Day 82 - Kid President for President - Part 2

Day 82 - Kid President for President - Part 2

"Thank you."

"Excuse me."

"I'm sorry."

"I've got barbecue sauce on my shirt too."

We're all wrapped up in technology, busy schedules, and competition.  We're so caught up in these things that we've forgotten the very basic principles of treating one another with kindness.  Take Kid President's thoughts to heart.  Start making these 20 things part of your regular vocabulary and let's spark a revolution of respect, kindness, and compassion.  That ought to make the world a better place.  Or in the words of Kid President, that ought to make the world awesome.  

"Just tell people they're awesome and mean it."

"Nothing.  Sometimes that's the best thing you can say."

"Something nice!  Anything.  If you can't think of anything nice to say, 

you're not thinking hard enough."

Kid President for President

Day 81 - Kid President for President - Part 1

Day 81 - Kid President for President - Part 1

"The world needs to stop being boring.  Yeah, you!"

I can't tell you the number of times I've watched this video in the last month or so.  It really is incredible.  It's inspiring.  Kids have it all together.  If you've never seen him before, Kid President's got some excellent messages out there.  You should check them out on YouTube.  

"And if life is a game, aren't we all on the same team?  

I mean really, right?  I'm on your team, be on my team."

I wish adults would think like this.  Think how much more productive we all would be if we worked together.  Think how much more kindness, patience, and gratitude would be present.  Seriously...we are all on the same team; the team that's striving to make this world a better place for all of us.

"This is life people, you've go air coming through your nose!  You've got a heartbeat!  

That means it's time to do somethin'!

"What if Michael Jordan would've quit... he would have never made Space Jam...

will be your Space Jam?"

"What will you create to make the world awesome?"

One...excellent...question.  What will you do?  Kid President for President.

Day 80 - Hope

Day 80 - Hope

Professor X: "Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn't mean they're lost forever.  Sometimes, we all need a little help."

Charles Xavier: "I'm not the man I was."

Professor X: "You're afraid.  I remember."

Charles Xavier: "All those voices...so much pain."

Professor X: "It's not their pain you're afraid of.  It's yours, Charles.  And as frightening as it can be, that pain will make you stronger.  If you allow yourself to feel it, embrace it, it will make you more powerful than you ever imagined.  It's the greatest gift we have: to bear their pain without breaking.  And it comes from the most human part of us: hope.  Charles, we need you to hope again."

The excerpt above comes from a scene in the most recent X-Men film, X-Men: Days of Future Past.  In this scene, Professor X is able to communicate to his younger self, encouraging him to make a choice that greatly impacts the future of mankind.  If you haven't seen this one, it's a good one.  

But where do I want to go with this quote.  Well, I've been meaning to post this quote on my blog for quite sometime, and tonight it resonated well with an event I attended this evening that was put on by Wartburg's SAFE (Suicide Awareness For Everyone) organization.  Tonight, I witnessed three brave students open about their experiences facing depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide, and a variety of other aspects in their lives that most people would consider elements of brokenness.  I'm incredibly proud of these students and I am reminded of what it means to hope.  

Hope is a powerful thing.  It can carry you through tough times, it can make something miserable bearable.  It can bring you peace.  In times of struggle and challenge, don't lose hope, for there might be a day when you look back on your life and you'll want to encourage yourself to keep pressing forward.  And when you feel like you're losing hope (a very dark place to be), do not hesitate to ask for help.  Even the world's finest need help once in awhile (Superman, Wonder Woman, & Batman).  

Be kind to one another, look out for each other, and never lose hope.  Always remember, you won't be "...lost forever."

Day 79 - A Movie You've Watched Recently

Day 79 - A Movie You've Watched Recently

I have had the pleasure of seeing the movie Big Hero Six in theaters recently.  I gotta say, I loved it!  I loved it so much I saw it twice: the night it came out and back in my hometown dollar theater.  It's a great movie and I highly recommend it.  

Big Hero Six is about an intelligent young boy named Hiro, who's trying to find his way in the world.  He develops a special bond with an inflatable robot named Baymax.  Hiro in inherits Baymax shortly after his brother is killed in a tragic university fire.  Hiro soon discovers there's something a little mysterious about the fire and partners up with a group of friends and Baymax to discover what exactly happened.  

You might think this is a pretty deep movie to be an animated family film, and yes, you are right. The emotion and thoughts behind the story itself can tug at the heart (sort of like the movie "Up," if you've ever seen it).  However, the film counteracts the emotion and delivers an action-packed message we can all take to heart.  Again, I highly recommend it.  There are lots of laughs, especially from Baymax.

In closing, I just want to share the quote that has really stood out to me after seeing the film twice.  This is a quote Hiro narrates right at the end of the film.

"We didn't set out to be superheroes.  But sometimes life doesn't go the way you planned."

He goes on to say that he and his friends are going to go on and help a lot of people, just like his brother set out to do when he was creating Baymax; a medical robot.

Wonderful words worth considering as we head into a new year.  You may not set out to be a superhero in 2015, but sometimes life encourages us to take that step.  Saving the day means impacting the people around you and the world beneath your feet.  

I just gotta ask, how might you set out to do that?  What will you do in 2015 to make the world a better place and make a difference?  And who will you do it for?  Go BIG!  :)

Day 78 - A Simple, Yet Powerful Phrase

Day 78 - A Simple, Yet Powerful Phrase

At the end of her shows, Ellen says a simple, yet powerful phrase.  She says:

"Be kind to one another." ~ Ellen DeGeneres

Simple, yet powerful.  May we all remember and practice this daily reminder from Ellen.  For kindness is an incredible thing.

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." ~Aesop

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." ~Unknown

"Kindness in words creates confidence.  Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.  Kindness in giving creates love." ~Lao Tzu

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." ~Mark Twain

Day 77 - Lessons from Superman #10

Day 77 - Lessons from Superman

"Let me ask you a question I recently asked myself: What have you done to make the world a better place?"  ~ Lex Luthor

It's hard to believe that what I am about to post comes from Lex Luthor.  That's right.  A major arch-enemy of Superman.  Recently in the comic book world, Lex Luthor has partnered up with the Justice League to help combat some major problems in the world, even though he's always had quarrels with Superman.  However, in issue #35 of the Justice League, Lex Luthor shares some valuable wisdom regarding our place in the world.  Bear with me, this is a long one, but it's REALLY good and completely applicable to the real world and struggles and potential we all have.

"From the horrific acts of a lone gunman, to the violent wars tearing countries apart, peace is at risk.  Discrimination, disease, terrorism, bullies, pollution, famine...on the playground and on the battleground...natural disasters and man-made weapons of mass destruction...the list we face goes on and on and as human beings we say, 'I'm not Superman or Wonder Woman, what can I possibly do to help?!  And where do I event start?'  As a fellow human being, I ask the same question...I have the answer."  

"YOU START WHEREVER YOU CAN, because no matter how small an act of kindness or generosity or simple positivity you put out into the world, IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.  And yes, there is a way to make an even bigger impact.  To do that, you have to realize and admit that you can't do everything by yourself.  In a world that cultivates digital narcissistic individuality, you have to let your own ego fall away, BECAUSE THE WORLD IS NOT ABOUT EACH OF US, IT'S ABOUT ALL OF US."

As I read that, I just knew we could all relate to it and take a lesson from Luthor's statement.  

At this time, in the comic book world, Luthor stands with the heroes.  I hope it lasts, but knowing the comic book world, something is bound to change.  Nevertheless, let this be a lesson to us as well: even our enemies can change and contribute.  Perhaps that's why that concept of "forgiveness" is so important.

Another SUPER lesson from the Man of Steel's world.  :)

Day 76 - You Know Who's Awesome?! - #11

Day 76 - You Know Who's Awesome?!

This guy:

This world has some pretty amazing people.  Like Jason Brown.  Ever heard of him?  In 2009, he signed a 5-year contract worth $37.5 million to play center for the St. Louis Rams.  He was the highest paid center in the NFL with his signed contract in 2009.  One would speculate that Jason is in his fifth year of his contract and on his way to solidifying that $37.5 million dollars in earnings, but you know what?  Jason Brown stepped down from his position in the NFL.  At the age of 29, having earned only $25 million of his contract, he now runs a 1,000-acre farm in North Carolina.

"My agent, he told me, 'you're making the biggest mistake of your life,'...and I looked right back at him and I said 'No, I am not.'"

Brown runs the farm to help the less fortunate.  Most of his harvest goes to food pantries to help feed the hungry.  This past fall, he gave away 46,000 pounds of sweet potatoes and 10,000 pounds of cucumbers.  Talk about a difference maker...  

Want to learn more about Jason Brown's story?  Click here.  He's pretty awesome.  :)

Jason Brown picking sweet potatoes from his farm.