GREATNESS
LIGHT
February 5, 2021
CHANGE
February 5, 2021
“I am great!” “I am living my greatness every day.” How does it make you feel to say these words out loud? How does it feel to truly embrace these words, feel these words, living a life filled with YOUR greatness? You can and you will live your greatness, if you choose to embrace, feel, and live a life of greatness each and every day.
We can choose to believe that we are living in traumatic times. I suggest that these times have their difficulties, traumas and dysfunctions. However, I contend that our lives are peppered with all kinds of experiences (positive, neutral, and negative). Some experiences we control, some we cannot. And yet, each experience carries with it a lesson to be learned. Some are painful lessons, some not so much. Each lesson can be powerful if we chose to see it as a positive, learning moment.
I choose to believe that life gives us what we ask for or believe consciously and subconsciously. I might say, “I want a new car.” Then my thoughts turn to doubts of my ability to secure a new car. I don’t have enough money, don’t have the best credit, I’ll never find the car that I like, or what if I lose my job, how will I pay for a car, the insurance, what if I get in an accident, what then? UGH!!! All of this negativity takes away from the goal of securing a new car. What if, instead, I thought of all the good things of securing and having a new car would bring? Suddenly, this thought lightens the spirit (do you feel it?) and my actions begin to move me towards securing what I want. In this case, a new car. What type of car do I want, what color, how will I secure the funds, what dealer should I visit, I can see myself riding with the top down, wind blowing, feeling fabulous, and on and on.
This way of thinking, this positive attitude, this lighter way of seeing possibilities is the beginning of living your greatness in every moment of your day, your life.
Here is how I tend to think about GREATNESS.
Gratitude is at the top of the list. Giving thanks for opening my heart each day so I can feel the warmth from the light of what this new day will bring. Thankful and grateful for what is and what is yet to be that will bring me joy and joy to those around me. For me there is no greater gift that the gift of thanksgiving. Give and you will receive abundantly. And yet, I give not expecting anything in return. It simply happens that way.
Responsible and accountable for my actions. There is no room to blame others for my circumstances. I am responsible and accountable for my choices, for believing in the possibilities that I can make things better for me, for my family, my business, or those that matter to me. It may not be easy. I may need to make sacrifices, compromises. However, I will not do anything that will bring harm to another human being.
Energetic and enthusiastic about what I want my life to be, what I do, and about the people with whom I share life. I choose to define my legacy each and every day. I choose what brings me most joy. I love to laugh. I’m told I have an infectious laugh. I was once told in corporate America I needed to calm my laughter. My response – I bring joy and laughter to everything I do and those I touch. This is who I am. Do you want me to be someone else? An executive, one of my many mentors, on his last day before retiring from one of our Fortune 500 companies shared this message that I never forgot. “Sherrie don’t let this business take away your spirit of who you are. We need the life you bring. Know ‘they’ will try to dampen it as you grow in your career.” That was thirty years ago. I believe, being the best me has served me well.
Awesome and amazing. Two of my favorite words next to fearless. I believe each of us has unique gifts that set us apart from any other human being on this earth. These gifts are what make you and me awesome and amazing. Using these gifts to help yourself, to give of yourself, to be and become the best you are your commitments to yourself in living your greatest life. You and I get to make this decision to use our gifts as best we know how each and every day. Let us not squander, rather let us explore, expand and exceed our expectations for our greatness.
Thoughtful. Sometimes it seems ‘thinking’ is more rare than the rarest of gems. The ability to think critically sorting through possibilities, alternatives, differences of opinion with the intent to arrive at a destination that yields better outcomes for all who are impacted seems novel. Sometimes we can get stuck in our own frame of reference not allowing for an open conversation from which we can all learn. It appears we are in a hurry or we simply have a need to be “right” versus seeking to understand. How about being curious? “This is what I think, what do you think about this situation?” or “I haven’t given it much thought, what were you thinking?”
Nimble.What does it take to be flexible, open-minded, or nimble? A bit of curiosity, caring, humbleness, or ..maybe a desire to understand and appreciate another person or a point of view. There are times when we may find ourselves saying or thinking, “he/she doesn’t understand me.” This may be true. However, we cannot make others think, feel, or do anything. At some point he/she/they will choose to comply, offer a different response, or walk away. What we do control is our response – what we think, feel and do. It is up to us to be curious, to care, to choose to listen for understanding, to be considerate, to appreciate another’s point of view. We may not agree. However, I would suggest that you are closer to a resolution by listening with curious compassion than otherwise.
Enough. “You are enough.” Have you heard these words spoken to you? Have you said them to yourself? Do you believe these words? Say them again. “You are enough. I am enough.” Now say, “I love you.” Say it again. Look in a mirror and say it loudly with conviction. “I LOVE YOU.” Believe it! Say it again. “I LOVE YOU.” Mean it! Say it again, “I AM ENOUGH. I LOVE ME.” No matter the circumstances, you own you and all of your choices. Your choices make you who you are. Your choices plant the seeds for your legacy each and every day. Make your choices count for building your greatness. If you are not enough for you, how can you be enough for someone else? If you do not love you, how can you give love to someone else? We can only give what we have to give. Know you are enough and love you… more.
Self-awareness. This is another one of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves. Know your strengths and continue to build them. Use them to become the best version of yourself. Whatever your strengths, you can grow them. Know your blind spots, shortcomings. Seek feedback to improve and surround yourself with those who can help fill in these blind spots and shortcomings. None of us is perfect at everything. We all need help. All great leaders stand on the shoulders of greatness surrounding themselves with others who are open and willing to share their awesome and amazing gifts knowing together we will go far.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”
African Proverb
Self-confidence. Walk with your head held high confidently. Speak with conviction and be willing to say, “I don’t know, I am curious what you might think.” Believe you can have, be and do anything you set your sights on. There are no limitations to your imagination or your abilities to achieve what you truly believe – no doubts. When you believe in you, you give others permission to do the same. If you don’t believe in you, why should I believe in you. I want to trust you… to do what you say you will do, to feel what you say you feel, to be who you say you are. If you don’t trust you or believe in you, why should I?
Your greatness begins with your words, your intentions and ends with your actions. Yes, we make mistakes. It’s how we learn. Be patient with yourself. Seek to understand. Live to learn. Learn to grow. Give your life all of your greatness knowing you are enough. Know that loving you allows everything else to flow.
Much Love,
Sherrie
NOTE: Happy Birthday to my fellow Librans. It’s the time of year when change is everywhere. Let’s prepare for the changes we seek in our lives, our country, and our world – a balancing of the scales.
