While you might dread the annual family gathering, the tired stories of the difficult relative or traversing the “elephant” in the room, Thanksgiving gatherings are fertile soil for words of encouragement. What might happen if we carry as much encouragement into the kitchen this year as we do delicious pies? For many, speaking words of encouragement…… Continue reading #SowKind Thanksgiving Takeover
Teaching adult ESL classes has given me profound insight into the concept of native tongue. Being saturated in a language since birth, it can be tough to adapt to the oddities and newness of a second language. It’s not for a lack of desire or unwillingness that the difficulty comes. Deferring to a native tongue…… Continue reading Moment of Truth Monday
More often than I care to admit, I need a pep talk. It’s easy for me to calculate the losses in my life and fail to sit with the wins. I have always wanted to be a person whose starting point was gratitude. Since I know my tendency toward a half-empty outlook, pep talks are…… Continue reading Moment of Truth Monday
New #sowkind shirts are available! Woo-hoo!! By purchasing a shirt, the #sowkind movement reaches into new areas. Shirts are excellent conversation starters and curiosity sparkers; they offer open invitations to onlookers! Movements need many people to create momentum, so this is a great way to encourage the ripple of kindness. We’ve set a goal of…… Continue reading Announcing: New #Sowkind Shirts
It started as a seed idea and turned into a full-grown dream. The #Sowkind Movement has roots embedded in a belief that our words have unique and distinct power. Though words are freely given to each of us, we have a responsibility to steward them well. When I first shared this dream, I invited you…… Continue reading T-shirts and a Contest [oh, my]
Outcome [noun]: something that follows as a result or consequence. Anticipating an outcome is second nature for me. I invest more time than I care to admit considering all the things before moving forward. When I am dependent on the outcome, I often forfeit the pursuit. I become paralyzed in my “need to know” state…… Continue reading Release the Outcome [#sowkind]
I’ve been thinking about the highlight reel I see throughout all forms of social media. There isn’t anything inherently wrong about posting the wins of life-though it gets a lot of negative air time. The trouble lives in the comparison game. When I hold my life against the backdrop of the wins of others, I…… Continue reading Moment of Truth Monday
My body was exhausted. The weekend stretched me beyond my comfort zone, and it was only Saturday morning. The words pouring out of the presenter’s mouth pulled me further into discomfort. “She chose a better story.” He spoke of a family concerned about their rebellious child. They lamented because they had done everything to provide…… Continue reading Choosing a Better Story
Size has been a point of conversation my entire life. Mind you, it’s not a topic I’ve initiated or enjoyed. Mere dislike of a subject doesn’t keep it at bay, unfortunately. In elementary school, I was often “volun-told” to crawl under the bathroom stall and unlock the door. Not only does my current germaphobe self…… Continue reading Moment of Truth Monday
I’m a big fan of words. The #sowkind movement is [after all] rooted in my belief that words have the ability to influence stories, change seasons, and adjust perspectives. Words really matter, but words alone are not enough. Very often in my parenting-I have used a phrase that was as much for me as it…… Continue reading Moment of Truth Monday
Alyssa DeLosSantos 