| Every
month I am required to write something that we can put into
our newsletter. Sometimes I have some things on my mind, and
I find it easy to put my ideas on paper in a format that works
for the newsletter. Other times I just stare at the screen
and try to find something significant to write. That's what
I'm doing now.
I think
the problem comes from writing to impress rather than writing
about what I observe, think, feel or believe. So as I sit
here, it occurs to me I should look at what I have observed
about doing something to impress others.
When
my interest is to impress others, it means to me that I
have left or subordinated what is true for me for the purpose
of being praised or well thought of in some way. I haven't
found this to be inherently bad. It's just that I may find
myself doing or agreeing to something that later I will
regret in some way. You see if my purpose is to get attention
-- then I may not look beyond that motivation when I make
my choices. The situation would then leave me vulnerable
to getting off track with what I ideally desire in life.
Even more important, it would leave me very susceptible
to falling into old habits or patterns of thought and behavior.
It's
at times like these that we need to get back to our purpose.
First we must remind ourselves about what the real purpose
is for the specific task at hand. With that in mind we must
make sure we are on track with the larger or greater mission
we have for our lives. I know for me that writing articles
with a focus on impressing someone is off track with the
specific purpose I've set for my writing; and it is definitely
off track with the primary focus of my life.
We
all occupy ourselves with tasks both great and small. Like
a pyramid, each moment of the day we lay the foundation
to live a life more closely aligned with our greatest idea
of what life can be. Sometimes we move in leaps and bounds,
and other times our efforts produce an imperceptible crawl
toward anything of importance. Regardless of the apparent
significance, it will always behoove us to act in alignment
with our greatest ideas about who we are and what life can
be.
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