It’s the holiday season and many of us find ourselves doing a lot of last minute rushing around. There are gifts to buy, parties to attend, and friends and family to visit.
Many refer to this time of year as the season of giving. It’s true that once people get over the knock-each-other-down-to-get-a-cheap-laptop madness that Black Friday has become, there is a general feeling of goodwill around. People smile more. They greet each other on the street. It’s nice.
This year though I’d like you to think about giving in larger terms. I’m not talking about giving bigger, more expensive gifts to your family members. I’m talking about something much bigger, and that is giving to the world.
I often write about our tendency to hold back. There is a lot of settling going on. There are a lot of unhappy people around. I recently read a poll done by Gallup in 2010 that said that 70 percent of Americans are unhappy with their jobs. 70 percent is a huge number.
If you are spending most of your days doing something that you hate to put food on the table that really is not good. Your life is precious. The gifts that you have to offer this world are unique and valuable, but you have to value them too. You have to recognize that when you hold back, when you settle, you’re robbing the world of your light.
It’s time to sit down and really reflect. What are your talents? What are your passions? What do you care about most? Why do you care about those things? Why are you on this planet at this time? What can only you contribute to the world?
One of the most important gifts you can give the world this coming year is to show up as your authentic self. It is to stop pretending and start living the full and complete life you deserve. It is to grab hold of your dreams with both hands and start making them real.
The world would be a much better place if we all did that. If 70 percent of Americans are unhappy with their jobs imagine how that unhappiness spills over into the rest of their lives. It spills over into our society. It’s reflected in the way we treat one another.
Make a commitment to your dreams this coming year. Walk in the direction of your passions. Just concentrate on taking one step at a time and you’ll get there. As you move closer to your dreams and your passions, the world will start to open up to you. If you want to give a priceless gift to the world commit to being your honest, authentic self and living your dreams this coming year.
