May the world be kind to you, and may your own thoughts be gentle upon yourself. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Friday, August 21, 2026
Be Patient and Gentle
Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,
yet nothing can resist it.
- Lao Tzu
Choose your battles wisely.
While your core principles and your life goals are important,
most of what you let upset you is not worth an argument or lost sleep.
Take Lao Tzu's advice and become softer and more flexible.
Patience, persistence, and perseverance.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
When you encounter difficulties and contradictions,
do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.
- Saint Francis de Sales
Patience can't be acquired overnight.
It is just like building up a muscle.
Every day you need to work on it.
- Eknath Easwaran
The key to everything is patience.
You get the chicken by hatching the egg,
not by smashing it open.
- Arnold H. Glasgow
Gentleness Surpasses Rigidity.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Tread Lightly
Be Gentle with Yourself
Aesop: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail
The Oak and the Reeds - a fable by Aesop
Sunday, July 5, 2026
Breathe, Smile, Create Happiness
Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life.
And when you feel better about life, your life is better.
- Art Linkletter
First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?
Then prepare to accept it.
Then proceed to improve on the worst.
- Dale Carnegie
The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.
- John Burroughs
Smile and the world smiles with you.
- Anonymous
Peace begins with a smile.
- Mother Teresa
Always do the best you can,
and everything else will take care of itself.
Focus your energies on doing what you can
rather than worrying about what you can't.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
A smile that begins as an effort and a pretense quickly grows to become genuine,
and given time, a habit of happiness. In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Inner Smile Exercise:
1. Breath slowly, deeply, and consciously.
2. Close your eyes and set the corners of your mouth in just the slightest smile.
3. Visualize your smile growing larger and larger, and your happiness increasing.
Today's affirmation:
Every day in every way I am getting better and better.
- Émile Coué
Further reading: Ten Little Tips to Feel Happier Right Now
No Regrets
Beyond Your Worries
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Work at Being Patient and Gentle
Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,
yet nothing can resist it.
- Lao Tzu
Choose your battles wisely.
While your core principles and your life goals are important,
most of what you let upset you is not worth an argument or lost sleep.
Take Lao Tzu's advice and become softer and more flexible.
Patience, persistence, and perseverance.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
When you encounter difficulties and contradictions,
do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.
- Saint Francis de Sales
Patience can't be acquired overnight.
It is just like building up a muscle.
Every day you need to work on it.
- Eknath Easwaran
The key to everything is patience.
You get the chicken by hatching the egg,
not by smashing it open.
- Arnold H. Glasgow
Gentleness Surpasses Rigidity.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Tread Lightly
Be Gentle with Yourself
Aesop: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail
The Oak and the Reeds - a fable by Aesop
Saturday, July 5, 2025
Smile
Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life.
And when you feel better about life, your life is better.
- Art Linkletter
First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?
Then prepare to accept it.
Then proceed to improve on the worst.
- Dale Carnegie
The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.
- John Burroughs
Smile and the world smiles with you.
- Anonymous
Peace begins with a smile.
- Mother Teresa
Always do the best you can,
and everything else will take care of itself.
Focus your energies on doing what you can
rather than worrying about what you can't.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
A smile that begins as an effort and a pretense quickly grows to become genuine,
and given time, a habit of happiness. In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Inner Smile Exercise:
1. Breath slowly, deeply, and consciously.
2. Close your eyes and set the corners of your mouth in just the slightest smile.
3. Visualize your smile growing larger and larger, and your happiness increasing.
Today's affirmation:
Every day in every way I am getting better and better.
- Émile Coué
Further reading: Ten Little Tips to Feel Happier Right Now
No Regrets
Beyond Your Worries
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Subtlety and Patience
Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,
yet nothing can resist it.
- Lao Tzu
Choose your battles wisely.
While your core principles and your life goals are important,
most of what you let upset you is not worth an argument or lost sleep.
Take Lao Tzu's advice and become softer and more flexible.
Patience, persistence, and perseverance.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
When you encounter difficulties and contradictions,
do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.
- Saint Francis de Sales
Patience can't be acquired overnight.
It is just like building up a muscle.
Every day you need to work on it.
- Eknath Easwaran
The key to everything is patience.
You get the chicken by hatching the egg,
not by smashing it open.
- Arnold H. Glasgow
Gentleness Surpasses Rigidity.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Tread Lightly
Be Gentle with Yourself
Aesop: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail
The Oak and the Reeds - a fable by Aesop
Friday, July 5, 2024
Breath slowly, deeply, and consciously
Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life.
And when you feel better about life, your life is better.
- Art Linkletter
First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?
Then prepare to accept it.
Then proceed to improve on the worst.
- Dale Carnegie
The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.
- John Burroughs
Smile and the world smiles with you.
- Anonymous
Peace begins with a smile.
- Mother Teresa
Always do the best you can,
and everything else will take care of itself.
Focus your energies on doing what you can
rather than worrying about what you can't.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
A smile that begins as an effort and a pretense quickly grows to become genuine,
and given time, a habit of happiness. In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Inner Smile Exercise:
1. Breath slowly, deeply, and consciously.
2. Close your eyes and set the corners of your mouth in just the slightest smile.
3. Visualize your smile growing larger and larger, and your happiness increasing.
Today's affirmation:
Every day in every way I am getting better and better.
- Émile Coué
Further reading: Ten Little Tips to Feel Happier Right Now
No Regrets
Beyond Your Worries
Monday, August 21, 2023
Be Ready to Adapt to Change
Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,
yet nothing can resist it.
- Lao Tzu
Choose your battles wisely.
While your core principles and your life goals are important,
most of what you let upset you is not worth an argument or lost sleep.
Take Lao Tzu's advice and become softer and more flexible.
Patience, persistence, and perseverance.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
When you encounter difficulties and contradictions,
do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.
- Saint Francis de Sales
Patience can't be acquired overnight.
It is just like building up a muscle.
Every day you need to work on it.
- Eknath Easwaran
The key to everything is patience.
You get the chicken by hatching the egg,
not by smashing it open.
- Arnold H. Glasgow
Gentleness Surpasses Rigidity.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Tread Lightly
Be Gentle with Yourself
Aesop: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail
The Oak and the Reeds - a fable by Aesop
Thursday, July 6, 2023
There is Great Power in a Smile
Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life.
And when you feel better about life, your life is better.
- Art Linkletter
First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?
Then prepare to accept it.
Then proceed to improve on the worst.
- Dale Carnegie
The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.
- John Burroughs
Smile and the world smiles with you.
- Anonymous
Peace begins with a smile.
- Mother Teresa
Always do the best you can,
and everything else will take care of itself.
Focus your energies on doing what you can
rather than worrying about what you can't.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
A smile that begins as an effort and a pretense quickly grows to become genuine,
and given time, a habit of happiness. In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Inner Smile Exercise:
1. Breath slowly, deeply, and consciously.
2. Close your eyes and set the corners of your mouth in just the slightest smile.
3. Visualize your smile growing larger and larger, and your happiness increasing.
Today's affirmation:
Every day in every way I am getting better and better.
- Émile Coué
Further reading: Ten Little Tips to Feel Happier Right Now
No Regrets
Beyond Your Worries
Saturday, October 29, 2022
A Little Better Each Day
This is the day which the Lord has made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Our faith gives us knowledge of something better.
- E. F. Schumacher
The winds of grace are always blowing;
all we need to do is raise our sails.
- Saint Augustine
Simply Do Your Best
Faith in the Goodness of Humanity
Sunday, August 7, 2022
Adapt
Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,
yet nothing can resist it.
- Lao Tzu
Choose your battles wisely.
While your core principles and your life goals are important,
most of what you let upset you is not worth an argument or lost sleep.
Take Lao Tzu's advice and become softer and more flexible.
Patience, persistence, and perseverance.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
When you encounter difficulties and contradictions,
do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.
- Saint Francis de Sales
Patience can't be acquired overnight.
It is just like building up a muscle.
Every day you need to work on it.
- Eknath Easwaran
The key to everything is patience.
You get the chicken by hatching the egg,
not by smashing it open.
- Arnold H. Glasgow
Gentleness Surpasses Rigidity.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Tread Lightly
Be Gentle with Yourself
Aesop: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail
The Oak and the Reeds - a fable by Aesop
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
You Feel Better When You Make the Effort to Smile
Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life.
And when you feel better about life, your life is better.
- Art Linkletter
First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?
Then prepare to accept it.
Then proceed to improve on the worst.
- Dale Carnegie
The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.
- John Burroughs
Smile and the world smiles with you.
- Anonymous
Peace begins with a smile.
- Mother Teresa
Always do the best you can,
and everything else will take care of itself.
Focus your energies on doing what you can
rather than worrying about what you can't.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
A smile that begins as an effort and a pretense quickly grows to become genuine,
and given time, a habit of happiness. In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Inner Smile Exercise:
1. Breath slowly, deeply, and consciously.
2. Close your eyes and set the corners of your mouth in just the slightest smile.
3. Visualize your smile growing larger and larger, and your happiness increasing.
Today's affirmation:
Every day in every way I am getting better and better.
- Émile Coué
Further reading: Ten Little Tips to Feel Happier Right Now
No Regrets
Beyond Your Worries
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Something Better
This is the day which the Lord has made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Our faith gives us knowledge of something better.
- E. F. Schumacher
The winds of grace are always blowing;
all we need to do is raise our sails.
- Saint Augustine
Simply Do Your Best
Faith in the Goodness of Humanity
Monday, August 16, 2021
Gentleness Surpasses Rigidity
Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,
yet nothing can resist it.
- Lao Tzu
Choose your battles wisely.
While your core principles and your life goals are important,
most of what you let upset you is not worth an argument or lost sleep.
Take Lao Tzu's advice and become softer and more flexible.
Patience, persistence, and perseverance.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
When you encounter difficulties and contradictions,
do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.
- Saint Francis de Sales
Patience can't be acquired overnight.
It is just like building up a muscle.
Every day you need to work on it.
- Eknath Easwaran
The key to everything is patience.
You get the chicken by hatching the egg,
not by smashing it open.
- Arnold H. Glasgow
Gentleness Surpasses Rigidity.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Tread Lightly
Be Gentle with Yourself
Aesop: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail
The Oak and the Reeds - a fable by Aesop
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Smile, Especially When You Don't Feel like It
Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life.
And when you feel better about life, your life is better.
- Art Linkletter
First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?
Then prepare to accept it.
Then proceed to improve on the worst.
- Dale Carnegie
The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.
- John Burroughs
Smile and the world smiles with you.
- Anonymous
Peace begins with a smile.
- Mother Teresa
Always do the best you can,
and everything else will take care of itself.
Focus your energies on doing what you can
rather than worrying about what you can't.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
A smile that begins as an effort and a pretense quickly grows to become genuine,
and given time, a habit of happiness. In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Inner Smile Exercise:
1. Breath slowly, deeply, and consciously.
2. Close your eyes and set the corners of your mouth in just the slightest smile.
3. Visualize your smile growing larger and larger, and your happiness increasing.
Today's affirmation:
Every day in every way I am getting better and better.
- Émile Coué
Further reading: Ten Little Tips to Feel Happier Right Now
No Regrets
Beyond Your Worries
Sunday, November 15, 2020
Raise the Sails and Keep the Faith
This is the day which the Lord has made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Our faith gives us knowledge of something better.
- E. F. Schumacher
The winds of grace are always blowing;
all we need to do is raise our sails.
- Saint Augustine
Simply Do Your Best
Faith in the Goodness of Humanity
Thursday, August 20, 2020
Patience is a Discipline that Requires Practice
Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,
yet nothing can resist it.
- Lao Tzu
Choose your battles wisely.
While your core principles and your life goals are important,
most of what you let upset you is not worth an argument or lost sleep.
Take Lao Tzu's advice and become softer and more flexible.
Patience, persistence, and perseverance.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
When you encounter difficulties and contradictions,
do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.
- Saint Francis de Sales
Patience can't be acquired overnight.
It is just like building up a muscle.
Every day you need to work on it.
- Eknath Easwaran
The key to everything is patience.
You get the chicken by hatching the egg,
not by smashing it open.
- Arnold H. Glasgow
Further reading: Tread Lightly
Be Gentle with Yourself
Aesop: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail
The Oak and the Reeds - a fable by Aesop
Friday, July 3, 2020
Begin by Smiling
Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life.
And when you feel better about life, your life is better.
- Art Linkletter
First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?
Then prepare to accept it.
Then proceed to improve on the worst.
- Dale Carnegie
The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.
- John Burroughs
Smile and the world smiles with you.
- Anonymous
Peace begins with a smile.
- Mother Teresa
Always do the best you can,
and everything else will take care of itself.
Focus your energies on doing what you can
rather than worrying about what you can't.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
A smile that begins as an effort and a pretense quickly grows to become genuine,
and given time, a habit of happiness. In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Inner Smile Exercise:
1. Breath slowly, deeply, and consciously.
2. Close your eyes and set the corners of your mouth in just the slightest smile.
3. Visualize your smile growing larger and larger, and your happiness increasing.
Today's affirmation:
Every day in every way I am getting better and better.
- Émile Coué
Further reading: Ten Little Tips to Feel Happier Right Now
No Regrets
Beyond Your Worries
Monday, September 16, 2019
Welcome Today with a Commitment and with a Smile
Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life.
And when you feel better about life, your life is better.
- Art Linkletter
The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.
- John Burroughs
First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen?
Then prepare to accept it.
Then proceed to improve on the worst.
- Dale Carnegie
Smile and the world smiles with you.
- Anonymous
Always do the best you can,
and everything else will take care of itself.
Focus your energies on doing what you can
rather than worrying about what you can't.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Peace begins with a smile.
- Mother Teresa
A smile that begins as an effort and a pretense quickly grows to become genuine,
and given time, a habit of happiness. In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Inner Smile Exercise:
1. Breath slowly, deeply, and consciously.
2. Close your eyes and set the corners of your mouth in just the slightest smile.
3. Visualize your smile growing larger and larger, and your happiness increasing.
Today's affirmation:
Every day in every way I am getting better and better.
- Émile Coué
Further reading: Ten Little Tips to Feel Happier Right Now
Beyond Your Worries
No Regrets
Saturday, July 13, 2019
Do Not Compare Yourself To Others
Never mind what others do; do better than yourself,
beat your own record from day to day, and you are a success.
- William J. H. Boetcker
Do not compare, do not measure.
No other way is like yours.
All other ways deceive and tempt you.
You must fulfill the way that is in you.
- Carl Jung
Happiness in the present is only shattered by comparison with the past.
- Douglas Horton
Comparisons are odious.
- Old English Saying
Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others.
He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.
- The Buddha
Further reading: Avoid Comparison, Prevent Suffering
Cheer Whenever Others Succeed
Value Honor, Not Ego
Criticism and Complaint
Each To Their Own
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Raise Your Sails and Have Faith
God provides the wind, Man must raise the sail.
- Saint Augustine
This is the day which the Lord has made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
- Psalms 118:24
Our faith gives us knowledge of something better.
- E. F. Schumacher
Patience, persistence, and perseverance.
A little more each day, a little better each day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The winds of grace are always blowing;
all we need to do is raise our sails.
- Anonymous
Further reading: The True Measure of a Successful Life
Faith in the Goodness of Humanity
Simply Do Your Best
The Edge of All You Know



