Note 006
I heard something recently that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
Imagine that.
There’s my overthinking again.
I was watching a video where a judge was talking to a young man about his behavior and his temper.
As he tried to encourage him, he kept repeating the same sentence over and over.
“You get more with honey than vinegar.”
He didn’t say it once.
He said it three times.
And for some reason, it stuck with me.
You know how certain words just refuse to leave your mind?
That’s what this one did.
A few days later, I found myself saying those exact words to my daughter.
We were talking about life, people, and how to navigate this sometimes crazy world.
Without even thinking, I said,
“You get more with honey than vinegar.”
Then I smiled.
Because I realized I had just passed along the same note that someone else had unknowingly passed to me.
Isn’t that funny?
That’s how wisdom travels.
One conversation at a time.
The older I get, the more I realize how much our attitude matters.
Sometimes we spend so much time talking about what we didn’t get.
Who didn’t help us.
Who overlooked us.
Who didn’t give us a chance.
And while those things certainly happen, I also think it’s worth asking ourselves another question.
Am I leading with honey…or vinegar?
Am I kind?
Am I approachable?
Am I patient?
Do I speak to people with respect, even when I don’t have to?
Kindness is one of the few things in life that’s completely free.
It doesn’t cost anything to smile.
It doesn’t cost anything to say “thank you.”
It doesn’t cost anything to be polite.
Yet those little things can completely change the direction of your day.
People naturally want to help someone who makes them feel seen and appreciated.
Doors open.
Conversations happen.
Opportunities appear.
Not because you’re pretending to be someone you’re not.
But because kindness has a way of making people feel safe around you.
Now, before someone says, “Well, I’ve been kind and people still treated me unfairly…”
Absolutely.
That happens.
Being kind doesn’t guarantee that everyone else will be.
Some people will still disappoint you.
Some people will still misunderstand you.
Some people will still choose vinegar.
But don’t let someone else’s bitterness convince you to become bitter too.
Because here’s the thought that stayed with me.
Vinegar has a strong smell.
Honey is sweet.
One pushes people away.
The other has a way of drawing people in.
Maybe that’s what the judge was trying to teach that young man.
And maybe it’s a note worth keeping for all of us.
In a world where everyone seems to be in a hurry, frustrated, or quick to react, choosing kindness is still one of the most powerful decisions we can make.
A Note for Today
Lead with honey whenever you can. Kindness won’t solve every problem, but it will open doors that bitterness never will.
A Little Something to Think About…
When was the last time someone’s kindness made your day a little brighter? This week, be that person for someone else. A smile, a thank-you, or a few encouraging words might become the note they carry with them.
Until the next note,
Your Resident Overthinker
Overthinker’s Notes 