Getting double rewards

"To help others develop, start with yourself." -- Marshall Goldsmith

When I read this quote this morning I realized how often we choose to spend our energy worrying about what others are doing or trying to change what they're doing. The truth is that we can't change other people directly. They have to choose their own change. However, we can be an example to them and an inspiration to make the choice to change.

And here's another of those dichotomies: When we put our energy into ourselves, caring for ourselves, being our best self, sharing ourselves with others, we inspire others to do the same. So we get a double reward! We get all the benefit of being our most wonderful selves and at the same time we get to enjoy those who've been inspired by us to make changes for themselves.

Welcome the weeds

I saw an article today titled "Common Weed Could Provide Clues on Aging and Cancer" Basically scientists have studied this weed and found an interesting behavior pattern when one microscopic bit is altered. What caught my attention here was that this study was done on a weed. By definition a weed is something we don't want around, something we would eradicate from our lives if possible. Yet, it is a weed that is teaching us and giving us insight.

And so it is in our lives. The unhappy moments, the unpleasant experiences, all the difficult things are the weeds of our lives. We would happily eradicate them from our lives if we could. And yet, these moments teach us and give us insight, much like the weed that scientists are studying.

Perhaps it's time to welcome the weeds in our lives and be grateful for all they bring us.

Being a pumpkin

I received this in one of those emails that's been forwarded 1000 times and it gave me warm fuzzies. Since it's fall here and I like warm stuff I thought I'd share the warm fuzzies with all of you. Enjoy and feel the warm fuzzies of your source of joy and inspiration in life, whatever that may be.

Being like a pumpkin ~ God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all of the yucky stuff -- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a bright new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.

Hidden Costs

I've seen several bits of writing lately that talk about the hidden cost of something. Whether it's the food you eat, the car you drive, or what you think, there are always effects that you may not have realized.

When you buy "cheap" food from the big box store instead of your local farmers' market there is an impact on the environment and the local economy.

When you eat food that has been sprayed with pesticides there is an impact on your health.

When you think negative thoughts about yourself there is an impact on your self-esteem and your future actions.

When you choose to do nothing out of fear there is an impact on your future.

Thinking beyond the obvious and thinking beyond the moment might mean making different choices and it might just mean a better outcome.

Twenty plastic bags of fear

As I was reading my book last night I could hear my husband talking to himself. He was packing for his upcoming backpacking trip and looking for things to jettison from his pack. He caught my attention when he came across a bunch of plastic bags and said, "Twenty plastic bags. What was I afraid of?"

Not, "What was I thinking?" or "What would I need those for?" but "What was I afraid of?" That comment really struck me and I realized that we all carry around "plastic bags". We all do things, think things or literally carry things around with us that aren't essential, not because we believe we need them, but because we are afraid to be without them.

I think it's time to take a serious look at myself and see what I can jettison.

Cracked Pots

I've seen this story many times over the years in slightly different forms. I have never seen an author's name attached but I'm grateful to them for their wonderful insights.

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.


For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water..

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do ha lf of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'

'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.'

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.

Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!