I just celebrated my birthday and it got me thinking on how words and actions can make someone (me) feel special. A simple "Happy Birthday," a call from a friend or a heart melting present can all make us feel radiant and appreciated. I was over the moon!
Positive words and actions are powerful and can make someone's day, on the flip side negative words and actions have the influence to make people feel very lonely and sad.
Explaining this concept to my children led me to a wonderful book called Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids By Carol McCloud.
Such a simple but powerful book that contains ways we can teach our children about the affects our words and actions have on others. I actually believe we adults can learn a thing or two from this book.
I wont ruin the enjoyment from reading this book but the main lesson to learn is that we all carry an invisible bucket. Every person we meet during the day also has an invisible bucket. A full bucket bring us joy and an empty bucket makes us miserable.
The concept behind the book is that by filling other people's bucket, by simply being kind and caring, we fill them with happiness and joy. This indirectly also leads to our bucket being filled up too.
The same principle works when we are being mean and nasty to someone else. It will not only empty their bucket but it will actually empty our bucket too. (Only very cold people will find joy in purposely hurting other people.)
A daily practice of being kind and thoughtful can help fill other people's bucket. You can actually start the chain of action and if everyone follows your lead, what a wonderful world we would live in.
Achieving daily happiness couldn't be easy. It's all about choosing your words and actions.
Here are some ways you can fill someone's bucket:
-Say good morning to everyone that you meet on the way to work.
-Open the door for a fellow work colleague.
-Pick up the phone and ring your friends and family.
-Send a friend some flowers.
-Spend hours playing and laughing with your kids.
-Help a friend in need and offer to look after their children.
-Send your partner a love letter.
-Send a text just to say "thinking of you"
The list goes on and on....
Enjoy your time today filling people's invisible buckets and watch how your own bucket also ends up overflowing with joy and happiness.
My own bucket filing moment....
