Note: This month I am sharing articles written by people who impacted me during the year 2011 and from whom I’ve learned a lot. Hope you enjoy the selection. Today’s article is by Christine Kane. (The article refers to the Earthquake in Japan that happened in March 2011)
Understandable, of course. But not true. Sure, it’s pretty unlikely that she can fly off to Japan tomorrow and begin clean up on her own. But a disaster like this can provide other ways to deepen your commitment to service and healing on a planetary level.
I believe many people look at “service” in the same way they look at “courage.” It has to be big, heroic and eventful. Not even.
Service, much like courage, often comes down to your everyday “hey, no one even noticed that” choices. Waiting for the BIG moments is convenient because they rarely come!
In fact, many of my biggest moments of courage – of saying yes, stepping up, choosing not to listen to the negative voices – are often quiet and sometimes even lonely. Ditto with service. Service is HOW you live.
And as so many visionaries have stated in some way or another: A healthy you is the best service you can give to heal this planet.
This means that if you want to heal the planet, then there’s some GIVE and there’s some TAKE.
Let’s start with the GIVE’s:
GIVE your passion, your enthusiasm, and your talent.
Your passion speaks to you through your joy, your heart and your body. When you love doing something, that’s your passion, that’s the spark that feeds you. It’s what you were meant to be doing. People want to be around you when you’re in this high level of energy. Find a way to do it more, to infuse your life with it, and tap into it regularly.
GIVE up complaining, whining, blaming, gossip, and excuses.
Mind you, this is not about being a nice person. It’s not about being noble. It’s not even about loving your neighbor as yourself.
It’s about being selfish (in a good way!).
Here’s the deal: Your attention is way too powerful and creative to waste on splattering it all over the place with unproductive activity. Honor the power of your attention by experiencing the space that is created when you don’t fill it with negativity and addictive behaviors. This alone will change your world instantly.
GIVE yourself support.
When we build something new or start a new path or idea, we often expect ourselves to go it alone. And then we wonder why we couldn’t “pull it off.” It is not “weak” to ask for or invest in support. As far as I can tell, athletes are the only ones who have it right from the start. Their system is set up with coaches and team support from day one. We all need that level of support from mentors and teammates. Find a way to get support in creating anything from new higher-level mindsets to a business based in your purpose and passion. If you’re going to heal the planet, you need to keep on top of your own health as well! You are not meant to do this alone!
GIVE thanks.
Your life situation can change on a dime. Be grateful for everything in it right now. Wake up in the morning and think on your blessings until tears form in your eyes. Because THAT is how blessed you are to have this amazing moment.
GIVE money.
Does anyone agree with me that it’s kinda selfish to give money because it feels so freakin’ great? :-) Even though this is a powerful way of serving, I’m never fooled into thinking that I’m only serving the recipient. I love love love recognizing my own abundance by giving it away.
If you want to give money instantly to help the people in Japan, click here.
Now, let’s talk about the TAKES…
TAKE responsibility.
If there’s one key difference between people who succeed in a deep and lasting way, and those who don’t – it’s the element of personal responsibility. This means you take responsibility (not blame!) for your results, your actions, your inactions, your income, your outcomes, your health, your wealth, and your life circumstances.
As long as you see yourself as a victim of anything or anyone, you will remain in a place of powerlessness. Again, this is not about blame. This is about choice. The choice to call your power back where it belongs.
TAKE stock.
One of the indirect results of any disaster is that some people make it an opportunity to review their life situation. Often, you hear stories about people who suddenly recognized that life was too short to live so unhappily – choosing to quit jobs, to move out of the city, reassess their friendships.
You don’t have to wait until things reach a critical point before you take stock of your life. Make it a habit to regularly sit down, be with yourself and ask yourself what you want, if you are happy with how you spend your time, if your relationships are strong or just a place to gossip. Go on a retreat, take a weekend to write in your journal and read inspiring books. Step away from your life in order to look at it more deeply. To paraphrase Michael Gerber: “Work ON your life, not just IN it.”
TAKE it off.
What are you still settling for in your life, in your surroundings, in your schedule? What’s draining you? What’s not a “hell yes?”
Be ruthless in answering these questions. And then, be ruthless in letting go. Take it off and feel the space that’s created from not settling for excess maybe’s in your life. Make your life one big YES – and live from that place.
TAKE chances.
People who don’t succeed are the ones who wait until they get it perfectly first. They wait until they are sure that no one will judge them. They wait until they’re sure they won’t fail. Which boils down to this: They wait.
Imperfect Action is the way to go. In fact, when you’re about to try something new, insist that you do it badly!
TAKE it in.
In my Platinum Mastermind, we applaud each other. When one woman steps up for her time in front of the group, we cheer for her. We hoot, we woot, we clap like crazy. Her job is just to stand there and take it in. To receive.
Why do I insist that we do this?
Because being able to receive is crucial to success in anything. It is also crucial to service. We need to acknowledge our successes, celebrate our milestones, say “thank you,” charge what we are worth, and breathe in our blessings. Otherwise, we run on fumes, reaching for fuel from unhealthy sources.
Your happiness and thriving is a key element of the healing of this planet. If you place yourself at the bottom of the priority list, well, girlfriend, you’re not living in service, you’re living as a servant. Very different energies. Learn to TAKE IN the gifts and the gratitudes of this precious moment and let people celebrate you for the powerful being that you are.
TAKE a moment.
Prayer is powerful. It works. Your energy and your intention can indeed heal the planet.
Take a moment right now and sit quietly. Call upon the light that is you and smile as it comes into your awareness. For one full minute, send that light to the people in Japan. Surround them with love and healing energy, knowing that we are all connected. Schedule moments throughout the day to repeat this practice. It will heal the planet much more effectively than chaining yourself to the media images minute by minute.
About the author:
Christine Kane is the Mentor to People Who are Changing the World. She helps women and men Uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly Uplevel You eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.
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