#bekind

“The Domino Effect”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

News sure travels fast when a person wants to spread it. 

It’s similar to the movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” in which each life touches another in a positive way except this type of gossip is in reverse and with a much different outcome. Each story and negative opinion that they share with other people touches another in a hurtful way once it’s been found out. 

I call it “The Domino Effect” of gossip. We’re all dominoes strategically positioned in such a way that the person that pushes the first one does so knowing how to take down the rest.

The difference is that we’re not dominoes, we’re human beings that trusted a person who broke that trust by sharing our intimate conversations and their opinions with other people. Most often, we don’t even know that they’re doing it until we hear about it.

Do we tell the people that are the topic of the gossip, knowing that it will hurt their feelings? I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but then again, isn’t that how we can protect them from gossip?

What do we dominoes do without lowering ourselves to their level?

All I can say is to distance yourself from them and if you haven’t already stopped all communication, you probably should be extremely careful in what you say to them. 

Everyone is a loser here, and the biggest loser is the person spreading it all. After all, nothing good comes from idle gossip. 

I say that we “dominoes” should leave it alone because I truly believe that what we put out into this world will inevitably come back to us. It’s only a matter of time before the hand pushing the dominoes is seen for who they are.

Don’t be one of the pieces in “The Domino Effect” of gossip.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“Happy Faces”

/ Anne Dennish / 2 Comments

Do you know what that picture below represents? It’s the face of a happy person. It’s the face of someone who received or was treated with kindness from another, maybe even a stranger. Can you imagine what the world would look like if we lived in a sea of smiles? I think that it would be absolutely beautiful.

Who wants to join me in making a commitment to spread kindness wherever we go? Who wants to join me in trying to share an act of kindness with someone every day?Who wants to join me in putting in the effort to make this world a better place?

If you’re in, type “yes” below or share a comment.  

All of you that follow me are amazing and I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without your love and support and I am so grateful for each and every one of you.

And today I offer my kindness to all of you by telling you just that, because it’s the truth.

Here’s to happy faces and happy people made possible by all of us that want to make this world a better place. 

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“These Three Things”

/ Anne Dennish / 3 Comments

It was during this last month of quarantine that I learned that three important components are absolutely necessary to survive being “SAFE at home.” They are patience, tolerance and forgiveness, and most often, in that order. 

You need to have patience with the people you live with, the people you deal with and with yourself. Every one of us will have a day of feeling stressed and anxious, and every one of us will take that out on someone else who had nothing to do with it. Therein lies the patience. Be patient in knowing that all of us are experiencing this in different ways and act out in different ways. Be patient with others and be patient with yourself while you’re trying to be patient with them!

You need to try to have some amount of tolerance of the behavior of others in order to have the patience you need to tolerate their moments of lashing out. That’s not to say that you have to be a doormat and the recipient of someone else’s anxiety or stress. It just means that on those occasions (and I hope they are few!) that someone takes out their mood on you, be tolerant and be patient with them.

And most importantly, you need to practice forgiveness. You need to forgive the people that you had to be patient and tolerant with, and you need to forgive yourself for the days that you couldn’t be.

These are difficult times we’re living in and I truly believe that patience, tolerance and forgiveness are a must. Under normal circumstances we may not have to practice tolerance of “not so good” behavior as much, but right now we do, as long as it’s not on a daily basis and not bordering on abusive. 

I know that we’re all trying to get through this as best we can and some days are just too much to handle, but we need to remember to not only be patient, tolerant and forgiving of others, but of ourselves as well. 

If you can practice these three things, toss in a large dose of kindness for others and yourself as well, you will find “safety AND serenity” at home. 

Hang in there…you’re doing just fine!

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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“Say What You Mean”

/ Anne Dennish / 2 Comments

“Say what you mean and mean what you say, but don’t be mean when you say it.”

It’s a simple concept yet a very important one.

It’s okay to voice an opinion or share how you’re feeling with someone. It’s your truth, but never, ever be mean to someone when you say it to them. It’s hurtful and it’s unkind.

There’s no reason to be mean to anyone.

Be kind. Be compassionate. Be respectful.

Speak your truth but don’t be mean when you speak it.

It’s a good thing.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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“Take A Look In The Mirror”

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Please be kind. Be kind to everyone. The world is in desperate need of it.

Don’t be the person who puts your back to someone to exclude them from being part of the group.

Don’t be the person who rolls your eyes when someone takes the time to hug you. 

Don’t be the person who treats someone badly because of someone else’s opinion and judgement of them.

Be the person that always leaves a space open for someone to be part of the group.

Be the person who hugs someone back with eyes filled with gratitude that they thought enough of you to hug you in the first place.

Be the person who treats everyone kindly, whether you like them or not.

Where do you get your judgement of another? Are you that weak minded that you can’t base an opinion of your own?Put this in book….write a longer story.

Take a look in the mirror. Which person are you?

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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“It’s September 12th”

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The world remembered September 11th yesterday and today we can take a breath and remember the world united on September 12th. 

Today is a new day, so let’s make it count.

Spread kindness wherever you go, smile at a stranger, and find gratitude in your life at this very moment.

It’s a brand new day filled with endless possibilities.

Go out and mark your mark in life and make a difference in the life of another.

It’s a good thing.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

itsabrandnewday

Asbury Park, New Jersey

“Some Days And Other Days”

/ Anne Dennish / 2 Comments

There are some days you just want to give up and give in. You’re tired of the drama and negativity that other people are bringing into your life, you’re exhausted from trying to escape it and them, and you feel helpless because you feel as though you have no control over anything. There are some days you feel sad for every reason and for no reason, you cry because you’re eyes need to let out the tears, and you feel tired even though you had a good night’s sleep.

Those are the “some days.”

But how about the “other days?”

The days you watch a beautiful sunrise with your morning coffee or spend time with your loved ones as you watch a spectacular sunset.

The days that you see all the beautiful people, places and things that surround you and know that you are blessed.

The days that you check off all the things on your to-do list and feel a sense of accomplishment.

The days that you walk away from the people that cause you drama and know that it’s their problem, not yours.

The days that you smile “just because,” laugh because it feels good and dance because no one and every one is watching!

The days that you’re overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers and believe that there truly is good in this world.

The days that you know that you made a positive difference in someone’s life and in the world.

The days that you wake up grateful to have another day to live your best life.

The “some days” will  happen now and again, but it’s those “other days” that help us get through them and send them on their way.

I love those “other days.”

Don’t you?

It’s a good thing.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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“Helping Those Affected By Hurricane Dorian”

/ Anne Dennish / 2 Comments

My heart breaks as I watch the news about the devastation in the Bahamas from Hurricane Dorian. I can’t even imagine what those people are going through and I pray that the East Coast doesn’t suffer that same magnitude of destruction. 

Ever since I’ve returned home from moving my parents from their Florida home back to their New Jersey home, I’ve been cleaning and purging my own garage and house. I have a whole corner in my garage filled with items to be donated to an organization that needs them…kitchen items, bedding, books, and more.

Last night as I was watching the news I thought to myself: “Why not donate these items to be given to the people who’ve lost everything from this hurricane?” I know it’s not much in the grand scheme of all that they’ve lost, but it’s something. In fact, there’s always someone we can help, even in our local towns.

Today I’ll be looking for organizations that can use these items to help in the rebuilding of the lives of those most affected by Hurricane Dorian. I know the storm is still raging on and there are still other areas that may be affected by it, yet I have no control over that. 

What I DO have  control over is what I can do to help, even if it’s as small as donating the things I no longer need to the people who now need everything to rebuild their lives.

You see, we CAN make a difference and we can make that difference together.

Let’s do it.

It’s a good thing.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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“The Tired Soul”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

My soul is tired. Actually, it’s exhausted.

And it’s drained, bumped and bruised.

The truth of the matter is that my soul needs some deep healing and a whole bunch of kindness.

Kindness, compassion, respect and unconditional love are natural healers. They soothe the soul, calm the nerves and allow the healing waters of tears to flow. They’re a natural way to release the negative things that have broken your soul, a way to help you to let things go and move forward, and a reminder of the strength you thought you lost.

So how do you begin to heal your soul?

Be kind to others.

Surround yourself with others that are kind to you.

And remember to be kind to yourself.

It’s a good thing.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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“Listen To How They Treat You”

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the way a person treats you

“There’s a message in the way a person treats you…just listen.”

It’s the saying I absolutely believe in: “actions speak louder than words.”

All those loving, positive words you speak to someone are only truthful when the actions back them up.

All those negative, hurtful words you speak to someone are truth. It’s how someone honestly feels about you because when you truly love someone you wouldn’t say things you know that would hurt them. And trust me, those words will stay with them for a lifetime.

If you really love someone, be it your significant other, friend, family or child, why would you say something hurtful to them? You can’t take those words back and if you said them you must have meant them. And if you didn’t mean them then why did you say them? Just to hurt them because you can? To push them away? Or maybe you use those words to put them in their place as a way to control them.

Think about why you say things to hurt someone you love. No human being has the right to hurt another, especially someone who loves you. It could be that you don’t really love them, that you don’t understand love, or that love is nothing more than a matter of convenience to you. And know this: each time you say hurtful words to someone you love you bruise their heart and that heart begins to shut down little by little.

We’re all human and none of us are perfect. We get annoyed sometimes, we get angry, we get cranky…that’s okay, we all have moments like that, but it’s NOT okay to hurt someone you love. It’s NOT okay to make them feel like your bad mood is their fault because it’s not, it’s yours. And it’s NOT okay to think you have the right to say hurtful words to someone because you want to.

We have choices in all areas of our life, especially in our relationships. You have a choice of which words you use, you have a choice in the tone of your voice when you say them, and you have a choice to talk things through calmly with the one you love instead of being mean and hurtful.

And you have a choice to walk away.

You have a bad day? Work getting to you? Are you unhappy? Did someone make you angry or hurt your feelings?

We all rough days now and then, but understand that it’s not fair or right to take YOUR rough day out on another.

Think about what you’re feeling and why…

Don’t take it out on someone who loves you…

Don’t bruise the heart of someone who truly loves you..

And remember that their feelings are just as important as yours…

Be kind or be quiet.

It’s a good thing.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~