Being True To Yourself

This week a situation that has been going on for fifteen months finally came to it’s conclusion. For most of that time I felt I was fighting constant mental battles. Some of those episodes were extremely stressful as I attempted to anticipate the other party and research the laws that would be part of the process.  Although the outcome was favorable to me, I actually lost something far more important.

For the past several years I’ve focused on being happy and centered which enabled me to be more objective and see the good in all situations. As I rode an out of control, emotional rollercoaster I slipped back into old habits; seeing what was wrong, constantly questioning others intentions and feeling defensive whenever I spent time working on this situation. I allowed this challenge to impinge on other areas of my life. I missed opportunities to be happy in the present moment because I was focused on what was going on that I didn’t like.

I know better. I’m aware that we get more of anything that we focus on, especially when there is emotion attached to the situation. Positive or negative doesn’t come into play. The formula is simple: thoughts + emotion = manifestation. Although I couldn’t control what the other parties said or did, I did have a choice of how I reacted. My thoughts and my emotions were my choice.

Often times when we experience an extremely stressful situation we find it difficult to think clearly. This is where practice makes a difference. When we practice or drill on the smaller incidents in our lives then we are better prepared to handle the larger issues that arise. For example, if someone says something rude to you and instead of getting upset, you recognize that you have a choice. You choose at that time to not let it affect you or you focus on something else that makes you feel better. It’s just like seeing the cup half full rather than half empty.

All of us have challenges in our lives. My hope for you is that you remember (quicker than I did) that you have a choice. You choose your thoughts. You choose the emotions you experience. Thus you choose how you will experience life. Be happy my friends.

It’s Your Life….Own It! is a book written by this blogger and available here.

What Are You Attracting?

The law of attraction has been and is discussed more than any other universal law. That is because we all like to dream about achieving or acquiring all of our desires. Similar to the way a strong smell can permeate through clothing or a home, the law of attraction is woven through other universal laws, always present and working in conjunction with all the unseen laws that create our environment. Like attracts like at all levels of life.

We’ve all heard that knowledge is power. Gaining an understanding about other universal laws can add to your personal power. For example; the law of vibration states that everything, seen or unseen has its own frequency. This includes the matter that physical objects are composed of but it also includes our thoughts and actions. Like attracts like in all things therefore whatever frequency an individual vibrates at, based on their thoughts and actions, will attract other people, events and circumstances at that same frequency. Whenever there is strong emotion surrounding a pattern of thoughts, the law of attraction will be quicker about bringing other things at the same frequency to that person.

Recently I was made aware of a woman who received exactly what she’d put out into the universe yet she was surprised at the results, thinking them unfair. She began this path with telling another person she was going to destroy their life and take everything from them. Her actions over the next year were vindictive as she constantly attacked the other person including saying things about his family that were untrue. When she began this journey it was with the anticipation of gaining tens of thousands of dollars as she portrayed herself as a victim in the situation. My bet is that she is unaware of many universal laws and has no idea how low the frequency is that she was sending out.

We live in a universe that is fair and it delivers back to us what we put out. Imagine this woman’s disbelief when a judge ruled for the other person and then placed a judgment against her for thousands then added attorney fees on top of it. Evidently learning the “Golden Rule” was missing from her childhood. She thought the system rigged therefore she couldn’t see that universal laws about vibration, cause and effect, responsibility and attraction were all working together to bring her the perfect match to her frequency.

I share this to provide you something to think about. There are times when we feel we’ve been done wrong and feel the need to defend ourselves. When that type of situation occurs, it would benefit us to put some thought into the matter and make conscious choices about how to proceed. Jesus said, “turn the other cheek.” He was telling us that we are going to attract what we focus on. If we attack another, we should expect to be attacked. However if we live with love and compassion, we will find ourselves experiencing those. Live wisely.

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A Great Memory Can Be a Detriment.

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I had an epiphany on Mother’s Day about myself and how much room I had for spiritual growth.  I’ve always been proud of my memory.  The fact it was good wasn’t just my opinion, co-workers quickly discovered I didn’t forget much.  It didn’t matter if the subject was dates, events or policies.  My mind connected enough dots to allow recall on demand.  The same is true regarding personal relationships, as I would recall conversations, feelings and behaviors.  This is especially true for those connected to a date or holiday.  Hence my soul searching adventure on Mother’s Day.

We were having dinner at my in-laws and I suppose the expression on my face was a bit melancholy.  “Why do you look like that?  You heard from both your boys and we both told you happy Mother’s Day this morning” says hubby.  Well that was all it took for me to recall in great detail the past few Mother’s Days and the inaccuracy of his statement.  Down the rabbit hole I went emotionally.  A few minutes later I felt the need to correct him as I pulled him aside and pointed out that my step-daughter has never wished me greetings on this day.  Not to mention her lack of acknowledgment of my birthday, which of course I did mention.

There lies the epiphany.  The quality of life isn’t about what others do or don’t do, it is about how we think about the situation.  Do we label it as a positive or a negative?  Any event is just that, an event.  It isn’t until we assign it a label within our mind that it produces any type of emotion.  I know this.  I write about it.  However there are times that I forget what I know and I react without objectivity and follow the river of my emotions.

Later, on the drive home, I found myself defending my step-daughter within my own mind.  I know she loves me from what she says and does during the course of daily life for the three years we’ve lived together.  Maybe she feels it would be disloyal to her own mother to demonstrate appreciation on a special day.  The fact that she would prefer to live with her mother and it isn’t possible weighs on her soul.  Where mothers day is special to me, it may be a torment within her.  These are things I must consider for both of our benefit.  Along with the fact that I know she wouldn’t intentionally hurt me.  Within a blended family there are wounds that are unseen, yet must be tended to.  As a parent, we must set the example and recognize what is important to our children to allow them to flourish.  That may mean seeing life from their point of view instead of our own.

Sometimes having a great memory prevents us from living in the present moment.  When we are thinking about what has happened in the past we aren’t focused on the here and now.  We miss the joy of the moment.  The fact is that all of us have painful memories, big or small doesn’t matter.  When we put our attention on those we prevent something different from manifesting in our lives.  Like attracts like.  Sometimes you just have to let things go.  Being grateful for what is currently in your life is a good start.  For me I need to be less proud of my memory and develop a pride for living in the moment.

Please feel free to comment on this or any other blog.  I’m interested in your opinions.

Thoughts Impact Your Health!

I don’t know about you, but I grew up believing that diseases were inherited.  However recent scientific data proves that is only the case about 5% of the time.  What really makes a difference is what you think about your own health and I’m talking about both your self talk and what you say to others.  Your language also makes a difference.  The universe doesn’t recognize don’t, never and no especially when there is strong emotion behind your statements.  The law of attraction brings you what you are focused on, meaning the situation or circumstance that has your attention.

Let me tell you a story to make my point.  I had a close friend who I’ll call Cal.  When Cal was a teenager his father passed away at the young age of 46.  Once Cal had a family of his own he began worrying that he would have the same fate.  He repeatedly said out loud that he would never leave his children without a father.  Cal would talk about his father dying young and say it wouldn’t happen to him.  Because of his concern he made sure that he got regular checkups and he lived a relatively healthy lifestyle.  He didn’t smoke, drank alcohol only on occasion and exercised.  Yet, his mental focus was still on not letting some horrible disease sneak up on him.  At age 40, he began having health issues and a variety of doctors couldn’t agree on what was causing them.  He was visiting doctors at least twice per month.  Three days after his cardiologist gave him a clean bill of health he passed away at 43 years old.  He did exactly what he said he wouldn’t…..left his children without a father.

If this was the only person I observed this happen to, maybe I would think differently.  However I’ve witnessed the law of attraction bring multiple people what they were focused on.  When you use the words never or don’t want, please recognize that you are putting energy and focus on that thing you are trying to push away.  Whatever we resist, persists. That’s the tough part especially when we feel so strongly about anything, including our health.  We receive what we are attracting with our beliefs and our thoughts.  When someone dies at a young age we often will hear about how unfair life is.

This world that we live in is fair, you just have to understand the rules.  I’m talking about the operating system that we live within.  You get what you focus your energy and attention on and if those desires are coupled with strong emotion, unseen forces go to work to bring it to you.  Pay attention to your thoughts and learn how to focus on what it is that you really desire.  Having gratitude for your health is a good start.  Learn more about making the rules of the universe work in your favor by learning how your beliefs affect your results.  My book, It’s Your Life….Own It! shares concepts about improving your health as well as other areas of your life.  Check out my author page to learn more.

Entitlement Boundaries

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You are entitled to many things; to have your own thoughts and beliefs, to create the life you desire and to experience all the joy and happiness you can attract.  It doesn’t matter your circumstances, these things are under your control.

Usually when we think of entitlement our minds jump to those who feel they should get something for nothing or rely on others to take care of them.  Why is that?  I think it is because we, as a collective group, have created a culture that falsely states all people should be equal in all things.  Whether it is participation trophies or the distain for extreme success and wealth, we have lost our way.  We blame others for our circumstances and insist that in order for there to be equality that everyone must have the same amount of resources.

I actually believe that all people are equal.  All of us have the same opportunity to create what we want our life to look like.  There is not a single person unable to change their thoughts or beliefs when different evidence is presented to them.  Once we engage with the idea that we are responsible for our circumstances, we open the door to possibilities.  That is the beginning of the magic of creation, when we own our results, we then recognize that we can change them.

The laws of this universe that we all reside in are the same for everyone.  You attract what you put out there in way of the frequency that you vibrate at.  If you exude love for your fellow man, you will find numerous examples of kindness, joy and caring come into your life.  However if you complain and disparage others on a continual basis, should you really be surprised if your life sucks?  Pay attention to what you are putting out there.  I don’t just mean what you post on social media but also your thoughts, and only you truly know what those are.

Yes, you are entitled, to what you can create.  That doesn’t mean you are entitled to someone else’s creation or their money.  It doesn’t mean that you are entitled to the same job as someone who put in more effort to become the best candidate.  It doesn’t mean that your government should take care of you while others foot the bill.  I’m not against social programs that have limits.  If you lose your job, file for unemployment, until you have another job.  If a circumstance changes and you need food stamps, by all means apply for them to help your family, until you are able to recover from the situation.  Most of us have experienced a time in our life when we needed help.  That doesn’t mean we should use that assistance to take care of us for the rest of our lives if we are mentally/physically capable of providing for ourselves.

You are a creator.  You are special and unique.  You are entitled by the very nature of your being.  Just don’t confuse being entitled with being taken care of.  There is a difference.

If you want to take more control of your life and your results, you can find practical techniques in my book, It’s Your Life….Own It!

Your Thoughts Affect Your Health

Sometimes we just don’t realize how much our thoughts affect our health.  We attribute our physical state to the germs we’ve been exposed to or who at the office has been ill.

My youngest son called me and told me he wasn’t feeling well.  As he described his symptoms to me, my first thought was the flu or some cold like virus.  Rather than tell him to go to the doctor or take some over the counter medicine, I did something totally different.  I asked him what he was worried about.  At first he said nothing was worrying him then he told me about a conversation with someone we both know.  This led to us identifying that he was concerned about a situation.

There are two points that I want to make here.  The first involves the person my son had the conversation but it applies to many conversations you have.  This person operates at a lower vibration.  They are the type of person who brings up the negative under the guise of trying to be helpful.  You know the type.  After interacting with them you feel worse than you did before and very likely you begin doubting yourself.  My advice to my son was that he had to mentally step back and look at the conversation objectively, recognizing the frequency this person emits.  Why would you allow this person to upset your apple cart?

The second point is that when you worry about something it causes physical distress which can simulate becoming ill.  Just as that grain of sand in your shoe feels like a rock after a period of time, so does the subject of your worry.  It grows, not really but it feels that way in your head.  I encouraged my son to immediately confront his concern and have a conversation with the person it involved.  Eliminating the worry by getting into communication with the other party can resolve the issue.  No matter which way the conversation goes, you now have an answer that you can deal with, thus no more worry about it.

Three hours later I spoke to my son again.  When he answered the phone, I could tell by his tone of voice that he felt better.  He had dealt with the subject of his worry and had a plan for the future.  Although he was a bit surprised he no longer felt sick, I wasn’t.  Your thoughts have great influence over your physical body.  Learn more by reading my book, It’s Your Life….Own It!  Author Book Site

Live With Intention

I used to believe in fate, coincidence and even luck.  Sure, I recognized that there was a relationship between cause and effect, however I looked at it from a physical perspective.  After all we do live in a physical world with constraints of time and space.  I thought of energy as something to be expended toward a goal.  My awareness about vibration was nonexistent as evidenced by the language I used as I put thoughts out into the universe.

Little did I know at the time I was ignoring the power over my own life.  I believed then, that life happened to us and it was our job to figure out how to deal with it.  I clearly remember the events that shifted my awareness.  It was 1986 and I was working for a large retailer in Virginia.  Unfortunately the company had a huge internal theft problem and within the past year I’d had over one hundred employees arrested for theft.  My faith in humanity had depleted to the point that I was turning into someone I didn’t like much.  I had to make a change for my own mental health so I decided I was going to move to Florida.  When a co-worker asked what I was going to do, since I didn’t have a job lined up, I glibly replied if I didn’t find a job, I would just file bankruptcy and live on the beach.

Oh, the power of the spoken word!  The short version is that my husband and I did end up filing bankruptcy but that wasn’t the important lesson.  When I was going through that very difficult period, I took time to really analyze my own thoughts.  That coupled with research on the power of our thoughts and how we attract people and circumstances into our lives led to increased awareness.  During that dark time, I began to find my power.  I began to see how I’d been emitting a frequency that produced results as real as all of the physical things I used to believe in.

Today there’s an enormous amount of information, scientifically proven, that we all vibrate at a frequency that attracts people, circumstances and events to us when they are also at a similar frequency.  But it doesn’t matter how much information is available if you believe that you have no control over your life.  I can tell you that your thoughts have energy.  However until you not only recognize it for yourself but also take responsibility for those thoughts, your life won’t change much. 

I wrote It’s Your Life….Own It! as a guide to help others find their own answers.  Sometimes you need to know what questions to ask.  Let me give you an example.  Ask yourself, why is my life filled with abundance?  Your mind automatically began working on coming up with answers because that is how your mind is programmed…..to find answers to questions.  You are capable of changing your life.  If that is your intention, I’d like to share my book with you.  Click here Book Site to check it out for yourself.

 

Fulfilling A Purpose

Have you ever wanted to do something, but you kept putting it off?  Procrastination takes hold and life gets in the way.  Before you realize it, your dream was moved to the back burner in someone else’s kitchen.  You know that desire is still there somewhere, because it nags at the back of your mind, interjecting itself into your thoughts at unexpected times.  It calls to you, in a soft subtle voice that nobody else hears.  That idea has substance and a weight that isn’t measured in pounds but rather attention units.  Always present, yet never in the forefront of your mind because you’ve chosen to put your focus elsewhere.  Miraculously, this desire doesn’t die from neglect.  It can’t if it is truly part of you.  It grows in imperceptible ways, waiting for the right time to spring forth demanding you notice it once again.  Demanding that you take action.

This was how writing was for me.  Even though I’ve written my entire life, it was for myself.  Sometimes others would receive heartfelt letters or I’d share a short story with a friend for whom it was written, but sharing my thoughts outside an intimate group wasn’t something I did.  As I became focused on my career, my marriage and then children, there wasn’t time to write.  To be honest, I didn’t make time.  When my boys started school, the desire to write resurfaced.  I had this crazy idea to write a novel.  I wasn’t in a good place mentally however I found the writing cathartic.  That novel was never published, nor should it have been.  When I reread it years later I decided it would need a total rewrite, however that probably won’t happen, because that writing was more about me healing than sharing a story.  Besides, the weight of the desire to write wasn’t unbearable yet so I put my efforts into other people.

When you concentrate on others it can be altruistic and cowardly at the same time.  I threw myself into volunteering first.  I found that the skills I’d honed in management positions were invaluable to organizations desperate for volunteers.  Whether it was the PTA, an alcohol/drug rehab or the foster care system, my planning skills coupled with my ability to communicate, filled gaps for them.  I was helping the organizations as well as individuals.  That was the altruistic part.  The more time I gave to others, the less I had to spend on improving myself.  Ah, the cowardly part.  If I was busy focusing on others I didn’t have to deal with my own fears, my own beliefs about myself and all those thoughts that weren’t benefiting me in any way.  I could effectively ignore that part of me, the one calling me to a life purpose, if I was contributing to the wellbeing of others.

There was something inside of me that I couldn’t ignore so I compromised with myself.  Whether you knew me thirty years ago or we just met in the past year, if we talked much at all, you figured out that I really wanted to help people, to be of service to them.  I want people to do well, to be happy for themselves.  Due to changes in our family situation, we closed our company and I began working for a large company.  Since I had this purpose of helping others hanging over my head, I concentrated on developing and training those who reported to me.  I’m direct enough that I cut through some of the excuses people give for not performing their best and we developed an incredible team.  If you are wondering what the compromise was, here it is.  At the same time we were achieving unprecedented results I was taking note of what worked and what didn’t, not only for the team but for myself.  At the time, I didn’t know that these would turn into exercises I incorporated into my book, It’s Your Life..Own It!

When a desire or a dream isn’t overwhelming, it’s easy to ignore.  That’s what I did for several years.  Even though I was making some journal entries of what was working well, I didn’t think about sharing them.  My grandmother used to tell me that when God closes a door, another one opens.  Well in my case, I felt like the universe decided I wasn’t moving fast enough to the next door so a series of events occurred which put me on my current path.  It started with a fateful Saturday when it took me fifteen minutes to recognize a feeling that overwhelmed me……happiness.  Now there’s a wake up call, when you don’t immediately recognize happiness when it shows up.  That gives you a small hint at the state of my life at that point.  That incident, which I wrote about, provided the motivation for me to take a serious look at my life and decide what I was going to create for the future.

Deciding what you desire to create in your life sounds much easier than it is.  Before I could develop a clear picture for the future I had to do some mental housecleaning.  That cowardly part of me actually suggested we just keep living in our little status quo box but it was too late for that.  I had to confront my fears, my mental blocks and I had to remember how to dream again.  Once that door to possibilities was open I was flooded with ideas, concepts and plans which I had no idea how to execute.  I traveled a great deal for my job so I began writing down everything that was coming to me.  Sometimes I wrote in a notebook on my lap as I drove and other times I would use the dictation feature on my phone and record notes.  If I was on my computer when these ideas came to mind, I sent myself an email so I could get it out of my head and refer to it later.  That is how the book started.

It wasn’t until I made further changes in my life that I had the time to organize all of these random thoughts.  My attempts were thwarted by my own self doubts as new fears arose.  However fears weaken as passion grows.  The more I focused on the message and helping others, the more passionate I became and with that my fears were lessened.  Then something interesting happened.  As I completed chapters of the book I felt as if a weight was lifting off of me.  I’m sure that some will read the quote at the beginning of this blog and think about negative situations that need to be released.  The opposite is just as true.  When a purpose is carried without giving it the attention and focus it requires, it weighs on our psyche until it is allowed to flourish and find it’s place in the world.

I wrote It’s Your Life..Own It! so that others could recognize that they too have the ability to create the life they desire.  You may have dreams and desires that are weighing on you and demanding to be released.  You don’t have to know all the hows, I sure didn’t.  You do have to start, first by recognizing what makes you happy and then taking steps to move toward that.  I want to share what I’ve learned so your journey is shorter than mine.  You can visit my website ChristieBakeman.com to see other things I have to share.

Be Selfish – For Your Own Good

Have you ever been told; stop being so selfish!  Think about the person who said that to you.  Were they really saying; hey stop putting yourself first and put me in that coveted spot!  Sometimes we are judged as being selfish for the simple reason that another person disagrees with our choices.  It isn’t always easy to understand what another’s motivation is.  Sometimes it is just as difficult to discern what our own motivation is.

Rebecca, a friend of mine,recently experienced some health issues.  She didn’t share them with her husband because she didn’t want him to worry.  Even though Rebecca was up most of the night in horrible pain, she let her husband sleep so he would be rested as he traveled across the country the next day.  In her mind she was putting his needs ahead of her own, thus not being selfish.  Hubby only made it part way across the country and had to get a return flight because Rebecca was admitted to the hospital due to a ninety percent blockage in an artery.  As I discussed this with my own husband, he pointed out the duality of the situation.  Trying not to be selfish, her behavior was a selfish act.  Keeping your partner in the dark, not sharing what is going on in your life, even with the intention of protecting that person, is setting that person up for future pain.  You could also look at this situation and decide if Rebecca would have been selfish and focused on her health rather than her partners comfort, hubby wouldn’t have spent hours on airplanes and would have been with her during the initial hospital examine.  I know he would have felt better being with her.

There is a duality to selfishness and finding the middle ground is like trying to stay in one place on a bumper car ride, with everyone else knocking you around.

Being a mother I think of all of the times that I put others first.  At the time I thought I was being selfless however looking back I see something else entirely.  As my children grew into adulthood I would remind them that their needs were placed ahead of my own.  Not so unusual, except I recognized that it some circumstances this created a feeling of sacrifice within me.  Many parents talk about sacrificing for their children and I suppose it isn’t an issue unless you start thinking and feeling negatively about it.  Feeling like you are unable to have what you want in your life comes from a sense of lack and thinking there is a limit to what you can experience.  These negative emotions, over time, can turn in to resentment.  Consciously, no parent wants to feel resentment toward their child.

There’s another aspect to putting others first and it takes brutal honesty to admit it.  Control.  The idea that if I am selfless and put others needs and wants ahead of my own, I can control them or their actions at some point in the future.  Future could be an hour from now or years from now.  Exerting this type of control usually will involve making the other person feel guilty for all of my selflessness or sacrifice on their behalf.  I am ashamed to admit that this description was me.  At the time I didn’t see it that way, but life experience and time to reflect has allowed me to examine my behavior with a different perspective.

There are times that we must put ourselves first.  No other person can make you happy.  Only you can achieve that.  Sometimes you have to put your wants, your desires and yourself first.  A happy person is capable of being a better parent or spouse or boss for that matter.  When you come from a mindset of abundance you are able to identify solutions that benefit everyone, no sacrifice required.  Be selfish about your own happiness.  Spend time and energy on yourself so when you feel the need to put others first, you do it from a place of love and joy rather than sacrifice.

My purpose in writing is to encourage you to be aware of how you think and decide if that benefits you.  If you’d like to experience more of my work, check out my website and join our community.  christiebakeman.com

 

Expand Your Skills By Teaching

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We’ve all heard variations of the joke; those who can’t do – teach.  There may be a few individuals that applies to, however the best managers, business owners and spiritual leaders all have one thing in common; they teach others what they know.  They share their experiences, their knowledge and their educated opinions with those they come into contact with.   When we hear the word teacher, we conjure up the memories of being a student when there was a particular teacher or professor that inspired us.  They taught us to view the world and ourselves differently.  It’s only with life experience that we realize teachers have many titles; parent, neighbor, minister, friend or co-worker.  These are people we have to thank for life’s lessons.

An old friend sent me a message that contained a letter his cousin, Brenda, wrote for his parent’s retirement party.  I read the heartfelt letter written about Brenda’s first job.  Her words were about what she learned from her first boss which also happened to be my first boss.  He was the franchisee for a fast food chain and he was a teacher.  She talked about working the fry station and when it was noticed that she wasn’t weighing the fries, he showed her how to use the scale.  As I read, my first thought was cost control (years spent in management does that to you) but that wasn’t the lesson he was teaching.  Brenda was told to weight the fries because she appeared to be shorting the customer and they should be getting what they paid for.  What a great lesson for a young person to learn; provide value and live up to the customer’s expectations.

How many lessons have you learned from a boss that were so much more than a simple directive?  How many of those lessons did you go on to share with others?  Thirty years ago, I had a district manager named Darnell when I was a store manager for Best Products.  As we walked the sales floor we were discussing merchandising and how to get the customers to pay attention to displays.  Evidently some of them didn’t make much sense, so he told me to make an open fist and look through the hole like I was looking through a camera lens.  Did the picture make sense?  Was it a single theme that drew your eye to products we wanted to sell?  I know it seems a bit silly but that one lesson taught me to merchandise end caps, vignettes and floor displays which drove sales.  When I was the president of a decor company, I used this method to develop the merchandising guidelines for our stores.    I also taught hundreds of others to examine their creations through the lens of their hand. They in turned shared with others.  By Darnell sharing a small tidbit, his idea spread to thousands.

When we examine our own motivations for doing whatever we do, at the base is usually wanting to make a difference.  Oh, that gets lost as we focus on spreadsheets and profit margins, employee challenges and market share.  Yet, somewhere in the back of our minds we know that there was a point in our lives when we were idealistic and believed we could make a difference.  I’m here to tell you that no matter what your current job or position, you can make a difference, by teaching others what you know.

There’s a wonderful result for you, when you share what you know by teaching others.  You become better.  Your skill evolves.  Your self-confidence grows.  I was talking to my son who is a dance instructor.  When he began this job a year ago he didn’t know how to dance, however he was athletic and personable so he followed his dream and applied for a job with Arthur Murray.  On Saturday he told me that he is teaching the majority of the time now and has found that his skills are improving faster by teaching than just practicing.  When I watched a video and compared it to some from just a couple months ago, I could see marked improvement.  That got me thinking about what made me good at my job and I realized that I grew and improved faster when I had the responsibility of training others.  When we teach, we must anticipate questions, we must find solutions that will allow our student to succeed.  Teaching, by it’s very nature, makes us stretch and expand our own self imposed boundaries.

The opposite of this is unfortunately found across corporate America.  Those individuals who feel threatened in their position, who believe that if they teach others what they know they will lose out, and they watch as their co-workers flounder.  They rejoice in keeping knowledge to themselves, their warped way of thinking operating off the belief that they are safer by keeping others in the dark.  Wow, that sounds like our political system.  Anyway, it is the people who refuse to teach who are the losers for they miss out on all the benefits that teaching provides.

True leaders, no matter what their field of expertise, understand that teaching others must be at the top of the priority list.  Assisting others in their journey requires the giving of oneself.  The giving of your time, your knowledge and your life experience to those who desire to learn sends ripples out into the universe.  Who knows, like Darnell, you may provide a tidbit that ends up reaching thousands.  So what is it you are going to teach today?

Teaching is one of the skills that true leaders make a habit.  To develop all of your leadership skills to your full potential, check out my Leadership Online Class .  Many blessings to you.