pretty serious this time of year.

So let's shine a little kindness on the situation. You can do it in easy ways that will make everything a lot more bearable for everyone, especially you.

• Before errands, eat something first, or take a little snack with you to keep you going. Counts double if you have a child with you.

• Remember that each line will eventually end. Take some deep breaths. Smile. If you see some bad behavior — another adult pitching a fit, for example — try to show some compassion in your head (just think how bad a day he or she must be having to lose it like that) and move on.

• Manners! "Please" and "thank you" mean a lot—especially if you're talking to a sales associate who just dealt with a fit-pitching adult. If a store employee asks how you're doing out of habit, you can say, "Fine, thanks, how are you?" It's the little things that can make a hectic work day better. 

• Add some Zen to your drive. Someone cut you off in traffic? It's OK. That was going to be your parking space? Oh well. You will eventually get to where your destination. Let it go. Your life will be the same after you park the car. Any other attitude will just get your blood pressure up.

• Think of people you love. Works a charm every time. 

Be a Light: Pay it Forward (or Backward)

As we continue to explore ways to shine a little light for others this holiday season, let's talk about making "random acts of kindness" into concrete examples of giving.

How about anonymously paying for another car in the drive-thru line?

Photo by Leigh of Leigh vs. Laundry, used with permission

You may have heard about someone doing this—maybe someone you know, or one of those feel-good stories gone viral online. Maybe you've done it yourself. Maybe you've been the lucky one on the receiving end.

It's a wonderful thing to do, but let's not forget something: Paying for a complete stranger, even one you never see face-to-face, can be intimidating, even scary.

Our friend Leigh in Athens, who blogs at Leigh vs. Laundry, wonderfully captured just such an experience on her blog. She was in the drive-thru line for fast food on a dreary day, she writes. While fretting over various everyday issues in her life, she heard a little voice, she adds, telling her to pay for the person in the car behind her.

"I dismissed the quiet voice and tried to talk myself out of it," she wrote in the blog post. "Money is tight, I can't just go paying for other people's food...what if she was buying food for her whole office?"

Yet Leigh did it—heart pounding, hands trembling, she wrote, she blurted out, "I'd like to pay for the car behind me, too."

Turns out it was just $5 extra dollars. Plus, Leigh could see the big smile and wave of thanks in the car behind her.

"I truly believe that the quickest way to finding happiness is to do good things for other people," Leigh wrote. "Even the smallest gestures can make big waves."

We agree!

Survive the holidays with civility

We absolutely love this smart, witty, and helpful Guide to Civility from syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks.

The best part? You can download it and use it as a placemat during one of the most politically and emotionally-charged events of the season: the Thanksgiving dining table. (Or any dining table filled with a variety of loved ones gathered for the holidays.)

Check out their advice for handling dicey topics ranging from politics, the economy, and more - all the while preserving a sense of family love.

It reminds us of what we're thankful for - reminders to practice civility and kindness each and every day! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Be a light!

The holidays are here! Family, fellowship, food…and stress. Possibly a lot of it. Maybe even a little sadness, panic, or anxiety thrown into the mix.

It’s no secret that holidays are hard for a lot of people for a variety of reasons. And even people who adore holidays may find themselves succumbing to the ambient chaos of the season, when everything seems a little faster, busier, louder…and just more. More of everything.

Why not go a little easy on ourselves — and others? Why not shine a little light for the world around us?

We suggest making an effort to illuminate the holidays with simple acts of kindness. We can cover a lot of ground here, but in today’s post, we’ll focus on something super simple yet often difficult: arriving on time.

It’s easy to feel scattered if one has a calendar filled with abundant holiday parties and plays, school and work functions, and at least one big family dinner. Arriving on time makes a world of difference, not only to your hosts, colleagues, friends, and family, but also to yourself.

Imagine allowing enough time for getting lost or bad traffic without worrying about being late. Imagine arriving at your destination feeling calm and collected, not flustered and hectic. Imagine not climbing over a sea of knees in an already-seated auditorium…joining dinner party conversation without any residual jitters…taking a breath to relax and enjoy yourself without rushing around.

Being on time might take practice for some of us—but what better time to start now? You may have to force yourself to leave at a time that feels unnaturally early until you have figured it out, but go ahead and do it…keeping appointments on a calendar you actually check helps, too.

Until next time…shine bright!