The Life of a Pickle

What is it that defines who you are?

What is it that gives you purpose?

Where do you add value?

If you had answers to each of those questions, then the next question would be how to further use those qualities. If you say you did not have answers, I say find a quiet moment and read the questions again. Pause that instantaneous thought that enters your mind as you read the question. That very first thought, that is usually pushed aside by over-thinking, general negativity, self-doubt and social condemnation. Allow that first thought to play through a little. Believing that it could possibly be true and you will find that it is usually is the truth. No matter how small or silly the idea may be, take the liberty and run with it, before your mind police arrest your thoughts. Play the movie in your mind and see how it develops and what impact that "silly" idea really has in your world.

My thought police are quite active and forceful in their duties which probably contributes to my quiet demeanor. Any way, allowing my immediate response to the above allows me to realise that I am an integral part of a very blessed family, I have a pretty good spiritual life as a Christian and I do believe I am a positive contributor to the people around me. Even now, the mind-police are trying to get me to re-write that sentence, saying it is boastful, full of pride and a general "who cares about that" type of negativity. I think many others would be facing similar mind-censorship, but suppress those constraints and pursue your ideas anyway and you will see that you too have purpose and value.

If you still struggle to get the "movie" to play, spend your day actively monitoring your interactions as an outsider. A bit of a strange concept but try it. Every conversation you have, watch it as another person in the room. Don't be too critical of yourself, but look for the 'add-value' openings you are provided with. I often "see" them after the person has left and only then realise the lost opportunity I had to uplift someone or to encourage them. Some days I get it right, others I fail completely, but did I mention that some days I get it right!!! That's how it starts, and with some practise, I'll be getting more right days than fail days. It does take effort and putting yourself out-there, but the feeling of positively impacting somebody's life is definitely worth it. You also don't need any special training, degrees or courses to do it. You just start today, with the next person you meet. Go.

(What did the title of my message today have to do with the content? I don't know, but it was the immediate thought I had when I realised I hadn't filled in a title and I just ran with it without the mind-police correcting me...)