Helping Others helps ME!

Today I want to drill down on my motivation in “helping others.”  I’ve been thinking about this one for the last few days.  Let’s see:

1)     When I help others, it makes me feel like I am doing the “right” thing.

2)     When I help others, I feel like I am giving back, knowing that without people helping me along my journey, I may not be here today….blogging about helping others.

3)     Helping others keeps me grounded and humbled.

4)     I feel a great sense of personal reward when I encourage smiles.  (Smiles are so contagious and I believe wholeheartedly that we can change someone’s life with a smile…….)

5)     Helping others helps me help myself.  It takes the direct focus off of ME yet it broadens my horizons…..adding depth to who I am as an individual. 

6)     Helping others makes me feel wanted and needed.

7)     Helping others helps me KNOW that I CAN make a difference. 

After much thought, I know that helping others motivates drives and fuels me because it makes me feel good about the person I am ….  Who I strive to be.  It really does help me!!   It’s yet another item on the list that makes me happy and keeps me going strong and positive!

Are you drilling down???   

Dreaming BIG!!!

Hummm…. My next drill down is around my motivation in “Dreaming BIG!”

Let’s see….

1)     When I open my mind to all the wonderful possibilities out there in this big ole world, it’s exciting!

2)     I enjoy taking my dreams and creating goals, both short term and long term!

3)     It’s exciting for me to think outside my box and reach for things no matter how insane they may seem to others.

4)     I enjoy the mental stimulation Dreaming BIG gives me!

5)     When I don’t allow barriers when I dream, I have none to get past in order to accomplish whatever I set out to do!

6)     When I Dream BIG, I feel invincible…. I am in DO IT mode and my creative juices flow at top speed.  (Just ask my family and friends!!! They probably get tired of my racing mind……… haha )

In taking a closer look at the hows and whys Dreaming Big motivates, drives and fuels me…. I know now that it gives me an internal BOOST …. It energizes me!  It pushes me beyond the norm and makes me feel on top of the world!  These things make me feel like I can do anything, thus giving me the rush of adrenaline to succeed in anything I set out to do.  

Ta-daaaa!!!  Yet another thing that keeps me positive and happy!   

WOW!  Another great day of thinking!!  Let’s continue….

Researching Things

From my list, I chose “researching things” for my first drill down.  I had to ask myself why researching motivates me.   Of course, this took a lot of thought and that’s why I am posting so late today.  Really, taking a closer look at how or why something motivates and fuels us isn’t always easy..... we have to dig deep.  Here are the things I came up with.

1)     When I am researching something, I am looking for an answer.  The part that motivates me is “finding the answer.” 

2)    It’s not the work involved in the research that motivates me.  It’s getting to the answer that does the trick.

3)    For me, it’s exciting to get to the bottom of something, prove a point, find a solution and be able to “know” the answer without doubt.

4)    Getting to the answer through research builds my self confidence. 

5)    It makes me more knowledgeable and more credible in my statements. 

6)    It allows me to have conversations on many different levels, building my self esteem in many areas. 

7)    Getting to the answer makes me feel important. 

8)    It makes me feel smart. 

When I look at the hows and whys…. they tell me that I feel better about myself when I am able to research to the end result of finding the answer.  Hummm…. When I feel better about myself, I am a better person….a more productive person.....a happier person.   

WOW! That was great!!!!  Let’s look at another item on the list….   

Are you digging??

Have you been thinking hard??  Don't worry!  It takes a little time to drill down to the hows and whys of your motivations.  Just take one thing at a time from your list and think about what specifically motivates and fuels you about that one thing!  Trust me!  It's worth the work! 

I think you will be amazed at what you discover about yourself when you take the time to get to the root of your motivations........... We start taking a closer look at things on the list tomorrow...... 

Let's Dig Deeper....

Were you able to answer the question?  Did you come up with more than one thing that motivates you…. drives you….. fuels you???  I have several answers to that question!  Let’s see:

1)    Passionate things like love, art, music

2)    Planning things

3)    Researching things

4)    Helping others

5)    Dreaming BIG

6)    Writing

All these things fuel me in some way!!! Okay!  Let’s dig deeper…...hummm ……. . Why do they fuel me?  What specifically makes them fuel me?  Let’s think about this… together….

What Fuels You?

What excites you?  What drives you? Is it looking forward to someone you love coming home to you?  Is it your child getting an “A” on a test he or she has been studying for?  Is it the end of a challenging situation that you have found resolution to? Is it planning a long much deserved vacation?  Is it appreciation shown to you for a job well done at work?  What is it?  What motivates YOU?

When you can answer this question …. You have found your fuel!  When you find what fuels you, you know how to set the stage for your happy!  Remember…. YOU are in control of YOUR happy! Make sense?    

Challenges Build Our Stories

You know…. the challenges we face in our everyday busy lives aren’t really what matter in the end.  It’s the way we handle those challenges that ultimately matters.  Do we get all stressed out, using every ounce of energy we have, to deflect and complain OR do we attack them head on with zest and enthusiasm??   

Tell me…. are you laughing about all the crazy things that happened five years ago…..?  When you think about your challenges of the past, do you feel like you learned something?  Have you grown?  If you said yes…. Guess what!  You will be doing the same thing five years from NOW…. You will be sitting around with your friends and family saying, “Remember when……..”  laughing about it…perhaps sharing tears… bonding with others. 

So, don’t use all your energy worrying about the challenges you face…. Use your energy taking care of them and pushing forward.  It’s not always easy…………but remember, challenges are only opportunities for growth and you will be telling those great stories you've built years from now……..

When our world turns upside down, we find strength in action and comfort in our stories.  Think about it…...