When you are a writer and teacher you're always looking for that next story or insight to share and when it comes to you, it's a gift. So it was with delight when my youngest daughter, Savanna, a teacher herself, made such a gift.
WHAT WE TELL OURSELVES
I love stories. My kindergarten teacher, Ms. Burdette, was one of the best storytellers I've ever heard and I've met some great ones. In many ways she was my first life teacher. She always got me to dig deeper, to get excited and to smile and laugh. Now that's pretty good.
Since then I've had many more teachers and mentors who have all contributed to who I am today. Sometimes you don't even remember their name, but you usually remember the story they told you, some more profound than others.
When you are a writer and teacher you're always looking for that next story or insight to share and when it comes to you, it's a gift. So it was with delight when my youngest daughter, Savanna, a teacher herself, made such a gift.
Like life, there can be many variations of this story-the ones that have the power to shape your life. The most powerful being the ones we tell ourselves.
A son and his father were hiking in the mountains-suddenly, the son falls, hurts himself and screams:
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
And then the father screams into the mountain: "I admire you!" The mountain answers back: "I admire you?"
Then the father yells triumphantly: "You are a champion."The mountain answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Life is for giving, loving, teaching, learning and sharing all you are and will ever be; your joys, your sorrows, your triumphs and your disappointments. And of course, your smiles.
If you want more love, create more love in your heart. If you want more joy, be joyful. And if you want to live a more interesting life, be open to new people and new ideas.
YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!
As I've said before, quite often you don't remember the name of the person who tells you the story, even though you remember their story for many years afterwards.
Savanna and I were curious as to who wrote this story. We found the story on the internet (I sure wished we had the internet when I was in college), but the author was unknown. Whoever you are, thank you for the gift of your wisdom.
As the father in the story reminds us, what we tell ourselves becomes our story and the lens from which we perceive the world. Sometimes the story gets old. If you don't like it, change the lens.
You know that I love to hear from you. What is the story you have been telling yourself? Please feel free to share this message with those in your circle.
Mark supports his clients from his first hand experience of integrating what it takes to be successful in the marketplace, with the inner wisdom and emotional intelligence unfolded to him from years of meditation and yoga.