I don’t know if you have any friends in one of the recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous but I do. One of the central tenets, they tell me, is the idea that “You have to give it away to keep it.”
That is amazing, if you think about it. That when an alcoholic hits rock bottom, the way they are told their lives will be fixed is if they find another alcoholic who is worse off than them. Take the focus off yourself and help someone else, they are told.
In a lot of ways, many of us feel at a kind of rock bottom. It doesn’t really matter who you voted for, either way, most of us are feeling a new level of uncertainty. What is going to happen in the world? Where do each of us go from here?
The answer that helps me is to be of service–just like the recovery movement people. That, in fact, is why I am writing this article. By possibly helping you, I help myself. The Christians, Jews and Muslims all say in their doctrines, “love your neighbor as yourself.” This is not an ethical exhortation but a spiritual one. It is a path to our own enlightenment and peace.
How can I help? Keep that question in your mind at all times and see how your life and the lives of those around you transforms.
PS In case you need a little more guidance I’ve written two articles that might help you find ways to be of service and get some relief from the uncertainty. One is about how ambiguity and uncertainty, if we don’t suppress the feelings, can be used as a motivator. It is called Ambiguity Is The Engine. The other is called Five Thoughts On Having Meaningful Impact In An Uncertain World.
PPS People seem more than ever to be wanting to find ways to use their talents and skills to be of service to the problems and concerns in the world they worry about. I’ve been at this a long time so I hope it will help that I am both offering individual coaching and developing a group coaching program and some online courses. Keep an eye out. More news soon.
PPPS I am also looking for a way to develop more of a conversational community for us all. Maybe a Facebook Group? Let me know if you have thoughts.