Tag: personal growth

Finding What Make You Come Alive photo Shannon Cassidy

Finding What Makes You Come Alive

Shannon Cassidy Leave a comment

Do you look at what your organization or company needs and try to fill that need? Sounds like a wonderful practice, right?

Or do you look at what you have to offer and try to use that talent in helping your company?

Howard Thurman, an influential African American author, philosopher, and civil rights leader said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman

Have you come alive in your gifts or talents? Do you use those in your occupation? Take a few minutes and think through these four questions. See if you can put your finger on what makes you come alive.

  1. What do I do with ease while others may struggle?

Just because it is easy does not mean it is your purpose, of course. But a good way to discover what gives you joy is looking at the tasks or assignments that come easily to you. In the same way, if you struggle with a certain ability, you can be sure it’s not something that makes you heart beat faster. Listing what you can do easily is a good place to start on the road to living fully.

  1. What are the compliments I have received more than once?

Your friends and family are a great resource you have for finding out what makes you come alive. Listen to them. They will probably tell you again and again if they notice that you are good at something. Ask those closest to you what they see you doing with exuberance and joy.

  1. What can I imagine doing for 10,000 hours?

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers, quoted neurologist Daniel Levitin, “The emerging picture from such studies is that ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert—in anything.” So what could you imagine doing for that many hours – or what have you done that is on its way to 10,000 hours? If you’ve been spending that much time at it, it probably helps your heart come alive.

  1. What energizes me and what exhausts me?

List the activities or tasks you have done the past couple of weeks. Beside each, write “energize” or “exhaust.” As you look back and analyze your list, make note of any patterns. As you evaluate how you’ve felt after each task, the things you do that make you come alive will emerge.

Once you have realized what makes you come alive, use that knowledge to make your life, and the lives of those around you, more valuable. If you concentrate on what makes you fulfilled, you will naturally meet the needs of those around you, simply because you will be drawn to those needs. Rumi said, “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love.” The world needs our heart when it is made alive.

 

Sources:

http://www.vocationvillage.com/strengths-assessment-10-ways-to-know-what-you-are-good-at-doing/

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/find-your-calling-5-steps-to-identify-your-purpose/

Small Changes Big Results Ripple Effect photo Shannon Cassidy

Small Changes, Big Results

Shannon Cassidy 1 Comment

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa knew that change very rarely happens in big swooping gestures, but in smaller movements, often personal decisions. As a leader, you have the chance to make changes that could produce big results. But to be highly effective, those changes need to small and intentional.

Here are five small changes you can make that can lead to big results.

  1. Learn Something Every Day. The more you know, they healthier you tend to be. Reading articles online will grow your knowledge over time. Warren Buffet, one of the richest people in the world, is said to read over 500 pages a day just to learn. If you aren’t a reader, listen to books on tape or podcasts. This small change can add up to big results in your brain power and can also reverse any downward spirals in your thinking abilities.
  2. Do Something New. Sometimes work can feel like a rut or a grind and you might crave a change. Instead of making a big change like a new job, make a small change. Switch up your schedule. If you eat every day at the same time, try eating 30 minutes sooner or later. Try a new perfume or cologne. Fresh smells can create innovative sensory experiences which can make your day or week feel brand new.
  3. Bring Playfulness Into Your Day. Remember when you were 9 years old? What did you like to do? Try doing it again. Find a park and whizz down a slide or swing for a while. Maybe throw a football around or bake a cake from a recipe your mom always used. This kind of small change can slow down your life for a bit and hit reset. After recharging, your child-like energy will help you tackle your work in a new way.
  4. Change Your Speed-Dial List. If you have a top ten list on your phone that are made up of business-related people, maybe it’s time to reevaluate that list. Business situations change, so it is important to reevaluate your business priorities. Every time you look at what is important in your life, even if you only make small changes, you naturally reset your vision for your work or life, which usually results in positive growth.
  5. Change Your Surroundings. Your office often reflects who you are and where you have been. It might even reflect where you are going. If you want to grow, it is important to change your office. Life is full of adjustments and compromises and your office can be a vital reminder to you to move toward your goals.

The opportunities of a new path are open to you, but you must move forward in focus. Making these small changes can increase your focus and productivity. Like Mother Teresa, if you cast those stones across the water making small changes in your life, the results will creative positive ripples throughout your life.

 

Sources:

http://www.smallstepsbigchanges.com/43-alltime-quotes-change/#ixzz3r8A48vwK

http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/make-one-small-change-to-make-a-big-difference-to-your-health

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/70936

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jen-glantz/small-ways-to-make-big-ch_b_5675549.html