THE KEY TO CREATING IMPACT ON A LARGE SCALE IS LEARNING HOW TO SHINE WHERE YOU ARE FIRST. IT MEANS LEARNING TO ILLUMINATE THE SMALL MOMENTS (THE ONES NOBODY IS REALLY LOOKING AT) SO YOU CAN CREATE SPACE FOR THE BIG MOMENTS WHICH WILL INEVITABLY FOLLOW.
So often we get so caught up in getting to the end goal that we fail to appreciate and recognize the progress we’re already making and the good we’re already doing exactly where we are. See, in order to shine our light in a big way, we first have to learn to shine it exactly where we are, on a day by day basis, for the people that are in our life now. We must focus on creating impact in the lives of those who are already around us, instead of worrying about creating impact on a larger scale. This doesn’t make our mission or our purpose any less valuable or less important. On the contrary, it makes it all that more relevant for the lives of those that we are affecting at that time. And the bottom line is, if we can’t shine and be happy where we are, we will never be happy anywhere we’re looking to go either. Because there’s always more, always another level up. But if we always keep our focus on the “more”, all we really do is keep creating a need for more..the need to do more, be more, achieve more..and have more. We create an endless cycle of need that no amount of “success” will ever fill.
Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I too can’t stop thinking about my inner need and drive to create greater impact in this world and have even felt defeated because no matter what I did or tried - it just didn’t seem to be happening. The desperation to “make something of myself” always seems to get worse when I feel unsupported or unappreciated in some way - which by the way happens more frequently than I’d like to admit! And not just for me, but for a LOT of people I know who are out there doing their best -day in and day out - to create an impact in the lives of others. The truth is, that sometimes, what you give isn’t ALWAYS what you get and in that sense life can feel complicated and unfair at times. But when you’re in service, you’re not really giving for the purpose of getting. You’re giving back and repeatedly putting yourself out there because it’s how you’re built. And while there are times that having that inner drive to give and make a change can sting and knock us completely on our back, at the end of the day, those of us who love to be in service will always get back up and go right back to being a light.
And personally, I believe that all you put out DOES make its way back to you - just not always directly from the people you give to. Karma always finds its way back to its owner. And every minute, every hour, every day we spend thinking of the “whens” or “why not yets” will do little more than take away from the beauty of “what already is”. So don’t worry about where you want to be - focus on the good that already exists where you are. Over time, that good multiples and suddenly the goal you were aspiring for... that once seemed so far away... will become your reality, your new “what is”. But if you’re not paying attention to where you are along the way, you may end up missing it. So wherever you are in your journey, keep shining and know that your light is making an impact in a way that’s likely greater than you ever imagined. And in ways that are far more beautiful than our minds can ever truly comprehend.
#bethelight #shinewhereyouare
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