“Your work is to discover your world and with all your heart, give yourself to it.” Buddha
Pre-COVID19, I was a share driver with Lyft and Uber. Over 4 years, I gave over ten thousand rides and had deep conversations with about six to seven thousand of my riders. Some of these stories are in my book.
Invariably, the conversations centered around you, me, each of us, everyone and everything is more loved and important than we realize. But three points: (1) Our way of taking things personal that aren’t, (2) Not understanding Forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves [We can’t fully engage in this moment when our heart and mind is holding on to past pains we haven’t forgiven] (3) Withholding unconditional love from ourselves and others, stagnates our flow of love. Thus, we feel isolated and alone. I often shared my Algebra, Ballgame or Puzzle analogy to illustrate this perspective. It was well received.
For example, a father called to thank me for the ride I gave his daughter. In my conversation with her, she found clarity and peace. A mother gave me a hug for my conversations with her son, during his rides to high school. Frequently, I was thanked by my rider, who then asked me, “What you’ve said is true, I can’t argue with any of it. But, how do I apply it? How did you learn this?”
With timeless insights from many of the world’s greatest minds and others of notable success, I applied the message in their quotes and transformed my life. They’re people, like you and me, who discovered and experienced significant shortcuts and insights that empowers us in our journey.
After they found “it,” they shared it so others could benefit as well. The “it” illustrates the point and becomes quoted. The quote may be popular and well known; it takes on a life of its own. Everyone knows many quotes having transformation power, but they don’t understand or assimilate the message and there’s no transformation.
Understanding the message is similar to a light switch. Flip it (assimilate)! It creates “Aha” moments!
Why?
Although they’re so well known and we recognize many on sight, we don’t understand why we restrict their impact. Not intentionally, of course. It’s similar to how we parents, watching our children grow, frequently don’t notice the day-to-day gradual growth until “Bam!” a year(s) went by. Then we wonder, “Where did the time go?”
But my point is we don’t apply it. We like it, it resonates, then we put it on the wall or something. It’s there for us to use. Play with it. Apply its insight, inspiration, whatever part that resonates with you, apply that to the challenges you face – the obstacles blocking, frustrating you. Apply the insight, visualize it for what it is – a muse to encourage and inspire. It worked for someone and they sent it to you. You, each of us, we get to choose our perspective – how we receive life’s data/input.
Joseph Campbell challenged us, asking: “The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure?” He spurred us to follow our bliss, advocating “Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn’t have opened for anyone else.”
There’s growth and satisfaction in reaching for dreams and even greater satisfaction in assisting and seeing others achieve theirs. That’s how I choose to see quotes – golden nuggets of insight given to me for the purpose of assisting me to live my adventure. I encourage you to discover and experience the difference when you choose.
Carmen Moshier ~ Choose
Until Next Time,
Joe
“Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.” Ramana Maharshi