How do we encourage ourselves to see people as people, withholding judgment, encouraging acceptance, and inclusion?  I’ll never forget the day my daughter came home and was accused of plagiarism in front of the entire class by a teacher. She asked the teacher what part of her work was not cited properly or paraphrased. When the teacher showed her, she said, “I am so sorry, but I did not plagiarize.  I forgot to change the font when I transferred the information from my computer notes to the paper.  Those are my words.”  The teacher was unable to find any…

What is the right way?  There are so many paths to choose from and so many ways that we can choose to communicate or act. One of the things that helped me move beyond my typical biased views is leading with compassion.  When I approach a situation with a mindset of love, kindness, and understanding, my mind is open to seeing other perspectives.  Rather than assuming I know all the facts, I start with an understanding that I only know my perspective, and even then, my viewpoint can be biased.  Jesus knows the full story accurately and sees the total…

In life, there are plenty of moments that bring out the negative, but the real test is whether one can move past discouragement and use it as fuel to ignite kindness and compassion.  Ignoring the nasty addressing frustrations with love and understanding. Turning a seemingly negative event into a lesson in building trust.  Most of us have moments of frustration, but I don’t let those moments take over my life.  I learn from my mistakes, but I don’t linger in discouragement.   Think about a time when you have been around someone who lives their life frustrated and stressed…

I am hopeful I won’t allow myself to be boxed in by something so permanent as the word never.  When I hear myself use the word, I find myself immediately regretting what I’ve said.  I know that all things are possible, and most, if not all, of my “nevers” have been proven wrong.   Not only does it backfire on me, but it has also often led to some of my most memorable and cherished experiences.  I never wanted to go to college.  Yet I have earned a PhD. I never wanted to leave Ohio.  Yet I’ve lived…