To Make Positive Progress, Shift Your Mindset to Compassion for Others!
If you sometimes feel as though you’re caught in life’s quicksand, you have a lot of company. We work, we struggle, we try to do everything we possibly can to move on to a higher level of well-being. Yet it seems the harder we work, the more stuck we get. If you’re approaching a Category 5 frustration level, you might give this a try…
Switch your focus from that really nice – but frustrated – person in the mirror to one or more of the other folks who inhabit this good earth.
What frequently happens is that we become so over-focused on ourselves and our own personal well-being that we wind up building huge walls. We lose the ability – or even desire – to see the bigger picture and the possibilities that life presents to us. We become so focused on “me” that we sometimes begin scrutinizing even the most insignificant events to determine their potential impact on our personal lives. We become victims to ourselves. We sometimes just become so busy being busy that we lose track of where we thought we wanted our lives to wind up in the first place.
When we change our focus from “me” to “others”, we go from being the receiver to being the giver. And no, this does not require any major change in the things we do every day.
No matter what you do to earn a living or keep the household moving in a logical direction, somewhere down the line a real person will probably benefit from what you do.
Think about it. Somewhere, sometime (and maybe immediately) another human being will likely be positively affected by what you do.
For the rest of us, however, our activities and work generally reflect a more positive endeavor. That leads us back to the original suggestion. If you are caught in the quicksand, take a few minutes to really think about the people – the individuals who will be better off, healthier, or happier because of what you do. Think about how you are giving of your time and talents so that others will profit in some way from your efforts.
When we change our focus from “me” to “others”, our work – the things we do every day – starts taking on a new significance. We are now a giver. Our life honestly is meaningful. We know that what we do is truly important to someone else. That’s pretty special, huh?
If you’re having to really stretch your imagination to see at least one other person benefiting from the things you do and it’s really not fitting together, you might consider looking into a different occupation – or at least a different way to spend your free time. There are a bunch of people who could really benefit from your talents. Think about what you do well – what you enjoy doing that could help others have a better life. Then go do it. You’ll be out of the quicksand before you know it.