The Little Lizard Who Taught Me Life’s Greatest Lesson

A memory from four years ago reminded me why kindness is the most powerful force in the world

When a Facebook Memory Changes Your Perspective

Facebook has a funny way of bringing back memories at just the right moment. Four years ago today, a photo popped up that stopped me in my tracks – my beloved water dragon, Dexter, sitting at my microphone looking like he was about to broadcast his own show.

Dex passed away some time ago and is now in little lizard heaven, but that memory hit me like a lightning bolt this morning. You see, Dex lived over 10 years – nearly double the typical lifespan of a water dragon – and in those years, he taught me something profound about the power of love and kindness.

The Day I Met My Unlikely Teacher

I never intended to bring Dex home. I was just picking up mealworms for some wild lizards I had when I saw this little guy on the side of a cage, seemingly waving at me. The store employee said, “He is waving – he’s very personable. Want to hold him?”

Most lizards squirm and try to escape when you pick them up. But when they placed Dex in my hands, he just looked at me, content as could be. That was it – I was taking him home.

A Lizard Who Acted Like a Dog

Dex wasn’t just a pet; he was family. He’d bang on his glass cage when I came home, sit on my lap to watch TV, and when he was done, he’d hop down and crawl back to his cage on his own. He was fascinated by colors on the computer screen and would sit there during my shows, watching intently. I even have a photo of him on my laptop keyboard, looking at the screen like he was doing the work himself.

But here’s what struck me most: everything responds to love and kindness – even a little green lizard.

The Universal Language of Kindness

How many times have you walked down the street and seen someone looking down or upset, only to watch them light up when you simply say “good morning”? How often have you made someone’s day just by noticing their new haircut or holding a door open?

That little ounce of kindness doesn’t cost you a darn thing, but it can change someone’s entire day.

Kindness in Business and Life

At our auction house, I always tell our team: it’s not just about the transaction – it’s about the experience. When customers leave saying our staff went above and beyond, I ask what they did. The answer is always simple: “All I did was help them, complimented their child, gave them an idea…”

All they did was see that person as a person, not just a number.

You can be kind and still hold your ground. You can extend decency without being taken advantage of. Instead of saying “I’m not doing that,” try “I can’t exactly do this, but here’s what I’ll do for you.” Usually, that alternative is something simple that costs you nothing but makes all the difference.

The Science of Giving

Here’s something beautiful about kindness: when you give something – even when you feel you don’t have much to give – you feel abundant. When you feel abundant, you’re excited to do more. The more abundant you feel, the more you want to give and become.

It’s a beautiful cycle that starts with one simple act.

Do Something Kind Today – Here’s Your Challenge

I learned more from that little green lizard than I did in all my years of high school. Dex proved that everything and everyone responds to love and kindness.

So here’s your assignment for today:

Do something kind – just for the sake of being kind.

Maybe you:

• Drop off a gas gift card to someone who’s struggling
• Leave a meal or gift card on a neighbor’s door
• Compliment a stranger
• Help someone carry their groceries
• Write a thank-you note to someone who made a difference in your life
• Donate something to a local charity

It doesn’t have to cost money. It doesn’t have to be big. It just has to come from the heart.

Don’t do it for recognition. Don’t do it for social media likes. Do it because kindness is free, and in a world that often feels divided, it’s the one thing that brings us together.

What will your act of kindness be today?

Try it. Do something random and kind for someone today, and see how darn good it feels. You might just discover what I learned from a little lizard named Dex – that love and kindness are the most powerful forces in the world.

Remember: Live with faith, energy, and passion. Always live your dreams.

-Coach Lew 

Founder XLR8Life University and CoachLew.com