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			WHAT ARE "BUCKET FILLERS"? What is a Bucketfiller? We all carry an invisible bucket. This bucket contains our feelings. When our bucket is full, we feel great; when it’s empty, we feel empty. A bucketfiller is someone who says or does nice things for other people. By doing this, they are filling other people’s buckets and filling their own bucket at the same time. On the other hand, a bucketdipper says or does things to cause other people to feel bad. This simple but profound philosophy applies to every aspect of life. (Bucketfillers for Life, 2010) BE A BUCKETFILLING DRIVER Would you like to reduce the stress in your life, have a happier commute and lessen your chances of a traffic ticket or crash? You can! Just by choosing to be a bucketfilling driver. I once heard someone comment that we usually believe that the driver in front of us is driving too slowly and the driver behind us is driving too fast and/or too close. While your assessment has no effect on these drivers, your perception of their driving skills can raise your blood pressure, divert your attention from the road and dip in your bucket. We share our highways with people who have many things, other than driving, on their minds. We can’t change another person’s driving behavior but we can change our response to the way others drive. When I was at the wonderful Santapogue Elementary School on Long Island, New York, last fall, I had an opportunity to talk to a police officer who attended our workshop for community leaders. We discussed how much friendlier a community is when it has bucketfilling drivers. Bucketfilling drivers are courteous, thoughtful and pay attention to what they are doing. They allow you to smoothly merge ahead of them, drive the speed limit, signal in advance, leave space between their vehicle and the car ahead, watch the road and move over for stopped vehicles. The officer said that most traffic accidents could be avoided if everyone would drive as they do when they see a police car. What do you do when you see one? Many of us tend to ease our foot off the gas and call a halt to the various things we know we shouldn’t do while driving. They include reaching into the back seat, applying lipstick, searching for another radio station, or texting a message. Unfocussed or careless driving not only dips in buckets, it can be life-threatening. In a matter of seconds, your world can literally turn upside down. If some of these habits remind you of yourself, it’s time to take your bucket filling with you when your start your car. Lately, I’ve practiced being a bucketfilling driver and have noticed that I’m happier, I actually enjoy driving and I feel much more relaxed when I reach my destination. So, put a bucketfilling reminder on your dashboard and when a friend or family member asks about it, explain the benefits of being a bucketfilling driver. Editor’s note: Research shows that using a cell phone can also result in inattentive driving. Would you like to reduce the stress in your life, have a happier commute and lessen your chances of a traffic ticket or crash? You can! Just by choosing to be a bucketfilling driver. I once heard someone comment that we usually believe that the driver in front of us is driving too slowly and the driver behind us is driving too fast and/or too close. While your assessment has no effect on these drivers, your perception of their driving skills can raise your blood pressure, divert your attention from the road and dip in your bucket. We share our highways with people who have many things, other than driving, on their minds. We can’t change another person’s driving behavior but we can change our response to the way others drive. When I was at the wonderful Santapogue Elementary School on Long Island, New York, last fall, I had an opportunity to talk to a police officer who attended our workshop for community leaders. We discussed how much friendlier a community is when it has bucketfilling drivers. Bucketfilling drivers are courteous, thoughtful and pay attention to what they are doing. They allow you to smoothly merge ahead of them, drive the speed limit, signal in advance, leave space between their vehicle and the car ahead, watch the road and move over for stopped vehicles. The officer said that most traffic accidents could be avoided if everyone would drive as they do when they see a police car. What do you do when you see one? Many of us tend to ease our foot off the gas and call a halt to the various things we know we shouldn’t do while driving. They include reaching into the back seat, applying lipstick, searching for another radio station, or texting a message. Unfocussed or careless driving not only dips in buckets, it can be life-threatening. In a matter of seconds, your world can literally turn upside down. If some of these habits remind you of yourself, it’s time to take your bucket filling with you when your start your car. Lately, I’ve practiced being a bucketfilling driver and have noticed that I’m happier, I actually enjoy driving and I feel much more relaxed when I reach my destination. So, put a bucketfilling reminder on your dashboard and when a friend or family member asks about it, explain the benefits of being a bucketfilling driver. Editor’s note: Research shows that using a cell phone can also result in inattentive driving. (Bucketfiller101.com)
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