Happy New Year from Mennonite Insurance!
We would love to quote your insurance for 2021, check out what types of insurance we offer to see how we can help you get your 2021 started off right.
National Compliment Day
By Lorie Ham
We all know that 2020 was a rough year, not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. As we start a new year, everyone could use more positive things in their life to help lift their spirits. One way to help yourself and others would be to celebrate National Compliment Day on January 24.
According to TimeandDate.com, this unofficial day was started in 1998 by Debby Hoffman and Kathy Chamberlin as a way to tell people in their lives how much they appreciated them, and now people celebrate all over the world.
A compliment is a polite expression of praise or admiration. But what is a ‘good’ compliment? For a compliment to be good, it must be sincere. No one really wants to hear false praise, but almost everyone blossoms under a sincere compliment. It can be helpful though to keep in mind the personality of the person you are complimenting. Some people just find it embarrassing, and many people have a hard time accepting that it is sincere. So be sure to give careful thought to what and how to best compliment those around you.
If you are complimenting a friend, family member, or long time coworker, you probably have a pretty good idea of what type of compliment they will receive well. Unless you are also close friends, it is probably best not to compliment a coworker on their appearance just to be certain that it won’t be misunderstood. However, you can definitely compliment them on doing a good job at work. On the other hand, your sibling or your spouse might love to hear you tell them how nice they look today. In complimenting strangers, often you can once again use a compliment that refers to their job. Thank a clerk at the store for being helpful in checking out your items. Thank a deliveryman for wearing a mask when they drop off your package. Thank your local librarian for being so good at finding you just the right book. Thank your insurance agent for being helpful in finding you just the right coverage.
The website National Today has a lot of helpful tips and thoughts on giving compliments on National Compliment Day, and some very interesting statistics about different ways that people react to compliments. You can also find some great tips on Pinterest, and Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt has some great suggestions on her website.
Even if we aren’t able to give compliments in person, most of us are on social media and can easily find opportunities there to compliment others. You could also send an email, or make a phone call. You may just brighten someone’s very difficult day by doing so. We would love it if you would share with us on our Facebook page some of your ideas about giving compliments on National Compliment Day, and every day!
Things We Missed in 2020
By Lorie Ham
This past year has been difficult for everyone, and our hope is that 2021 will be much better. As we look toward the future, we all have things we have really missed doing and can’t wait to be able to do again. Our staff and board wanted to share with you some of the things they can’t wait to do again, and we hope you will share with us some of the things you miss most.
Mennonite Insurance staff member Michelle Heinrichs can’t wait to have a family gathering where it is okay to hug again. “We are a hugging family and have been really struggling to not even gather since March. Cannot wait!!”
“We’ve been giving air hugs, fist bumps, and some hip bumps (gently),” shares staff member Stephanie Heier. “I have missed hugging and being together without worry. But after all the emotional stuff, we’re going to Disneyland!!”
Being able to get together with family seems to be at the top of almost everyone’s list. “When things get back to ‘normal’ I would immediately make plans for our entire family– kids, grandkids, and great grandkids, from Reedley, Madera, Fresno, Spokane, N. Carolina–[to get] together,” shares Jim Enns, who is a board member from Reedley.
John Hochstetler is a board member from Salem, OR and he can’t wait to travel together with family. Normally on New Year’s several members of his family get together and take a trip to the coast. He looks forward to being able to reschedule that hopefully later this year. “Also, we enjoy going to eat out at our favorite restaurants.”
Dennis Langhofer, a board member in Spokane, also can’t wait to eat in restaurants, as well as go to church and sing in the choir again. And pastor and board member Alan Whaley in Phoenix is looking forward to being able to have a real communal meal at church again, where they can share both food and fellowship, “and even give and receive hugs. It’s been a long time. “
“Aside from being grateful for getting through such a pandemic, I would like to take a nice vacation,” shares staff member Yolanda Hernández.
Traveling is also on board member Larry E. Miller’s list as he hopes to travel and see more of the country when this is over. “This year has been the first full year of my retirement and we only managed one overnight trip to Sacramento in February. Time to head out as soon as we have the vaccine!”
Like all of us, staff member Dalia Jimenez will just be thankful when this is finally under control. What is it that you miss most? What will be the first thing you do once it is safe? I can imagine many of you are like us and miss family gatherings, eating out, and traveling. We would love for you to share some of the things you have missed with us on our Facebook page. Here’s wishing us all a much happier new year and the chance to finally be able to do all the things we’ve missed!
