It’s 7.23pm on a Wednesday night  – I am just getting dinner ready and I am having one those  ‘reflection moments’, so I thought I would come and write a blog.

Do you ever question why you do what you do?  How often do you stop and ask ‘what is the purpose of everything that I do’?

I don’t think about it that often, but now and again I do.  Particularly when I have an event in my life that forces me to think about it.

A funeral is a good example.

It wasn’t long ago that a good friends father passed away from a heart attack, a few months before he moved into his dream house.  I mean – he had worked hard all of his life for this goal, but then missed it. He was in his early 60’s.  It made me stop and think ‘is it worth striving for a goal like this on the possibility that you could die before enjoying it?’

Another occasion found me sitting at the dinner table with a role model of mine a few years ago at Christmas time…We were sharing a toast to the amazing year he had.  He was finally a multi millionaire and he had a look in his eye that said ‘I’ve made it’.  Two years later one of his children passed away unexpectedly, resulting in his life (understandably) crumbling.  He has found it difficult to rebuild ever since.  This got me thinking  ‘here is an amazing guy, that has worked his so hard, for years and years and has made amazing financial success, but would trade all of it to have his son back’ .

Do these things get you thinking?  They do me.  You can work really hard for years and years and make many sacrifices and achieve amazing goals, and still, things can shoot you down.  I really don’t believe you ever really ‘Make It’ , and events like this make me realise that life is as good as it will ever be RIGHT NOW.

It also makes me recall an article I read not long back, where a journalist visited a hospital of terminally ill people and asked them ‘What would you do differently?”

The number one response?  ‘I wish I had helped more people’

Wow – don’t you find this amazing?  It wasn’t;

I wish I made more money, or I wish I had built a bigger house, or I wish I worked harder….  It was simply – I wish I had helped more people.

When we take the focus from ourselves and we focus on helping others, we have no time to sit in self pity.  We have no time to think ‘poor me’.

What is stress to you, is someone else’s bliss.

If you are ever feeling a bit down, a bit uncertain, a bit fearful of things, then simply ask the question  ‘What can I do today to help someone that may be in more need than me?‘  When you have your answer – then implement!

Talk can be really, really cheap.  Put it into action and reap the rewards!

I recently found a list of some ideas I may use….

1.  Deliver some balloons to a ward at your local hospital

2.  Write to an old school teacher and let them know how much they inspired you

3.  Call your grandparents or an aunt/uncle to say Hi! and ask them how they are going

4.  Donate some money to those in need

5.  Ring a friend who may be having a hard time, spend some time with them

6.  Send that person a card – reminding them you’re thinking of them

7.  Walk down the street and smile, and say hi! at everyone you walk past

8.  Find some way to give back to your local community

9.  Start sponsoring a child

The list can be endless – and we can all give it go…. Reach out and be rewarded in return. It leaves us with sense of inner peace and calmness.

Would love to know your thoughts…..

Til next time,

Andrew

P.S. Whenever we want something to show up or appear in our lives, we first have to give it away. If we want more money – then give some money away. If we want more happiness, then you have to give out some happiness. Give and you shall receive…I think I remember hearing that somewhere when I was younger…