Reading and Learning

Just the other day, I restarted reading good books. WOW. I'm always impressed how awesome reading is once I finally take the time to go out of my way and do it.
--> makes me think of a quote Chris Brady loves repeating: "You don't know what you don't know. You forget a lot of stuff you know. And you know a lot of stuff that isn't so." - Specifically here, it is forgetting stuff that you knew. I've 'known' that reading is awesome. Once at the beginning of 2012 I even read 7 books in 7 weeks. But, once I broke the habit, I forgot how great it was!

Have you ever been reading a book, and really enjoyed the book, but for some reason stopped reading it? Have you ever just gotten tired of an author? Without knowing it, that happened to me! I have just stopped reading some books - that I had been learning a lot from - for seemingly no apparent reason! Chris Brady, the same one from that previous quote, is a best selling author and top ranked leadership expert. I read a blog post of his a while back on reading, but hadn't implemented it until this time. And what a difference it made!

Innate Human Dignity

I just had a mini epiphany in the idea of human dignity. 

For some background, yesterday I received an email from the "social justice committee" from my church. They are reading books and becoming semi-active politically in fighting for rights for the imprisoned and against capital punishment. I read an article included in the email about people who claim to be Catholic, but support the death penalty and how those aren't compatible. 

Then just now I was rereading a section of a book ("How to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing with People") that said: "You would automatically practice god human relations if you would remember that every individual is important, because every individual is a child of God." And I noticed a very puzzling inconsistency with a large number of people.

Words are POWERFUL!

Wow wow wow wow. Words are POWERFUL! :) Today, I was reminded of that. 

I love complements. And for some reason, I don't think I'm in the minority here. Lol. I have this strange feeling that everyone enjoys being noticed and recognized. Everyone, from the murders to the saints, from the slaves to the kings, love to be complemented and praised for their work. 

Today and yesterday I received a few complements and words of appreciation that made a major impact for me. Sometimes... you just need some reassurance that you're on the right path, that you are capable, that you are improving, that someone also believes in you.