Involve yourself in causes that you believe in. Join a team, a church, a gym, a community action group. Volunteer. You are needed. There are more opportunities to be helpful than you can ever imagine. Our nation runs on volunteers. Ask your friends what they do. Every community, organization or church needs helping hands, active brains and warm hearts. Tutor a child. Read to children in the hospital or to those who have lost their sight. Drive a neighbor to a doctor’s appointment or to the market.

            Strong and varied relationships are essential for continued well being. Meet new people. Nurture the relationships that you already have. Renew old friendships. Long term friendships are the secret to well being especially as we mature. In order to make a friend you first have to be a friend. Put yourself in a position to meet new friends. Join a church, a social club, a dinner group, a book club, a bridge club or a dance club. You will not meet new friends in your den watching television. Volunteer with the United Way or some other worthy organization. Mingle. Research shows that people who have enduring relationships not only live

            Physical well being is a key factor for successful living, loving and working. Get enough rest. Eat the right foods in the right portions. Exercise regularly. No smoking. Be careful with alcohol. Take care of your body and your health and they will serve you well. Exercise your brain. Staying fit begins in the brain.

            Stand up for those who are unable to stand up for themselves. Stand up for what you believe. Be counted on the side of right, justice and truth. It is not always popular or prudent to stand tall for what you believe is right, but there is never a wrong time to do the right thing.

            Others are relying on you. Don’t disappoint them or yourself. Absolutely no one else can take your place. Develop the reputation that your word is your bond. Dependability may not be glamorous but it is absolutely bedrock for establishing a good reputation.

            Be generous with your time, resources, knowledge, insights, praise and contacts. The more you share the more you have to share. Generosity often goes unacknowledged but never goes unrewarded. Dr. Robert Moore, long time president of Mars Hill College in North Carolina, said, “All that you have when you die is what you have given away.” Some say, “Give until it hurts.” I say, “Give until it feels good.” Read, Love is the Killer App by Tim Sanders.

            Remember who you are. Stay true to your values. Don’t sacrifice your core to the passing temptations or persuasions of the moment. Character is built and strengthened decision by decision and moment by moment. Who you are takes a lifetime to build and only a few seconds to destroy. Finishing well is far more important than starting well. Life is a marathon not a sprint. When you know who you are, you are prepared for those split second decisions that can make or break your life. Never give over control of your life to someone else. Never abandon who you are for the expediency of the moment.

            Think of the feelings, fears, anxieties and joys of others. Don’t be a bull in a china shop. Lighten the burden of those around you. Be a calming presence. Make others feel happy that you are there.

            The sun will come up tomorrow. The flowers will bloom and the birds will sing. The direction of all life is growth. The South Carolina state motto translates, “While I breathe, I hope.” Every new life is a sign that there is a tomorrow. Each new minute is an opportunity to begin again. Remember it is already tomorrow some where in the world.

            Good manners never go out of style. People will not remember what you said. They will remember how you make them feel. People will not care about how much you know until they know how much you care.