It does not take a Rocket Scientist’s mind to recognize that we’ve never had more opportunities to plug in, connect, survey our options and cruise the globe while never leaving our chairs. Neither does it take superior intellect to observe that, in turn, as with all extraordinary advancements and environments of exceeding possibility, there is an antithesis.
We have never been more socially disconnected, tuned out, inundated with information or gripped by the rote phrase that flies from our mouths before we can rein it in “I’m so busy, yes so busy. Are you busy? Oh you must be very, very busy.”
And oh wouldn’t we love to see Italy rather than surf the images of quaint coffee shops and use them for our PicMonkey, Pinterest creations?
In a time of excess, we need to keep our eye on a most essential prize - In the midst of all that is available outside of us, to us, we must be vigilant as we lead by example and inspire the next generation to recognize the
Value of all that is available Inside of Us, balancing Output with Input and Self-Realization and Sweet Indulgence with Community Contribution.
What we need in our time is a different kind of hero, one that does not overpower but IN-powers, who understands transformation begins with the self and ripples out to the family, the community and ultimately the world.
We need Xtraordinary Game-Changers, who will Step In to the Phone Booth of Transformation (picture Clark Kent), Suit Up (like Superman/woman), and inspire each and every one of us to engage in daily Missions that will empower us all to Soar.
And who will these Xtraordinary Game-Changers be? Why YOU and I and all of us, of course. There are many Missions to embark on (should we choose to accept them) that will indeed shift this world for W.o.W. (Wild. Opulent. Wellbeing.)
So here are 3 Steps to help you slip in to that Cape of Magnificence.
1. Step IN.
We can only give what we’ve got.So if we’re spent, fried, distracted, sleep-deprived, worried, afraid, what can we hope to offer the world?
Before we can be heroic for anyone else, we must begin within, namely with Meditation
.
A 2014 Harvard study revealed “for the first time in medical history how meditation produced massive changes inside the brain’s gray matter.”
Feelguide.com offers this synopsis of the study and quotes Britta Hölzel, first author of the paper, saying, “It is fascinating to see the brain’s plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life.”
It is no longer just simply nice to relax; meditation is essential for our brain development and the release of the very real, detrimental and debilitating stresses we encounter day-by-day.
Take 10 minutes in the morning and in the evening and just Breathe. Yep, that’s it. Breathe. Let your thoughts go, be kind to yourself when your mind wanders. Bring it back. And breathe. Or use Guided Mind meditation MP3s or CDs to help you cultivate those awesome, life-shifting skills.
2. Suit Up.
We cannot recognize in another what we will not see within ourselves. To be a Hero you must first SEE the hero within you.
Crazy difficult isn’t it?
So much easier to deflect compliments and hon in on what everyone else is doing right. I mean humility is a virtue right? Wrong.
Those who are truly confident can see the basic good within themselves and without arrogance, accept it and celebrate it.
We are constantly leading by example, whether we believe it or not, whether we do it consciously or not. So if we are to inspire others to see the love, the compassion, the kindness, the joy, the innate goodness of their being, we need to do a little work on the one in the mirror.
Take 2 minutes each and every time you look in the mirror to list the Xtraordinary of YOU. (Okay you can begin with the concept of good and work your way up, but regardless, begin!)
You can do this silently as you wash your hands (just so on-lookers won’t think you’ve flipped). Mention the things you’ve done well that day, the ways in which you’ve tried or succeeded.
What we think about grows, we know, so list all the things you’re doing that you want more of. I dare you to try it for a week. Just see where it leads.
3. Soar.
My mother used to say, “Jenni, if you want to feel better about you, do something good for someone else” and I have taken it to heart and delivered nearly all the days of my life.
Acts of kindness not only make others feel good, but have the power to heal.
A 2014 Huffington Post article by Lloyd Dean and James Doty M.D. states, “An extensive scientific literature review sponsored by Dignity Health and conducted by the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University reveals a growing body of scientific evidence that indicates kindness holds the power to heal.
We now know that this often overlooked, virtually cost-free remedy has a statistically significant impact on our physical health.
For example, the positive effect of kindness is even greater than that of taking aspirin to reduce the risk of a heart attack or the influence of smoking on male mortality.
And it doesn't even require a trip to the pharmacy.” We have nothing to lose and everything to gain when we turn our attention for even a moment, from our own thoughts and meanderings to the needs of others.
Do one kind thing each and every day for another person. YES! Each and every day!
- It can be as simple as smiling at a stranger.
- Or giving a check-out clerk a compliment.
- Or pointing the way to your parking space as you leave.
- Or holding the door.
- Or buying a coffee for the person behind you in line.
At first just make it your mission to SEE those around you and notice where the needs lie, and then don’t think about it too much, just act.
Before you know it, you will have cultivated the habits of an Xtraordinary giver and perhaps will have many more years to offer up your heroics.
In celebration of the Cape and the one inside it, who will undoubtedly change the world just by Stepping In, Suiting Up and Soaring with hope and courage. Together, not even the sky’s the limit! Jennifer
Jennifer Maki is Author of The Mad Hero’s Manifesto, Seeker, Speaker, Mentor, LifeSchool Momma & Xtraordinary Game-Changer (just like you)! She is CVO, Chief Visionary Officer & Owner of Project YES! Life and Founder of The Phone Booth Project and is on a Mission to Suit Up with fellow Xtraordinary Game-Changers to make this world a more peaceable place for all, one XG-Mission at a time.
She believes with heart and fired-up soul, that a hero lies within each and every one of us and Together, Not Even the Sky’s the Limit. Step In & Soar with us at www.xtraordinarygamechangers.com Join us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thephoneboothproject Tweet along with us @YesLiving
And please do join our fun and inspiring League of Xtraordinary Game-Changers, by signing up for our Free newsletter and get your FREE copy of The Mad Hero’s Manifesto. You can leap right in for that HERE!
