Planting Seeds of Change

A nicer home, a better job, good health, more money – we all have something(s) we want. It’s important to focus on your goal so you can achieve it, but sometimes you need to step back & see things from a more open perspective.  If you are always focused on yourself you can’t really see clearly and you’ll probably miss out on opportunities you never dreamed possible.

I was listening to Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now audio book yesterday and one of his points really hit home; this is the idea in a nutshell: If you want to receive great things you should start giving greatly.   You need to plant the seeds of positivity and abundance.  If you want to have more money, add giving of your time to your agenda. If you want people to be kind, be kind to them (easier said than done, I know).  If you want good friends, be one. Don’t wait for others to plop these things in your lap.  Be the friend, spouse, parent, etc. that you wish you had and you will be amazed by what unfolds.

I struggle with this sometimes because I want to get pissed when someone treats me badly, or I feel the urge to bitch and complain, but I know, when I choose this path, of planting seeds of change that it always ends up better.

Of course you still need to do your best to work on your goals, have faith, stand up for yourself and such, but it’s amazing how acts of kindness can create doors where only walls existed before. Not only that, but giving without expecting anything in return is very liberating and can help you in your mission to be more positive.

Think back in your own life to moments where the simplest thing changed the course of your day for the better. Some kind compliment or smile or maybe just knowing that the person heard what you had to say, these things can have a life changing effect on people.  Here’s one from my life:

When the doors first open at Trader Joe’s there’s usually already a line of anxious shoppers in queue  There is a smattering of business people on their way to work and  moms  shopping, but the majority of the morning crowd is comprised of elders.  Some are grumpy, some are not very healthy and some are friendly and very talkative, shopping being one of their few social activities these days.  They enjoy chatting and taking their time, paying with coins and cash, you know the types I’m talking about.  Trader Joe’s is a great place for them because employees are encouraged to make the customer feel at home and even take the time to really listen.  I made so many friends working that morning shift.  The funny thing is,  I thought, I’m going to slow down and take time with this person, I’m going to show them that I care because I want to make a positive impact on their day.  Most times I know I did bless them, but honestly, they ended up blessing me even more.  I have one friend with whom long conversations were the norm and at the end she would pray for me and my family.  She would encourage me and bless me every time I saw her.  I hope that I brought some light into her life, but I am sure she ended up blessing me much more.

Who can you bless?  Maybe someone you don’t like all that much? (poke, poke)  The trick is, we have to remember to do it without expecting anything in return, because, ironically that’s when the miracles start to happen.