Hi everyone!

The ever-expanding world of technology has given us the ability to instantly message each other, even connect with one another face to face. It’s amazing! It’s a great gift because we can communicate with people far away.

So let’s use this incredible gift to practice gratitude. It’s more than just a thank-you; it’s spreading some kindness, letting someone know how impactful and meaningful they are. Receiving a simple text, a simple letter, or a simple call can completely change a person’s day. Yesterday, I was just walking around CVS, a pharmacy store, and someone’s quick smile really made me happy. Like, how awesome is it that such a small action that can create such awesome vibes?

I always remember Mother Teresa’s amazing quote: “Let us meet each other with a smile,  for the smile is the beginning of love.” This is way true. Especially for me! Let’s send a smile to others today by way of our technology medium. You can always send happy letters through snail mail, too! Check out this post I recently wrote to get inspired about that. I love receiving mail!

Texting is my preference over face-to-face meeting online. I am not always a fan of FaceTime or Skype; I kind of nervous talking with people that I typically do not (LOL,. Like most of the world, Victoria ;P ). How will they react to such an abrupt conversation? This is why I prefer sending messages to others. Texting for me is the perfect way for me to surprise someone with a little text wishing them a great day, thanking them for helping me do something yesterday, etc.

Okay… It’s kind of weird to just send a random, heartfelt text to someone I don’t really talk to.

That’s true, haha! I’m one of those people that always rereads and rereads a text message before sending it just to make sure I don’t sound too distant or overly welcoming or way to imposing. I totally get that. Nonetheless, no matter how awkward it feels, I encourage you to send one positive sentence to someone today. I’ll show you how, give you ideas of who to send it to, and even provide some simple templates. Trust me, it won’t be awkward. It will be amazing. You got this.

I want you to remember another Mother Teresa quote. She has a lot of them. Here it is: “We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.” Have you ever opened up a text message or voicemail that just makes you smile? That’s what we are trying to do today; perhaps the person receiving your message doesn’t smile but feels happy and loved inside. We’ll call that the equivalent of smiling. 🙂

Who do I send one to?

Let’s just start with one person. If you want to send it to a few more, or everyone in your contacts, go for it! But let’s just think about someone that we want to tell something nice to. Here’s a few brainstorming starters:

• Who has recently given you a compliment that meant a lot to you? For me, someone recently commented a really sweet message on one of my earlier blog posts. It was so nice! I wrote her back a comment to let you her know how much it meant to me. Think about when you might have had a time like that, even if it was a month ago.
• Who is someone that frequently smiles at you or says hello? There was a teacher that always greeted me happily when I passed by her in the hallways. It made me feel like a part of the community. When I wrote her a thank-you letter at the end of the year, I let her know how much her salutations meant to me. Think about a joyful co-worker, a happy neighbor, a friend that you often walk by or see, mailman, dog-walker, etc.
• Who is a friend that recently (or not recently) did something for you that meant a lot? I had a friend that sent me a spontaneous congratulations-on-graduating note the other day and I wrote her a message back about how much her friendship had helped me grow and feel welcomed at school. Perhaps someone has reached out lately that you might have even forgot to respond to (this happens to everyone! It’s never too late to respond).

Here are some basic people that one might thank:

• Mentors
• Teachers
• Co-Workers
• Babysitters
• Volunteers
• Friends
• Family
• Extended family members
• Janitors at places you often go to
• Classmates
• Tutors

Alright, but what do I send?! How do I not sound so awkward?!

Don’t stress! It’s really simple! I have some examples of what you can send to someone. Feel free to personalize it and really get to what means a lot to you about the person you choose to send this to.

Here are a few examples of texts that I’ve recently sent. They have been generalized and crafted non-specifically so that you all can use it. Check them you! And remember, no matter how you feel about how weird or out-of-the-blue your message might sound and feel like, sending someone some positivity is only a beautiful and amazing thing to do. Feel proud for being brave, too!

• “Hey there! I hope you are having a great day!”
• “Hi, _____! Thank you for helping me set up that party yesterday. It looked amazing!”
• “Hey there. I know this may seem out of the blue, but I just wanted to thank you for saying hi to me all the time. It means a lot. Have a great day!”
• “Good morning/afternoon. How are you doing? I just wanted to wish you a great start to your day. Hopefully we can catch up soon!”
• “Hey there. I’m wishing you the best of luck on your project/presentation/meeting/talk/test. You got this.”

What are you waiting for?

Chances are, since this blog is online, you are reading this message from a laptop, phone, or tablet, unless you printed out this post. You have the tools right now in your possession to uplift others and make them feel special. Whether it’s an email, a text, a phone call, a Face-Time, a Skype, a Facebook Message, a Facebook comment, an Instagram comment or DM, or whatever app you use to send messages, do that now! Do that right now.

I’m sending you all the best vibes right now. Whatever you are going through right now, you can do this! Know that you have so much potential and awesome things about you to keep going. Don’t forget to share those unique talents and gifts and kindness to those around you.

Thank you so much for reading! Have an amazing day, and stay tuned for more posts! Hit the subscribe button the right hand column to get more posts, or insert your email to receive these by mail.

Keep doing amazing things. With much love,

Victoria 🙂

Quote of the Post:

“Power to me is the ability to make a change in a positive way.” -Victoria Justice

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Hey there, friend! I am so happy that you are here!

I created this blog to do the heart and soul of the things I love most: sharing optimism, positivity, and encouragement out into the world! My hope is that you leave this blog with the motivation and confidence to tackle the challenges, goals, and dreams ahead of you.

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