3563: You Get What You Give by Kerri Richardson on Positive Mindset and Motivation

[00:00:00] Before we start, I want to share a super powerful practice I use called NSDR or Non-Sleep Deep Rest. In just about 10 minutes or so, this Yoga Nidra practice leaves you feeling as refreshed as after a nap without actually sleeping. Experience it for yourself on our guided podcast. Search NSDR and look for the one from Optimal Living Daily.

[00:00:22] This is Optimal Living Daily, You Get What You Give by Kerri Richardson of KerriRichardson.com and I'm Justin Malik. We get right to our post for today and start optimizing your life. You Get What You Give by Kerri Richardson of KerriRichardson.com It's my junior year in college and I'm on my way home from a spring break trip to the Bahamas.

[00:00:50] My flight makes an unplanned stop in Hartford, Connecticut due to some weather issues at my destination, Boston, Massachusetts. Being the anxious flyer that I am, the news doesn't sit too well with me. After a bit of a wait, we board to finish our journey and I'm feeling pretty nervous. There are lots of spring breakers on this plane, including some new friends we met. They all assure me that this jaunt will be a piece of cake. After all, it's only about a 30 minute flight. As soon as we take off,

[00:01:18] the turbulence is intense. Not just I'm a nervous flyer intense, like really intense. I'm gripping my arm rest as tightly as I can and squeezing my eyes shut in hopes that this is all a bad dream. We finish the takeoff, but the bumpy ride isn't finished with us. Tears begin to fall out of my clenched shut eyes. This is going to be the longest 30 minutes of my life, if I even survive it at all.

[00:01:45] My college friends are trying to comfort and reassure me, but it's just not working. Then Bill, a college guy we met briefly, takes my hand. I open my eyes as he says, Carrie, I know this feels scary, but trust me, I've been on a lot worse flights. You're going to be just fine and we'll be in Boston before you know it. It's comforting for a moment to hear he has survived bumpier flights. I look at him questioningly as he kneels in the aisle next to me. Clearly,

[00:02:14] flight regulations were much looser then as no attendant was telling him to take his seat. You mean it? I say to Bill. We're going to make it? He silently nods and then a big smile comes across his face as he begins to sing in his best reggae voice, don't worry about a thing because every little thing going to be alright. He sings the line over and over and others join in. Giggles start to mix in with my tears as I look around at the people near me and see everyone singing. Surely, if they're all

[00:02:44] calm, every little thing really is going to be alright. We land at Logan International to applause and relief. See, Carrie? Bob Marley knew what he was talking about, Bill said. I hugged him and thanked him for helping me get beyond my fear. After we deplane and step into the airport, Bill drops to his knees and kisses the ground. I look down at him confused. Oh, Carrie, that was the scariest freaking

[00:03:11] flight I've ever been on. My mouth drops open. What? For a split second, I'm mad at him for lying to me, but then I'm even more thankful. This guy who had no relationship with me at all put aside his fear to comfort me. This act of kindness and support still moves me almost 20 years later. And to this day, Three Little Birds by Bob Marley is one of my very favorite songs. I'm sure Bill has no idea how

[00:03:40] lasting his impact has been. It's no secret that we need more kindness in this world. Kindness for each other and kindness for ourselves. We seem to struggle with the kindness for ourselves, but one quick way to address that is to be kind to others. A client of mine who was feeling a bit down about being single on Valentine's Day accepted my challenge of anonymously sending 10 Valentine's Day cards to

[00:04:07] strangers. When we spoke, she said she loved it so much that she's going to do it year-round. She said it was one of the nicest Valentine's Days she's had in a long time. How great is that? If you've been reading my post for a while, you know I often mention the power of random acts of kindness and planned acts of kindness, both for the giver and the receiver. Whatever it is you feel you're lacking or that you long for, incorporating these acts into your life is an awesome way to feel

[00:04:35] less alone and more plugged into our global family. So now I've got a challenge for you. Over the next week or two, I want you to intentionally practice acts of kindness. There's such a beautiful domino effect potential here as I've discovered that those who are on the receiving end of these acts tend to pay it forward. To help get things rolling for you, here are some ideas.

[00:05:00] Donate blood. Cook a meal for your neighbor. Write a love letter and send it. Open doors for everyone. Write a loving message on post-it notes and stick them around town. Overtip a server. Tell a friend how much you appreciate him or her. Buy flowers and leave them on someone's doorstep anonymously. That should get you started. If you want to experience more love

[00:05:23] and generosity in your life, giving it away is the place to begin. You just listened to the post titled You Get What You Give by Kerry Richardson of KerryRichardson.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Remember those childhood dreams? As we grow, our aspirations evolve. Instead of fantasizing about space travel, perhaps you're now dreaming of launching your own business around your passion

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[00:06:39] your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com slash old. Go to shopify.com slash old. Shopify.com slash old. Thank you, Kerry. A great story and nice reminder that I'm sure we could all use it to help you. It's easy to see how that story could still be fresh in her memory 20 years later.

[00:07:04] It just shows the power of small acts of kindness, even though we probably forget how impactful they can be. And I'm guessing we all have a story like that if we think long enough about it. If you're feeling disconnected or down, reaching out to help someone else really can change your own perspective. It's like that saying goes, when you help others, you can't help but help yourself. I found that to be true in my own life too. When I'm feeling stuck or frustrated, doing something nice for someone else often shifts

[00:07:33] my mood completely. So maybe this week, try out one of those suggestions she listed. Leave an anonymous note for someone, buy coffee for the person behind you in line, or just tell someone how much you appreciate them. It doesn't have to be big or expensive. Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference. And with that, thank you for being here and being part of the journey. It's a small act of kindness towards me if you're listening every day, because that's the only way I can keep this

[00:08:01] going. So thank you for coming back and sharing the show with others. Have a great rest of your day, and I'll be back tomorrow reading to you as usual, of course, where your optimal life awaits.