The Happy Jar

I just delivered a free speech. I am a great believer in free speech, but an even greater believer in paid speech. However, there are good reasons why someone like me would deliver free speeches. For instance, to support a charity or a cause I believe in. Or if the audience is full of people who hire speakers.

If you've ever spoken at a dinner or ran a workshop at a conference, you'll wince when I mention the dreaded "token of appreciation" presented to the speaker. In your head you think, "Oh no, not another T-shirt." I have my share of T-shirts, golf shirts, letter openers, books that do not interest me, sweets, ball caps, and pens. I don't need any more.

Sigh. I suppose that's the price of free speech.

Which brings me to my recent free speech, at the end of which I braced myself to face Dreaded Token. I was presented with a lovely gift bag brimming with colorful paper -- the perfect camouflage to conceal Dreaded Token until he was ready to pounce. Mercifully, Madam Group President did not make me open the bag in front of everyone.

As I was preparing to leave, I sneaked a peak inside the bag. To my surprise, there was a candy jar with dozens of tiny plastic smiley faces glued to the lid. Around the lid were foam-rubber multi-colored letters that read "Happy Guy". Wow! It was hand-made. Madam Group President took the time to craft a personal gift. How thoughtful. Dreaded Token, you have met your match. Meet Happy Jar.

If you have ever been a parent, valuing more the hand-made card your little daughter scribbles for you than any present she could buy, you know how I felt when I met Happy Jar. I can't wait for my daughter to be old enough to draw so I can feel that way more often.

In life, little things really do count. You might be tempted to dismiss them, but they are the seeds that grow up into the garden of your life. Not all little things are good, but yours can be ? if you are willing to make a small effort. Madam Group President could have handed me a T-shirt or a ball cap or leftover fruit cake from last Christmas. (Yes, I was once presented with left-over fruitcake.) But she invested her effort instead and I have something wonderful to write about today.

You can make someone's day just by making that same little effort. I sent an encouraging e-mail to lift a friend's spirits today. It worked. Those carefully chosen words brought her mood right back up. I'm sure you can guess how great that made me feel, too.

When Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the epic This Is The Place raved to me about the writing in my book, I felt on top of the world. (It's not the huge $75 royalty checks every three months that inspire authors to write.) She then raved to Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com and a dozen other book review web sites. Do I have to tell you how her little extra effort made me feel?

I know I am blessed to be surrounded by so many thoughtful people, but I also know that we reap what we sow. What are you sowing? Are you making the time to give a little extra to people around you? Are you sowing seeds of happiness in your garden of life?

With the right seeds and a little extra effort, you may find more Happy Jars in your life than Dreaded Tokens. And of course, let us not forget the magic words to keep those Happy Jars coming: "Thank you Madam Group President."

David Leonhardt is The Happy Guy. He is a motivational speaker and author of Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness. Buy the book at Amazon.com.

About The Author

David Leonhardt is The Happy Guy, and author of Climb your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness.

Visit him at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com

David@TheHappyGuy.com

---

Leadership Like Water-Water Canoeing

Although world business is undergoing historic changes, the prevailing view... Read More

Leadership - L.P.B It!

"Dissatisfaction and discouragement are not caused by the absence of... Read More

Leadership: Seed or Fruit?

Purpose: Learn immediately if you are fostering leadership or ignoring... Read More

The Defining Moment: The Straw That Stirs The Drink Of Motivational Leadership (Part Two)

In Part One, I described the importance of establishing deep,... Read More

Leadership and The Dirty Work

The airline, Jet Blue, has been featured in many magazines... Read More

Leading In The Face Of Disaster

The date was Saturday, April 11, 1970, the time 13:13... Read More

What Kind of Leader Are You?

There are literally millions of words written and spoken each... Read More

Premature Articulation

Ask anyone about what makes a good leader and they... Read More

A Blueprint for Leadership - How to Be a Better Leader

If you were to build a house, you would begin... Read More

Using Your Intuition

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our... Read More

Father Knows Best

A good strong example of a family leader would be... Read More

Tough Times Demand Resilient Leaders

The stock market gyrates with unpredictable and heartburning results. Icons... Read More

None of Us Arrived with an Owners Manual: A Fresh Perspective on the Drive to Lead (part 2)

Why didn't I get an Owner's ManualAfter a little while... Read More

Two Leadership Traps: How To Get Out Of Them and How To Avoid Them (Part 1)

You've heard of the Peter Principle: "People are promoted to... Read More

Extraordinary People in Mediocre Times

My grandfather used to speak of the days when people... Read More

Are You a Good Manager or a Great Leader?

Your word is your truth - Know that when you... Read More

10 Smart Ways Leaders Can Bring Out the Best in Others

You are a leader. Everyone is a leader. It doesn't... Read More

A Winning Choice for Leadership!

"The only way to enjoy anything in this life, is... Read More

Leadership A Perspective From Tao

Tao Te Ching said to be written by Lao Tzu... Read More

Ten Steps To Effective Leadership

Many people end up in a supervisory position or SOHO... Read More

Rationalize Success Away

I was invited to do a Leadership workshop at a... Read More

Leader is Not a Title

There is a steady flow of information in the form... Read More

Stand Out as a Leader, Do 5 Things Better! Number One: Improve the Quality of Your Decision Making!

The manager administers, the leader improves; the manager maintains, the... Read More

Asking for Help

For many of us, asking for help is a difficult... Read More

UNCLOS III Process model

The United Nations Conference on Law of the Sea was... Read More

Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 7, Personal Attacks

Personal attacks hurt people, mar communication, and end creativity. If... Read More

Listening Like a Leader

Our studies of the most effective people in corporate America... Read More

The Code of the Conference Leader

Are your meetings generally a waste of time? Do you... Read More

Leadership - Connect to Engage!

It's been said many times that true leadership is measured... Read More

Five Steps Towards Greater Self Confidence

We watch the star athlete calmly make the final shot,... Read More

People or Objects? - - You Decide

"How you think determines how you act. How you... Read More

The Ten Commandments of Leadership

A poem hangs on the wall at Mother Theresa's orphanage... Read More

Dissolving Conflict Through Reframing

Reframing is looking at the situation with a new set... Read More