Where to begin?

One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own.~John O'Donohue

 

I have been thinking about the deep breath we take before "jumping."  Whatever that jump is, to change our jobs, our relationships, to get in or out of a commitment, to do something that is monumental to us and that will change our world as is.

A few months ago I "took the plunge" and got out of my comfort zone, got in a plane and headed south with a mild idea of what I was going after.  I left a job I had been doing for about 10 years (2 jobs really) and I liked, a lot.  However the job did no longer bring the passion out of me, it was a comfortable gig I did, the novelty gone, the challenge almost not there.

I am one of those creatures driven by an honest passion in all I do.  I do what I want and I put my heart in it, not always to my benefit.  I am the crazy guy not ashamed of ending each conversation with a hug and an "I love you" and believe me, I mean it, each time.

In everything in life I find that when the passion is gone, in my job, my relationships, the book I am reading, well, I just do what it takes to "get through it."  I also know that life is what it is, I won't get out of it alive and because of that I don't want to "get through" life.

A few countries and months after I left my home and friends in Salt Lake City (by home I mean my stuff stored away) I am finding my bliss. I am waking up again excited for each day and each new challenge I have taken upon myself.

I have to "take my hat off" to all those that have encouraged me, knowingly or not to follow this path.  Not one of my friends told me that I am crazy for what I am doing.  Not one told me to stick to my job, routine and "get through it."  Quite the opposite, they have been the most supportive friends, writing, texting, sending care packages but above all encouraging me to do what I feel needs to be done.  Same can be said for my amazing family.

Then there are those people that I know and the ones that I don't that unknowingly have encouraged me as well.  How? By living the life I never want for myself, for them or for those I love. A life of doing what they hate, to pay what owns them that they never get to enjoy, because, well, because they have to work to pay for it.

I am understanding that everything we do is an encouragement to others.  When we do nothing in front of injustice, we are encouraging those imposing it, saying "it's ok, if we don't stand up for what's right, then you might not be wrong." I am realizing that our lives, lives of choice, of action and reaction, are as well lives of encouragement to those watching.  Oh, and people watch.  You can take that example to the max and think of celebrities, their lives are encouraging generations to follow and imitate their life styles.

We are not celebrities, but we live in a society, we have a community that is watching.

Let's lead a life that will encourage others to do their best, to be kind, to be loving, to be mindful, to be strong, to be hopeful.  And let's do that with our example.

Will you join me?

Pablo