How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours. –Wayne Dyer

“You will never realize your best destiny through the avoidance of fear. Rather, you will realize it through the exercise of courage, which means taking whatever action is most liberating to the soul, even when you are afraid.” –Martha Beck

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” –Buddha

“With life as short as a half-taken breath, don’t plant anything but love.”- Rumi

“Kindness, I’ve discovered, is everything in life.”

– Isaac Singer

Photo by xxFr0z3n

Celebrate other people’s success. The people we love feel closer to us when we actively rejoice with them. When they succeed, whoop and holler like a cheerleader, bring them cupcakes, or pop open a bottle of champagne.

Consciously practice gratitude. Everyday, express appreciation to a friend or family member.

Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Vulnerability can be uncomfortable, but it allows trust and intimacy to develop.

Accept that people are often annoying. Love them anyway.

Learn how to apologize effectively. We all make mistakes; the trick is knowing how to repair them.

Forgive people. Forgiveness is not about erasing the original hurt; it is about choosing positive emotions over negative ones.

Stop thinking about yourself so much. Turn your attention to the things that you can do to make other people happy.

Download the printable list here!

If you like this printable list, I bet you’ll love my Thursday Thoughts. Get them via email here.

May you be happy,

Christine Carter, PhD

“Busyness is not a sign of success, significance or importance. It’s a sign that we are not fulfilling our potential.” — Christine Carter in the Sweet Spot: How to Find Your Groove at Home and Work

“In our materially rich but spiritually bereft culture, we often forget that how much we enjoy our lives really matters.” — Christine Carter,  The Sweet Spot: How to Find Your Groove at Home and Work

“The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.” –Thich Nhat Hanh