Tag: Growth

Life On A bigger Scale: From Pain to Gratitude

June 12th, 2022

A lot of finding understanding in life is about expanding our horizons and our perspective.

A small blurb I retracted from Jay Shetty’s Think Like a Monk brought this back to the forefront of my mind. That quote went, “We don’t see things as they are; we see things as we are,” meaning our perspective influences how we interact with the greater world and our experiences in it.

Limited by Perspectives: Expanding Towards Gratitude

We are limited by our own perceptions (perspectives). So, we must teach ourselves to walk into other rooms in our minds to consider things differently. However, that is no simple task. But it’s worth considering that the best rewards come from what we have worked for. Adjusting mindset is no different.

Enlarging our perspectives is an essential part of that process. This permits us the space to lean toward more tremendous gratitude in our lives.

“Taking a broader view helps us minimize our pain and appreciate what we have, and we directly access this broader view by giving.” -Shetty

Limited in Our Pain: Growing in Gratitude

We are often limited in our pain. Without perspective beyond our own of others undergoing more immense sufferings, we can’t find the type of peace that will carry us through our own trials and struggles. Because when perspective is absent, our pains, struggles, and problems become much more prominent. However, when we consider the larger community, somehow, what we go through is a lot more insignificant, no matter how large it is in our lives. The shift in knowledge makes us grateful for our condition, no matter where we may be.

“When we see the struggles of others in the clear light of day when we use our talents to improve the world even a little bit, we immediately feel a surge of gratitude.”
Shetty

A Small World

Our world alone is too small. Everything is magnified in a smaller room.

But expansion allows us to see farther distances.

An adage attributed to Helen Keller ties this up nicely.

“I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.”

United Through Suffering

As I have said in an earlier post, suffering comes to us all. No one is immune. So, it’s never a thing that we fall or despair. Instead, what is essential is that we rise and how we get up.

Your suffering seems overwhelming and consuming if it is for you as it has been for me. And so, I encourage taking a beat and a breath and seeking to understand the suffering of others. And then trying to ease someone else’s pain. You will find the internal healing you so desire.

A Personal Account: From Pain to Gratitude

A year ago, I underwent a loss. That loss was significant, and the tumult of the grief threatened to bring me under. I absolve my perspective and view were much too narrow. And I found a dwelling place in my pain. I constructed a house and tried to set up a residence. Thus my pain became a shrine. I made it as if I were the only one who suffered that type of pain. Until I found a community.

Shared Communities Open Doors, Hearts, and Minds

It was a community of people who suffered a similar loss. I never knew it existed. But my loss led me there. My loss opened my world and my eyes. Once there, although I found I had pain, there were others whose pain was so much more profound. And that made my struggle seem small, no less painful, but a lot less catastrophic. I could then see all the things I had to be grateful for. It led me to a deeper desire to help others. It spurred me to,

“Plant trees under whose shade I did not plan to sit.” -Shetty

My Quest Forward

I wanted others to heal in a way I had not. I wanted others to experience less pain than I did.

So, in every endeavor, this is my quest. And one day, when all is said and done, my seeds will create a forest, a lush green canopy of trees generations can find rest under.

Today, my hope for you is that you expand your mind, your world, and your perspective. Make gratitude the balm to set you on a path to peace and healing.
Uncertainty/Unavoidable Suffering

April 11th, 2022
Image by Santiago Lacarta from Pixabay

We face many things in life merely because we are human.

Humanity comes with a host of benefits and thorns, and the stage of life is inconsequential. We all will inevitably deal with two factors, uncertainty, and unavoidable Suffering

Unavoidable Suffering

It’s nice to think of a life that is free of pain.

But unfortunately, that is rarely the case.

Pain is an inevitable part of life as much as joy. Let’s face it we will have to deal with the complexities of pain and life’s uncertainty eventually. That is the curse of humanity.

You Never Have to Walk Alone

There is no justifiable rationale for walking your path alone. There is no reason that your pain should turn to misery and incapacitation.

Once we realize that we do not walk this road alone and others exist to prop, lift, or carry us, our burdens will be lighter as we traverse those paths.

My desire is to be that person and help others find fulfillment in life.

Fulfillment in Times of Uncertainty

What do I mean by fulfillment?

Fulfillment is a serenity, a peace with life, and all that comes with it. It is being able to deal with uncertainty and yet live in a state of repose, knowing everything will turn out okay. Fulfillment is being filled with so much hope that there is little room for emptiness.

Feeling Fulfilled is not Easy.

Fulfillment requires an understanding that life is uncertain, change is inevitable, and you will have pain at some points. It is part and parcel of wearing the skin we are in.

However, true fulfillment comes with the acceptance and the willingness to exert every effort to move forward, progress, and reach despite this knowledge.

It’s a process of getting beyond the uncertainty and unavoidable suffering

Feeling fulfilled is a process that frequently requires going through uncertainty and unavoidable suffering to learn the lessons.

Because growth is eventual, not immediate.

Personal Account of Uncertainty

I once felt that change was a plague in my life. I loathed change. I would freeze up when presented with change, no matter what face it took. But the thing is, my life seemed to change in significant ways frequently, often in short periods.

All I could ask was why? It felt like a bane to my existence.

My Desires

I desired comfort above challenge.

Certainty above growth is the direction I leaned towards.

Consistency is what I craved.

But I was unaware of how much I was being blessed.

Life was choosing me to attend its masterclass to propel my growth in ways unfathomable.

Path Ahead

I still don’t believe that I have a complete understanding of the size of my blessings. I am learning that;
- growth does not occur in moments of comfort.
- Muscles don’t expand in moments of leisure.
- Greatness, for the most part, is born out of adversity.
While our paths and pains may be divergent, the result is the same. Tests and trials strengthen us and improve our agility and acuity. Difficulties come to make us strong.

Some Sage Advice on Uncertainty and Unavoidable Suffering

Peter Sage says, “The measure of one’s success is directly proportional to how much uncertainty one can accept.”

Uncertainty is not the enemy.
It’s your greatest ally. Make love with uncertainty. Uncertainty is the core of the quantum field we’re all part of.
It’s your natural habitat.
Love it.

… or learn to, if you don’t already.”
― Laurence BL

A Word for You

No one is expecting you to lovingly embrace uncertainty.

On the contrary, the expectation is that you recognize uncertainty for what it is but move with the understanding there is always something on the other side. Perhaps what is waiting is more incredible than what was on the side of comfort and supposed security.

So, walk this journey with me. Why not believe there is a possibility of greater fulfillment. There will always be someone there to help you along the path if you open your heart to it. I am growing to believe that wholeheartedly.
How H.O.T are You?

February 9th, 2022

Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

For some, this question may make some blush. It may cause others to wonder why; I would ask such a question.

Face it, sometimes we jump to conclusions before getting a complete understanding.

However that’s okay because we are human. We know better we should do better.

So back to the question, How H.O.T are you?

Point of Reference

I recently read a fantastic read by a charismatic man named Michael Todd. The insights in his book are so moving they jump off the page.

In his book, “Crazy Faith,” Todd talks about the importance of being H.O.T.

After explaining this concept, I am sure you will agree.

What does H.O.T Mean

H.O.T stands for Humble, Open, and Transparent.

We all have a story. That story is what gives us authenticity. This story is our truth.

Some people hide their stories out of a sense of fear.

You have to be transparent, so you no longer cast a shadow but instead let the light pass through you.” ― Kamand Kojouri.

One will find the hotter they are, the more liberated they become.

Liberation is what permits us to expand our dreams. The freedom of being authentically who we are permits us the freedom to focus on what matters.

Choosing to be H.O.T also Benefits Others

Our stories not only free us but potentially liberate others. When others can see how authentic we are, it ignites something in them.

“I show my scars so that others know they can heal.” ― Rhachelle Nicol’, Sunday Mourning

The tiniest spark, if kindled, can become a flame. The flame has the possibility of becoming an all-consuming fire setting the world ablaze with transformative power. This is the explicit significance behind the phrase be the change you hope to see the world.

How does one become H.O.T?

Becoming H.O.T requires more than telling a story. Some, when telling their stories, like to embellish. A fine thing to remember is a wound never fully heals without being exposed to the air. One becomes H.O.T by simply doing it. Don’t close yourself off. Be bold enough to tell your story. Remain humble. It can be scary at first so take it one step by step. However, those three factors are the building blocks of authenticity.

Personal Note:

When people told their story from a real place, I found that it had transformative power on me. Their message affected me to the point of change reexamination, Their willingness to be H.O.T pushed me to see things differently, and It gave me the push I needed.

Word to You!

Remember to strive to be H.O.T. Even when the world around you chooses something different, i.e., a false narrative, decide to stand on your hotness. Refuse to close yourself off, to hide; choose differently. Hotness sets the stage for unlimitable success.