During
a trip to Chicago, I was particularly aware of the people who make a difference. I went to hear Dr. Ron Siegel speak on Mindfulness and Compassion, and while he is one making a difference, it was also the everyday people I encountered in travel that impressed me. It’s not just those in the headlines who make waves in the world.
What I noticed was the interactions of people in service jobs, who make their living through interactions with others, with a full range of options in how they handle their responsibilities. When I saw the same qualities from them that I watched in Dr. Siegel, a Harvard Medical School professor who is at the top of his field, I realized that it doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, you have the ability to make a difference in the lives of others.
I was watching the ancient wisdom principles in operation, noticing how combined with mindfulness, it offers a template to make our life and the lives of others meaningful. See what you think of these observations.
HAVE CLEAR INTENTIONS
Mindfulness helps us cultivate awareness that the interactions we have with others can make or break how we view our experiences. What I realized is that everywhere I went, people were going out of their way to be super friendly and accommodating. It started with the hotel desk clerk, then the restaurant staff who had me in stiches over a delightful story. Later it extended to the staff at the Art Institute, restaurant servers, even to the housekeepers at the hotel. I was noticing it everywhere.
This requires being present and recognizing the Law of Mentalism in action. Approaching your work and interactions with the intention to be friendly, helpful and kind is a deliberate and mindful decision. All action begins with an idea and clear intention that guides your behavior. Deciding to be nice and helpful is a wonderful place to start any endeavor.
ALIGN WITH SOMETHING GREATER
In Dr. Siegel’s presentation on Mindfulness, he noted that connection to something greater than yourself is one of the important ways to develop a sense of purpose that can counteract tendencies toward depression and anxiety. This is the Law of Correspondence, that says everything is interconnected. We operationalize it when we get out of our head to be more present with what is in front of us. What I didn’t expect was to see how this plays out as people do their service jobs.
It became clear that all the people taking care of us wanted to do their best, to make our experience excellent. The staff in the hotel were deliberately helpful. The server at Lou Malnati’s pizza shop stopped frequently to see what we needed and wanted to know how we liked our food. Our friend Ibu, who cooks Senegal food at Yassar, came to the table to hear what we thought of the dishes he had created. When people take pride in what they are doing, they serve a higher purpose, do their best and want the feedback.
GIVE WHAT YOU WANT TO RECEIVE
You are likely aware of the Law of Vibration that says, “like attracts like”. When you mindfully and deliberately extend yourself in ways that reflect what you’d like to receive, you create a cycle of interaction that grows exponentially. It was no wonder that my interest in being kind and responsive was also contributing to others behavior as well.
The hotel staff appreciated my sincere thanks and went out of their way with me. The server at the Pizza shop was delighted to hear “It’s fabulous, the best pizza ever”. (absolutely true) Just as Ibu wanted to please us and was thrilled that we thought his Senegal food was “absolutely delicious”. The Christmas bread freely extended to us was gratefully received by the homeless man on the street. An interactive cycle was created everywhere we went
What became abundantly clear to me is that we can all be mindful and responsible to make a difference in the world simply by starting where we are, no matter what we do. With clear intention, you set a standard for how you move in the world. When you align with something greater, you choose to do your best, and give excellence. When you are aware that what you give is equal to what you want to receive, you become part of a beautiful interactive chain for positive experiences. All this indeed makes a difference in the world. It was certainly why my trip to Chicago was wonderful.
Do you seek this experience or want to create more of it? My Transformational Life Coaching and Counseling is designed to support and provide information on how to make it standard in your life. Go to www.spectrumtranformation.com and use my Free Consultation link to reach me. I’d love to help you make a difference in the world.
Photo – Dr. Ronald D. Siegel, Mindfulness and Compassion workshop, Chicago Il – for a full listing of his books see https://www.amazon.com/Ronald-D.-Siegel/e/B001H6P2Y0%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
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