I am not a big fan of self-checkout. Maybe it is because I am not quick at it. Maybe it is because I would rather interact with a real person. Maybe it is because it usually takes longer than having a real person check me out. Maybe it is a combination of reasons, but I am not a fan.

Today I went to the store to buy 4 things. There was only one checkout line open with a real person and the rest was self-checkout. Since three people with overflowing carts were waiting in line for the real person, I moved to the self-check line. It was longer, but I hoped it would move faster. It didn’t.

When it was finally my turn, I punched in my phone number for the good customer discount and began scanning. Milk, bread, bananas…everything was moving fine until I scanned the pears and put them on the conveyor belt. Suddenly the system locked up. The belt wouldn’t move. The number 11 on the pole above me began flashing. I waited. Did I mention I am not a fan of self-checkout?

After some time, a clerk came over. “I am not sure what I did, it just stopped,” I told him. “You have too many items on the belt.” The clerk said, with a monotone voice, motionless face, and no eye contact. He clearly was not enjoying his job.

My bread and milk had happily made their way to the end of the belt, but my bananas and pears sat together right next to me and hadn’t moved. What? Those two things are too much for the belt? I was confused.

The clerk punched in a code and walked away. My eyes followed him, wondering if I could continue or if I needed to wait, or if I had broken the machine. I touched the pay button on the screen, put in my credit card, bagged my 4 items, and left.

On the drive home, I was growling in my mind thinking about how much I don’t like self-checkout. How rude I thought the clerk was. How 8 other check stands could have had real people working them but were closed. And why was it my job to scan my groceries, bag my groceries, and wait for the unfriendly clerk to fix a problem that I didn’t understand?

What happened to a friendly face by the register, friendly chit-chat about how my day was going, a bagger gently placing my bagged items in my cart, and then pushing my cart to my car and unloading it, and thanking me by my name? Yes, I am sure all that dates me back many, many years, but those were good times, right?

I walked into my house and the first thing out of my mouth to my husband was, “If I ran a grocery store I would put my friendliest, happiest person in charge of the self-checkout area. Every customer that stands under a flashing sign is frustrated and needs help and should be greeted with a friendly face.”  He just smiled and nodded. He knows I am not a fan of self-checkout.

I stewed about this most of the morning and then I realized I was looking at it all wrong. I did a little check-in with myself. Everything I was frustrated about was unimportant. The important thing was the happiness level of the clerk who helped me. Maybe my only job was to see if I could increase that person’s happiness.

Ok, maybe it wasn’t my job, but couldn’t it be my goal to make others happier? This is a Happiness Game I have played many times. Will you join me?

Every time you see someone having a difficult day or seems to be unhappy, can you make their day a little better? It doesn’t take much effort. A smile for your barista. A hug for your friend. A “how is your day going,” for the clerk at the self-check area. A joke with your lunch server. And try the magic of telling someone how you appreciate what they do. All of these give you points in the happiness game. With every point and every expression of care, YOU will feel happier - and hopefully so will they.

I am not a fan of self-checkout, but the next time I use it I plan to be friendly and appreciative of the clerk even if they do not return the same happiness level. Especially if they don’t.
​That is how the game works.
                                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                     Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                   When you are the most frustrated by the way you are treated,
                        it is time to treat others with compassion and happiness.
                                                     It makes a difference.
                                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I am a cocker spaniel. I want everyone to like me. When I receive positive emails and messages about my columns or my books it makes me a happy cocker spaniel. I appreciate new ideas. A critical message sends a dagger to my heart. I never want to hurt feelings or send negativity in my words. If that happens, I want to correct it, I want to jump in your lap and make you my friend.

You have heard of FOMO – the Fear Of Missing Out? Well, I heard a new one the other day, FOPO. It is the Fear Of People’s Opinions. This was coined by sports psychologist, Michael Gervais. I believe we all suffer from this on varying levels. The judgment of others can at times be cruel.

I remember writing my first blog over a decade ago. My finger was shaking and my heart racing, as I hit the ‘publish’ button, knowing that I had just placed my words and feelings on the mysterious internet to be read by the eyes of the world. I felt excited, exposed, and vulnerable.

Within minutes I began hearing clicks. I ran to my husband and said,
“Ten people have read my blog!”
“Ten people you don’t know?” Was his response.
“Yes, I wonder who they are.”

My fear grew. I had just given these unknown people power. The power to judge me, to like me, to hate me, or to fly right by my words without noticing. FOPO. I had a strong Fear of People’s Opinions. Michael Gervais calls this the “greatest crippler of people’s potential.”

What did I do to squelch this fear? I kept coming back to my mission, which is three simple words: To Help Others. I share my thoughts, feelings, tips, and techniques with the intention of them landing in the hearts of those who need help. I hope to help them heal, grow, and succeed in life. My purpose is to inspire and encourage. I want to help.

Those first ten people became the beginning of a tribe of thousands. They live in different corners of the internet and world. I realize that not every one of my writings or every speech hits the heart of every reader. But the next one may be just the one you need to hear. With every writing when I hit publish or send, or when I stand on a stage to speak, I send along my wish, – may my words reach who needs to hear them. 

So here is one that I came up with, PUMP. Power of Understanding Mission and Purpose. I am still a cocker spaniel. I still want everyone to like me, but on the rare occasion my FOPO kicks in, I PUMP myself up by standing firm in my mission and purpose. Everything I do is with the intention of my mission and my purpose. I jumped into the arena, exposed and vulnerable, but my mission and purpose helped me succeed. It PUMPS me up and keeps me going.

What do you want to do that the Fear Of People’s Opinion is holding you back from? Spend some time on what your intention is. Why do you want to do this? Create a mission statement and know your purpose. Write them down. Stencil them on a plaque. Make it your screen saver. Embed them into your heart. Don’t let the opinion of others cripple your potential.

Let this quote sink in:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…” Theodore Roosevelt

I am a cocker spaniel. I want everyone to like me. Not everyone will. But I continue to jump into the arena every day. I play there. I learn there. I make friends there. And I do not fear the opinions of others.
Will you join me?  Will you jump into the arena?
                              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                       Don’t let the opinion of others cripple your potential.
                              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

#CornerofSpiritandBrave  #loveyourlifenomatterwhat  #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt  #IAmGoodEnough
YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2024 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information. ​

Karma is a witch – or something like that. We have heard that hundreds of times. We associate Karma with bad things happening. If someone does something, we believe is wrong or bad we assume Karma will catch up to them at some point and give them a difficult experience in return.

​Karma is like an angered tiger that hides around the corner waiting to pounce and pay back the unfortunate soul who did wrong.

Most of the time the idea that your actions come back to you seems to be couched in the negative. It is believed that the energy and actions of past lives follow you into your current life. This is used as an explanation of why bad things happen to good people. It is a Karmic lesson from a past life where bad deeds occurred.

Karma is a concept deeper than can be covered in a few hundred words of a column. The concept of Karma dates back to 1500 BC. The 12 Laws of Karma include the Laws of Cause and Effect, Creation, Humility, Growth, Responsibility, Connection, Force, Giving and Hospitality, Here and Now, Change, Patience and Reward, and lastly Significance and Inspiration. Each law is interesting to study and compare how it relates to your life.

I would like to concentrate on the good side of Karma that is explained in each of the Laws of Karma. You may notice that each law has a positive title. Karma is rich. Rich in opportunity. Rich in reward. Rich in positivity if we understand the power of goodness. If the energy you put out into the world or the universe is the energy you will receive in return, why not make it positive energy? Why not receive positive energy in return?

If cutting someone off in traffic, being rude, treating others with disrespect, being a mean and hateful person creates a negative return in your life, why would you do it?
Think of having an imaginary Karma bank account. Every time you help someone, thank someone, volunteer, donate, hold the door open for a stranger, or buy coffee for the people behind you in the drive-through of a coffee shop, you are depositing into your Karma bank account. Acting in a negative hateful way deducts from your Karma bank account.

I believe intent plays a role in this. If you are intentional with your anger, hate, and bad behavior, the negative withdrawal from your Karma account is larger. You know better, you have the power to control yourself, but you do these things anyway… watch out. Karma is a witch.

In the same way, when you see a need, an injustice, or a space of suffering that hurts your heart and you intentionally try to improve the situation, the deposit into your Karma account is larger.

If this concept is more than you can handle and you don’t believe the theory of your good and bad energy building and transferring from life to life, let’s make this simple. We all know the golden rule- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Or Treat others the way you want to be treated. What the golden rule is saying is the definition of Karma. If you treat others badly you will be treated badly in return. If you treat others with love and kindness, you will be treated with love and kindness in return.

A fight is never settled by escalated yelling and anger. It is when you are kind and compassionate that you can communicate and diffuse a situation. As the saying goes, you get further with honey than vinegar. It is easier to be polite and positive than it is to be angry and negative.

Karma doesn’t have to be a witch. Karma done correctly can create a positive, loving beautiful cushion to land on. You can align your life with being the best person you can be. You can control your actions, words, and gestures with the intention of kindness and compassion. You can harness the power of Karma. If you want love, be loving. If you want respect, be respectful. If you want success, begin being successful at little things and your success will grow.

Look in the mirror and what do you see? Do you see a kind, caring, loving person smiling back at you? Or do you see an angry, depressed, unhappy person looking back at you? How you act, how you talk, and how you live your life will be mirrored back to you. The life, love, and energy you are given is a direct reflection of what you are giving.
​ It’s simple. You get what you give. Karma can be a witch…or Karma can be your biggest ally and the strongest power that increases goodness in your life.
                                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                      Pennie’s Life Lesson:
                                            It’s simple- you get what you give.
                                                         The choice is yours.
                                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My dog turned 8 today. She is a beautiful copper and white fluffy face of love. She is pampered and spoiled to the point of diva status. Her name is Gracie.

If you follow the modern calculation of dog years to human years, each of the first two years of a dog’s life equals 10.5 in human years - 21 years. The next 6 years of a dog’s life each equals 4 human years - 24 years. For my 8-year-old Shih Tzu this is the equivalent of 45 human years. The expected life span of a Shih Tzu is 10-16 dog years. The charts are quick to point out that all of this is an estimate and individual dogs may vary depending on size, genetics, and overall health.

I would guess Gracie has a glorious second half of life ahead of her. You might say she won the lottery of humans when she came to live with us at 9 weeks old. Gracie never goes hungry or thirsty and has regular checkups and veterinary care. She visits a groomer once a month and halfway through the month enjoys a home spa day that consists of special shampoo, warmed towels, and a luxury blow dry and brush out by her humans (that’s us). She enjoys freshly cooked chicken in her meals and when winter is fierce, she has a custom artificial turf area in the garage to keep her safe from the dangerous cold and blizzard conditions. Yes, pampered and spoiled may be an understatement.

More than all of that, Gracie knows a few things about life and how to take care of herself. When she wakes up in the morning, or even after a nap, she always does a few yoga stretches and slowly eases her body into the movement of the day.
She never eats unless she is hungry, but when she is hungry, she eats with the excitement of it being the most delicious food she has ever tasted. She enjoys it as if it is the only meal she has ever had. When she is full, she stops- even if there is still food in her bowl.

Gracie is content with what she has and enjoys the simple pleasure of a belly rub and believes there is always time for laying in the sunshine and feeling the warmth of it on her back.

She is always friendly and kind to other animals and to all humans. She is enthusiastic when she meets someone new and is sad when they leave.
She understands the meaning of trust and the expectation of loyalty. She gives both freely. She is the guardian of her humans, rarely leaving us alone without her supervision…I mean protection. She knows if we are stressed or not feeling well. She lays next to us aware that her snuggles will calm us and rubbing her ears will be the soothing medicine we need.

Gracie is a master teacher. Most importantly, Gracie teaches us that the number one essential thing in life is love. She gives it without condition and is grateful when it is given to her. It is her purpose in life and the mission of her heart – to love.

I wonder what dogs think. I am pretty sure they don’t think about how old they are or how many calories are in a birthday cake. I don’t think they wish for a bigger house or a faster car or worry if the dog next door has fancier squeaky toys. They are too busy being content with what they have.

It’s not fair that dogs don’t live longer. The speed of years takes them away from us way too quickly. Maybe it is because it takes humans much longer to learn what dogs inherently know when they arrive in this life. Dogs live life with gusto and don’t waste a moment. When they are happy, they express it with every part of their being, dancing on happy paws, and wiggling every inch of their bodies in joy.  They don’t waste time being upset or holding grudges. They are too busy loving.

No matter how many more years of life Gracie has, it won’t be long enough. It won’t be long enough for me to give her all that she deserves. It won’t be long enough for me to learn all the lessons she was sent here to teach. It won’t be long enough for me to show her how deeply I love her.

My sweet girl is 8 today. Yes, she is pampered and spoiled. It is the way a white fluffy-faced soul that is pure love should be treated.
                              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
                Pennie’s Life Lesson- or should I say, Gracie’s Life Lesson:
                When all you know how to give is love, you will be loved in return.
                               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ​

#CornerofSpiritandBrave #loveyourlifenomatterwhat #JourneyThrough #PennieHunt  #IAmGoodEnough
YOUR TURN...        
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 [email protected]. 
                                                                 Thank you!  ​
                                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
                                                         All Rights Reserved
                                          Copyright © 2013-2024 Pennie Hunt
                             This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information. ​