Kid President

if you can't think of anything nice to say, you're not thinking hard enough. it's National do something nice day

Apparently today is "National Do Something Nice Day". I say apparently because even though my research did in fact find information about the day, I was unable to find any information on its origin. Weird but kind of cool. It makes sense that someone who created a day all about kindness wouldn't be concerned with getting glory for it.

Maybe today hasn't been the best day for you. You woke up late because your alarm didn't go off, traffic was ridiculous, you stepped in a puddle and then a car drove by and splashed water all over your favorite outfit and then work is just...well...crummy. Imagine being at the end of that kind of day and needing to go to the grocery store (because all bad days include an empty refrigerator and/or emplty gas tank, I have no idea why this is) but imagine for a second that this is your scenario today. Suddenly the person in front of you let's you go before them or maybe the car before you paid your gas before you even filled your tank. How amazing would that feel? It is this idea that no matter how bad your day is, the smallest kindness can turnt he whole thing around.

So the only thing you really need to know is that today is that somebody is having a crummy day. But most of us are strong proud individuals who don't want to burden anyone with that day so we keep a stiff upper lip and just do everything we can to get through the day. When you know this and know that the simplest kindness might not mean much to you but it could mean the world to somebody else. It is for this reason it makes sense that we should be kind every day but assuming this just doesn't happen, which is probably a good assumption with all the things going on in our world today, being kind to everyone gives you infinite possibilities to be the reason somebodies day turns from good to bad.

Here is the doesn't even have to be anything major. Here are a few small ideas from Kid President that take very little time out of your day but could make all the difference in someone else's.

a few extra from me to you...

  • did you know that some people have NEVER had a clown cone? This should be rectified, what better day than today?

  • help someone carry their groceries to the car

  • Leave a note on somebodies car to tell them what an awesome job of parking they did (I got this one from Kid President and I love it)

  • hold doors open for people

  • compliment people

  • put your phone down for an entire conversation, look in their eyes, give them non-verbal feedback...WOAH...this one could be huge

  • give up your seat to someone who may need it more

  • call your will turn her day around for sure

  • call your DAD...we always forget to call our Dad's 

  • for either of the above DO NOT TEXT them, make a real call with words and laughs

  • If you are near your parents, take them out for happy hour, catch up with them and pick up the check....they'll love it

  • make your co-workers get up and have a 30 second dance party, they'll resist at first but then totally get into...I mean, who wouldn't

  • tell someone a silly doesn't even have to be good

  • never underestimate the power of a smile

OH...and don't forget it is SOCKTOBER, so why not stock up some socks and donate to your nearest homeless shelter or make little hygiene care packs with snacks and self care items and keep them in your car and give them to a panhandler on the street instead of ignoring them. When you do this, don't forget to look them in they eye and say a kind word.

To hammer in the point, here is another KP video on "how we can change the world". 

Be nice to each other today. Tell me what kindness you are going to do today in the comments below. It might give someone else a good idea.

Till next time.

top five ways to get motivated on a monday

Supposedly online, "top 5 and top 10 lists" rule the day. It has something to do with our attention spans being very short. I thought I would test this theory by offering my own top 5 list. Since it is Monday...why not have a Motivational Monday list? Here goes...

Read Kid President's Guide to be Awesome.

I can't believe I didn't add this one to last Friday's post "laid off? tips for what to do next". It is such a perfect pairing to that. Regular followers know that as far as I am concerned Kid President is the Bees Knees. With an infectious giggle - serious, I dare you not to start laughing when you hear it, and a message simple and to the point, make the world more awesome. It is hard not to be motivated watching this little guy and his brother Brad take the world by storm. They turn small acts of kindness into world changing events. We forget sometimes that the smallest things tend to bring the biggest results and they remind us of that. 

The book is full of all sorts of tips on how to make the world more awesome. I have been working my way through them all. (including licking the White House walls, yup I did it, so what?) They suggest things like leaving notes on peoples car to tell them how awesome of a parker they are, parades for the post office employee of your choice, celebrations for the lunch lady or janitor at school, even mailing a friend a corndog. Most everything in the book is totally possible for everyone, kids and adults alike to do, with maybe the exception of kissing Beyonce, that might be a little harder than mailing a corn dog but stanger things have happened.


book it forward.


Once you are out there making the world more awesome and stuff why not spread the wealth? I realize this one goes back to Kid President but technically it is the second suggestion I have for you Monday. #bookitforward 

Once you read the book, don't put it on your dusty shelf. If you are going to do that, give it to someone else to enjoy. Maybe it is a friend, maybe it's a stranger on the street who looks like they could use a pick me up, just book it forward. If you want to keep the book because you know you will need to refer to it time and time again (that is totally me) why not buy an extra copy for someone.

It doesn't have to be this book in particular,although I can't think of a better book. It can be any book that has inspired you, motivated or gave you a little lift. Sharing the things that inspired you with others is a sure way to feel motivated on a Monday.

Do something childlike.

 mean it. Something utterly and completely un-adult like. It could be getting one of those cheap baby pools and chilling in it outside (maybe while you're reading your book). What about running through the sprinklers or slipping down a slip and slide even. If those don't appeal to you, try something simpler, like laying outside on the grass and gazing up at the stars and dreaming of your future. It doesn't sound childlike but I remember growing up spending many a summer night doing that, I can only count a handful of nights as an adult where I have done that.

If you need something more, what about playing one of your favorite childhood boardgames? Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Sorry etc. You could even do something active like try hula hooping, Four Square, Tetherball, Hop Scotch, tag or even old family reunion style games like the three-legged race, egg toss, potato sack races or water balloon fights. The point is that it doesn't matter what the exact activity it is, just make it childlike and don't pay attention to what you look like, pay attention to how you feel.

Friday Night Dance Parties in Your Underwear. 

You didn't really think I was going to put a picture of me dancing in my underwear on here did you? Come on...


YUP, I said it. This is a solo activity by the way and here is why. Dancing is so much fun, even if you have no rhythm but most of us try to dance a certain way in public, it is almost always very "cool guy" or adult and acceptable. When you are home alone in your underwear, there is nobody to judge your moves and so you just have more fun.

If you really want to turn it up a notch, you pull out a hair brush or broom and use it as your microphone and morph into your favorite pop star. Don't knock it till you try it people. When you combine the endorphin's, sweat and energy, you will probably fall back on the coach laughing or at least breathing heavy with a smile on your face and be so relaxed. Dancing it out is a sure way to get motivated. Plus the endorphin's are good for our mood and the exercise is good for our bodies. What is more attractive than a smiling fit person? Ummm, not much.

Go for a walk by yourself.

simple, right? If at all possible do this somewhere away from your neighborhood. Go somewhere that you can be surrounded by nature of some kind. TYou can even skip if you like. (that's even better) Research says that even just a few minutes outside in nature calms us down and brings up our levels of sertonin. In my opinion there is a very specific way to do this kind of walk. First off you need comfortable clothes. Nothing worse than being in the middle of a walk and having to pull at your shorts, or continually re-tie your shoes or fix your ponytail. This walk is going to meditative and motivating so limiting the annoyance of distraction is a must.

Bring music. yes, I know you are in nature and there are birds singing etc. but I find that having music or even a TED Talk playing on my headphones helps center me. If I am ever blocked for an idea, this my go to activity. There is something about being away from a computer, phone etc that instantly gets my brain running on overtime and ideas spill out. So I do cheat a little and listen to the music on my phone so that if a brilliant idea appears I can speak it into the phone and record it. The last key to the walk is that it has to be over 30 minutes long. It doesn't matter how far you go at all, the only important thing is that it is removing you from distraction for enough time to really have felt the difference when you return to the rigmarole of a normal Monday. 

That's it, my five tips to get a little inspired today. They are simple and easy to do so what are you waiting for? If you actually complete all five of these tips you will have gained knowledge from reading, performed a philanthropic act by booking it forward, played a game to help brain function and hand eye coordination, gotten some exercise and learned you had better dance moves than you thought. Look at all this self improvement you did with very little effort. Talk about making the world more awesome. 

that's pretty dope.

i got it from my mama...

Yesterday was Mother's Day and in honor of such a glorious day I decided to do my Mom a solid, and take a slight code of silence. Rather than me blabbing on, I am sharing two great video's about good old Mom that say everything I would ever want to say but in a much more delightful and hilarious way.

top 10 things i learned from my mama

Ok, I may have told a little bit of a fib. How could I end the blog with out at least a small amount of speaking. I decided to piggy back on my main man Kid President and provide a Top Ten List.

  1. never accept a drink from a stranger
  2. never give out a fake phone number
    1. better yet...just don't do anything fake at all
  3. always use your baby powers for good
  4. never trust a man in a shiny shirt
  5. if it brings you joy...then why the heck not?
  6. wine & chocolate are very delicious
  7. today's generation got screwed when it comes to cartoons
  8. have one signature dish you are known for...then nobody needs to know you can't cook
  9. short skirts, high heels & cute hats will bring all the boys to the yard
    1. it's no milkshake but trust me it still works
  10. there is very little that can compete with a good glass of wine, a sunny day & a book

happy mother's day

So, to my Mom and all of the other Mom's out there, I hope yesterday was wonderful and you felt spoiled by those that get spoiled by you every other day of the year.

Friday's 3 Things

Greetings from Washington DC,

First ladies are more often than not way cooler than their President husbands. I had the privilege of touring the White House this week and the stuff I learned about the first ladies was pretty epic. I have always been fond of Eleanor Roosevelt, as many of you know (see my first blog post) but learning about the bravery of Dolly Madison, the gumption of Lady Bird Johnson and the grace of Jacqueline Kennedy has me thinking I need to do a little more digging into the women of the White House. So to embark on this mission I decided that instead of 3 individual things I will instead provide you with three of my favorite quotes from First Ladies along with three facts from my tour.


— Lady Bird Johnson
I want minimum information given with maximum politeness.
— Jacqueline Kennedy
— Eleanor Roosevelt


Did you know that Dolly Madison saved a boatload of things from the White House before the British burned it down in 1814? One of those things was a life-sized portrait of George Washington that hangs in the White House today.How brave was that? To learn that later in life after her husband passed away that she lived in poverty is heart wrenching. I have got to read her biography.

It takes the staff at the White House 72 man hours to clean ONE SINGLE chandelier. I actually got to see them working on one and I kid you not, every single piece is removed and cleaned individually. I need that kind of deep clean at my house, prefereably by someone else.

I licked the White House walls. Seriously, I did. I took a page from Kid President and decided, why not? They don't really taste like much but the action of throwing caution to the wind and acting like a kid was somewhat invigorating. Normally when one tells people something as outrageous or some may say ridiculous as this, they require photographic evidence. Unfortunately the secret service does not allow photos on the tour, so you will have to take my word for it. I do have witnesses. They were very embarrassed but I don't care. Truth be told, I would do it all again. Thanks KP for the idea in your "Guide to Being Awesome".

What three things did you find interesting this week? Share them with me here or on social media. Can't to wait to hear from you

P.S. I haven't read much on our First Ladies yet, other than Eleanor and since I already recommended a book on her, I figure I will recommend my favorite book right now. "Kid President's Guide to Being Awesome" You will not regret picking this book up, it will give you a whole new outlook plus it will provide you with great advice to make the world more awesome and who doesn't want to do that?