Have a Lovely Day.
What does it mean to be the greatest version of yourself? Can we cultivate our life to not only include but embrace 'small steps' that lead to greater happiness and kindness on a daily basis? And if doing those things, would our days be more fulfilling and allow us to more easily ride the uneasy 'waves' that life throws at us?
The answer to this is an unequivocal YES!
This morning I went to yoga and at the end of class, the yoga instructor wished for us a day where we were able to do something nice for ourselves and asked that we share a random smile with a stranger. What a lovely intention for the day!
Kindness for the self and kindness for another human.
So why is that so powerful? Does it mean that you are trying to embrace a greater version of yourself? Absolutely.
We have gotten so caught up in thinking that we are not doing enough and constantly keep re-setting the bar to do more, be more, etc... that the little things in life often get overlooked and they tend to be the most important and have the most impact.
I remember always being reminded as a child to 'put one step in front of another'. Every step leads you towards a destination. You do not get from A to Z without first going to B, then C, then D, etc...
These small steps create ripples, just like a stone being thrown into the middle of a pond, you can witness the result and watch how the ripples 'impact' more than just the spot where the stone was thrown.
An action that is positive in nature feels good. And with time one positive action, becomes two positive actions and before you know it all of your 'so-called' small steps become a field of positivity that impacts not only yourself but many others in your family, your neighbourhood and your community.
There are so many positive ways in which we can practice being a better version of ourselves. Maybe you pick up some trash that you found on the sidewalk or in a park instead of ignoring it. Have you not just benefited the environment and shown care so that others may enjoy a clean environment? Perhaps it is simply that you are going to go outside, take a deep breath and get some fresh air so that you are feeling more relaxed and less stressed. Is that not benefiting, not only you but perhaps your colleagues and family too? The random smile that someone receives may just be the one thing that person really needed that day to see that someone else cares. And even if the person does not respond with a smile or a nod of the head in return, does it really matter?
If your intention is clear and not based on an expectation that they have to smile back at you, you will slowly begin to recognize that you are feeling better within yourself.
The beautiful thing that you will then notice is how many of these so-called 'small steps' actually lead to something that is more meaningful and has an impact on your total sense of well-being.
- Emotionally, you are happier,
- Physically, you have more energy,
- Spiritually, feelings of contentment arise,
- Mentally, your mindset shifts by the very action of focusing on someone else and then you are less worried, preoccupied, and more present.
You do not have to 'reinvent the wheel' to make a difference or add value to your sense of worth. It is not about being perfect and it most definitely includes moments where we may feel we could have acted better or responded better in a situation. But guess what? That's life. We are here to learn and grow and part of that process is making mistakes. It has never been about living a life free of flaws. That is impossible and is not the point of this conversation.
The point of this conversation is to remind each and everyone of you including myself that:
Living a life to the best of your ability is actually BEING 'the greatest version of yourself'!
It is that simple.
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Follow Tami Roos, PhD @ http://www.theroossynergy.com.au