“I’m a certified life coach. I don’t practice it now, but I still use it in my work. I’ve always had people come to me and say, ‘Hey, I need to talk to you. I need your advice.’ So I just lend an ear. I listen to people describe their problems. Then I ask, ‘How do you think you should best approach that?’ And they say, ‘Well, I think I should do it this way.’ Then I say, ‘What I’m hearing you say is …’

“Sometimes people just need to hear you repeat what they think. Everybody has resolve within them. I just help them hear themselves.

“I use that approach in my job, dealing with coworkers and customers. I collect payments. So I’ll say, ‘What I heard you say is you can pay me on the 10th. Is that right? OK, great. I’ll expect to get your check on the 10th.’”

Why do you think you’re like that?
“It goes back to my parents. They were very real people, very genuine, very compassionate. I believe they gave me that gift of compassion. I’m not a judgmental person. I realize that anybody can get into a terrible situation. And I’m able to say, ‘Oh, wow. You know what? I’ve been there.’ Or, ‘I know someone who’s been there. You just hold on.’

“I always try to encourage people. Tomorrow’s a better day. You may feel like today is it. You don’t want to go on. But you could wake up tomorrow and find that new job or that new relationship.

“I feel like I’m a good encourager. Sometimes people just need to hear something good. I try to plant that seed of positive energy.”

— Cindy Rios

Related:

• Dale Carnegie courses help turn around attitude

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“Kids are very smart and imaginative. The world hasn’t sucked it out of them yet. If they have an idea or concept, I’ll make a logo or graphic for them. I usually do the first one free.

“Some people might need a logo to help believe in themselves, to have a visual aid that inspires them to follow through with something. If I’m the one who can provide that, it’s a pretty cool feeling.

“Honestly, I think it just takes one person. One person to step into someone’s life and be encouraging, be inspiring, be motivating, be determined, and not because that person wants money in his pocket. That’s what I’m trying to do. I believe that if each person would inspire and help one other person in this world, it would be amazing here. We’d have one hell of an Earth.”

Related:

• Artist continues work, even while homeless
• He’s no fan of the business side of art

The post Inspiring others could lead to ‘one hell of an Earth’ appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“I’m a stay-at-home mom with four kids. It’s a lot of work. My biggest job is making sure they grow up right.

“Our oldest son just graduated high school, and we’re encouraging him to go off somewhere to college. He doesn’t have to stay in Baytown. If he wants to travel and see the world, then he should do that. That’s an opportunity I never had.”

— Michelle Ortiz

The post ‘My biggest job is making sure they grow up right’ appeared first on The Baytown Project.