The DAILY SPARK Blog

TELL YOUR STORY

“Tell your story.  Shout it.  Write it.  Whisper it if you have to.  But tell it.  Some won’t understand it.  Some will outright reject it.  But many will thank you for it.  And then the most magical thing will happen.  One by one… your tribe will gather.  And you will never feel alone again.”

Quote by L.R.  Knobst

http://www.littleheartsbooks.com/about-the-authorillustrator/

REFLECTION:

  • Do you have a story to tell?
  • What is preventing you from telling it?
  • How can you begin to share your story…  write? tell a few friends? journal about it?
  • Be BRAVE… share your story with someone today.

FINDING COMPASSION

“Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.”

Quote by Henri J.M. Nouwen

https://henrinouwen.org/about/

REFLECTION:

  • Having compassion can be a very challenging exercise.
  • Is there a person that may be weak, vulnerable, powerless or perhaps armored up, defensive or scared that you need to see through the eyes of compassion?
  • How can you find more compassion (for someone dead or alive)?
  • Would you consider a different perspective on this person… understanding that everyone is a “work in progress… that we all are/were doing the best we could”

WE DON’T HEAR THIS OFTEN…

FIVE TRUE STATEMENTS WE DON’T HEAR VERY OFTEN

It’s a shame, because it would help us do a much better job of bringing ideas to people:

“I don’t care enough to do what you’re asking.”

“I don’t trust you enough to hear you out.”

“I don’t believe it’s worth what it will cost in time, money or risk.”

“I’m afraid of the changes it will cause.”

“I don’t believe that I’m the kind of person who can do this.”

Instead, people talk about features, quality or budgets.  Which might be genuine inquiry, but is often simply a way of stalling until time runs out.  When someone cares enough to tell us their truth, perhaps the best response is “thank you.”

FROM:  Seth Godin’s Blog

https://seths.blog/

REFLECTION:

  • How willing are you to say your truth?
  • How willing are you to hear someone else share their truth?
  • Can you say “thank you” to someone for brining their ideas to you?
  • What would happen if you said “thank you” instead of defending… closing the door on dialogue?