Use Your Unique Abilities to Shake The WorldWritten by Wendy Hearn
I awoke to feeling of being shook and felt scared because I didn't know what was happening. It later transpired that we had experienced an earthquake. As I reflected on this occurrence and my feelings at time, for me, it was a metaphor for shaking up our lives. What do I mean by shaking up our lives? I mean taking opportunity to really go for our dreams or to take that leap of faith, that step that feels huge. Most people don't take opportunity to shake or change their world, or even their own environment, such as work, family or community. Shaking up your world means taking your own unique ability, strengths and gifts to either change things dramatically or to make progress towards change. The number one reason that I see stopping people from doing this is that they are unaware that they personally have so much more to offer. There are also people who at times have fleeting thoughts of their brilliance, but they let these thoughts pass without belief or action, probably due to fear. I believe that you as an individual possess much more than you ever tap into. This may be in form of wisdom, skills, beliefs, strengths, intuition, ability, and gifts. A whole unique combination of all these things belongs to each of you as individuals. It may seem easier to play small in world and not to look at your unique and true potential. However, by doing this, what are you and others missing out on? Just as earthquake was scary for me in feeling of being shook, it can feel very scary to consider what you have, that potentially could add to or shake up your life and possibly others around you. Fear is a major factor that holds people back from going for many things. Thank fearful part of you for being there, become its friend and embrace it on your journey, rather than be stopped by it. If rather than being stopped by fear, you took it by hand and led it forward, what could you offer out to world? Perhaps you're someone who works in a corporate company and has some insight into improving communication, employee retention or leadership development. Possibly you run your own business and sense that there is a more innovative way of offering your product or service. Maybe you're an individual who wants to build a stronger community that you live in or have ideas on helping drug-addicts or single mothers.
| | A Very Special GiftWritten by Arleen M. Kaptur
The month of October is a step closer to year's feast of Holidays. There are so many things to do and places to go. There are gifts to buy for family and friends and... A gift for yourself is sometimes an extravagance that many of us do not allow ourselves. We feel that it is not a necessity, that it has a selfish motive tied around package, and that we should not be spending our time and money on ourselves but on everyone else. There are those that feel thatindulging themselves in luxury and niceties is just fine and as that one hair-color commercial so aptly puts it "because I'm worth it." A gift to yourself during upcoming Holiday Season is a really wonderful thing to do. It is a gift that does not have to cost any money whatsoever, but it will be a treasure that will outlive many storebought items. It comes in your color choice, and engraving is free. In fact, it is a necessity! The gift I am speaking about is knowledge to know world and its many facets and to treat each and every single day as a "Present." It is not past, it is not future, it is "present," and what a present it truly can be. Now before your mind says, "Oh, this is one of those pat yourself on back, everything will be fine," type of gift, forget it! No, not everything will be fine every single day, every single moment, but it will be whatever you make it or however you use it. Learning about world can take you to realms of knowledge you never thought possible. The environment is a part of my life, your life, and every other living, breathing life form. We are all in this together - we have to "share," and we are forever stewards of earth, whether we like it or not. The air you breathe, food you eat, and water you drink are all part of it. Read, listen, and be a part of major decisions that involve substances that become a part of your body, affect your health, and influence your space in world. From chemical pesticides to pollution, from biological warfare to fertilizing plants, and from factory profits to quality of air your lungs breathe, learn as much as you can so you can make knowledgeable, factual, and responsible decisions. Learn about nature and wildlife it supports. There is true "treasure" in discovering many facets of animals, marine life, insect world, plant life, and even bacterial world that shares world with us, can help or harm us, and that we have a responsibility to help or eradicate.There is no ceiling to learning and adventure is very spice of life. Taking time to learn, to investigate, and to discover and experiment with ideas, issues, and reasons will give our minds exercise it needs to grow, to function at peak performance, and to expand and enrich us as individuals.
|
