Two-year-old Emma wanted to play with blocks, but a condition called arthrogryposis meant she couldn’t move her arms. So researchers at a Delaware hospital 3D-printed a durable custom exoskeleton with the tiny, lightweight parts she needed.

Watch to the end to hear what her first-ever complete spoken sentence was. This is people caring for people at its finest.

I graduated High School this week. When my Dad said he had a present for me I thought I was getting some cheesy graduation card. But what I received was something truly priceless. Following the ceremony he handed me a bag with a copy of “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” by Doctor Seuss inside. At first I just smiled and said that it meant a lot and that I loved that book. But then he told me “No, open it up.”

On the first page I see a short paragraph written by none other than my kindergarten teacher. I start tearing up but I’m still confused. He tells me “Every year, for the past 13 years, since the day you started kindergarten I’ve gotten every teacher, coach, and principal to write a little something about you inside this book.” He managed to keep this book a secret for 13 years, and apparently everyone else in my life knew about it!

Yes the intended effect occurred… I burst out in tears. Sitting there reading through this book there are encouraging and sweet words from every teacher I love and remember through my years in this small town. My early teachers mention my “Pigtails and giggles,” while my high school teachers mention my “Wit and sharp thinking.” But they all mention my humor and love for life. It is astounding to receive something this moving, touching, nostalgic, and thoughtful. I can’t express how much I love my Dad for this labor of love.

Arthur Boorman was a disabled veteran of the Gulf War for 15 years, and was told by his doctors that he would never be able to walk on his own. He accepted this as a fact.

After wanting to try yoga and being dismissed by other instructors, he read an article about Diamond Dallas Page (the former wrestler turned yogi who is known for his Yoga for Regular Guys which contains more testosterone than spirituality). Arthur decided to give this a try and sent an email to Dallas telling him his story.

Dallas was understandably moved and began teaching Arthur via phone and email. Throughout his journey, Arthur stumbled, fell, tipped over, and lost his balance more than once, but he always got back up to continue. He was on a quest to cure his body, and the results are nothing short of remarkable.

Thank you Arthur, for not giving up and giving all of us this amazingly inspirational story! Thank you Dallas for believing in Arthur!

See more of Arthur’s Healing thru Yoga story here.

Are you up for making a difference today? Just take a look around you, and find an opportunity to compliment or thank someone for good service or a great attitude. For instance, from a cashier’s point of view this is likely to be the only difference between you and the hundreds of people both before and after you in line today. Have You Validated Anyone Today?

I’m excited to be presenting The Validation Experiment & a Facebook Marketing Training Session today at the Mend-A-Body Solutions Rejuvenation Day! 2012 is VALIDATED! If you haven’t taken on The 30 Day Challenge I highly recommend it. Now get out there and make it happen, people!

Everyone, no matter what profession, age, or sex cares to a certain extent what they look like. This is human nature and something worth validating. Whether it’s as simple as a shirt, a pair of shoes or even a new hair cut people appreciate knowing some one noticed them. The next time you see some one you know, and you see something that they’ve done makes them look nice or unique, give a compliment. After all, we have a lot of time and money invested in the way we look, it’s nice to know the investment’s paying off.

Everything you do and say effects those around you.  Will you use your powers for good… or evil.  Think about it.

Last Sunday, one of our men walked up to one of the women in our church and in front of me and a few other people including her grown son and his family, he said he had run into someone recently that was an old schoolmate of hers, and he wanted her to know what the schoolmate said about her.

He went on to tell her that her former schoolmate had said she was a remarkable woman. He had been observing her life for many years and said he was particular taken by the love and care she gave to her family and to her dying husband when she was caring for him.

As he continued to tell us all what this man had said about my friend, she teared up and was touched to know the impact she had made on someone she didn’t even know was watching her life.

She is a remarkable woman. The man who validated her didn’t know about the validation experiment, he just wanted to tell her what an awesome example she had set as she quietly lived her life.

Yup…I’m loving this validation stuff!

The Validation Experiment has made me so much more aware of the impact that a kind word makes on my life and that of others. Aware is the key word here. Of course I knew that encouragement and kindness helped, but I was taking it for granted that others knew how I felt. But thanks to the Validation Experiment, I am not taking it for granted anymore.

My progress has been in leaps and lapses but I am progressing and making validation an integral part of my life.

THANK YOU, ERIC AND TINA!!