I love to recognize how people serve the greater good. It’s always a thrill, as it was last week when I was consulting in Lawrence KS, to meet individuals who are so clearly on it. My job was to provide training to help them do more good work. Lucky me!
What I’ve recognized, in people across the US who are dedicated to serving the greater good, is that they don’t often see themselves in that light. Since there is choice involved in this, I think if you can claim those decisions, it becomes easier to extend that mind set to all areas of your life and do it more.
So what would you notice if you started to recognize how you are serving the greater good? And then why would it be good to do it more? Here are some thoughts:
WHAT YOU LIKE DOING OFTEN SERVES A GREATER GOOD
Usually, when people decide to go into service oriented work, they like the idea of helping others. But they may not see that the ripple effect of that work, be it teaching, counseling, policing, medicine, law, running for office or serving in government positions, moves out exponentially to change people’s circumstances. This ultimately serves the greater good of large groups of people, transforming people’s lives.
And what about the not so obvious things people love to do that provide a service. Think about the musicians, the artists, the dancers, the writers, all of whom provide inspiration, beauty, harmony and new perspectives that help us evolve. What about the gardeners, farmers, the scientists, environmentalists all contributing to our planet?
Notice how what you love to do makes an impact on the lives of others and ask yourself how you can be more deliberate with that positive influence.
NOTICE HOW YOU LIFT PEOPLE UP
Last week I was training people to be more “Trauma Informed” in their work and asked them to tell stories about their experience with this. Oh my….there were so many amazing examples of how people lift one another up, from responding to weather related disasters, to helping people in medical emergencies, to offering comfort to those in distress. There is more evidence of us caring than not.
Let’s focus on this more. How are you helping others? How are you sensitive and responsive and giving? How do you go out of your way to do for someone else? Notice how you feel, notice the response that you receive and recognize that this loving generosity expands exponentially as the ripple of your actions is felt, told and repeated by others.
Every act of loving kindness and generosity changes the energetic vibration around you, them and everyone they meet to send an uplifting effect around the world.
YOU WANT TO BE FAIR AND RESPONSIBLE
I have been training people involved in criminal justice to help evolve our consciousness to be more fair minded and help reduce our nation’s high criminalization. This has become a huge bipartisan initiative that involves elected officials, police, attorneys, judges, jailers, social service agencies, hospitals, local and state officials. It is impressive how it cuts across every division to offer a uniform platform for people to be fair minded and responsive to others.
I’m sure you can find examples of how you seek to be fair and responsible in your actions. Notice how it lifts others up and how it sets a tone in any environment you move in personally or professionally. How can you be more proactive, join in with others doing the same thing to make this grow?
When you join with others to enhance our social responsiveness you are changing the world.
YOU SET A GOOD EXAMPLE WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP
I’ve been impressed noticing how leadership can be shown in any position and can create a ripple of excitement for others to step up. Men and women across the US are using their sense of social consciousness to make a difference, leading discussion groups, offering new ideas, hosting meetings, volunteering and simply being kind. I see it in criminal justice reform, in the arts, in local government, in environmental action. It’s everywhere.
How are you doing it? I’ve been aware of simple things like generosity on the road, letting people in rather than cutting them off, servers going out of their way at restaurants, friendly, helpful service in shops. Once you start noticing it, you realize it’s everywhere. We are certainly a lot nicer than the media shows.
Be the example of what you want to see and start noticing its prevalence, you are helping positive leadership grow.
I hope this gets you thinking about how you are serving the greater good. I’m sure you will notice it in the work you do, or in your personal life that there is a ripple of goodness that you can and do generate in your actions. You are likely lifting others up by how you respond to those in need or simply by being kind hearted and generous. You have good ethics, offer fair and responsible actions and set a good example for others to follow. Pay attention to the positive impact you make and look for ways to do it more. This is how we change the world for the better.
If you would like to explore and generate more of this in your life, it’s a focus of my Transformational Coaching and Therapy services. I love helping people reach their full potential. See my website www.spectrumtransformation.com and reach out using my Free Consultation link. I’d love to talk to you about it.
Photo of Orion Nebula from Smithsonian.com
