It’s a funny thing about giving. Even though my life is about being of service, even though everything I do to create a living and a life I love stems from helping other people do the same…I still (STILL!) get all caught up in focusing on getting what I want. To name a few: I want to change the world, reach the world, be free and in love with the world and help others do the same. How does this all play out? I want to continue to build up my coaching practice and my yoga teaching—and can you already feel yourself getting a little more tense as you read that? Me too.
Self-Realization
Focusing on what we want doesn’t do us any good. This is NOT to say that we don’t dream or create or manifest. We just approach it in a different way. WIFT. That stands for ‘What’s in it for them?’ In all honesty this concept was a radical introduction in my life—totally new to me and foreign and hard to understand. I’d spent nearly all my late teens to early adult-hood focusing on what I wanted, on my dreams, on setting goals for myself and racing towards them, slicing through anything that got in the way. I was determined, dammit, and nothin’ was gonna stop me.
That worked for small goals: things like getting my first ‘real’ job, ascending up the job-ladder, and bringing major projects to completion. But bigger goals—things like, oh, wanting to help people transform the world, be free, be strong, be healthy and happy and LIBERATED? Not so much.
Yoga = liberty
It means freedom from the constraints of thought- and small self-induced guilt, anxiety, stress, worry, and separation from ultimate peace and joy. And living yoga means living from that place of unity. So ‘What’s in it for me?’ gets transformed into ‘What’s in it for us?’ And I noticed I was starting to sink into more emphasis on ‘What’s in it for me?’ right about the same time a friend of mine talked about spending the evening of the full moon getting all intentional about what she’d do as it started to wane. And then, totally unconscious of the poetry of it all, a gift floated into my head: 20 Days of Giving.
20 Days of Giving
Inspired by Shel Silverstein’s book, The Giving Tree. I’m going to give something every day. Something tangible: like clothing, or food, or money. Something less tangible: a hug, a smile, a seat on the bus, or my spot in the grocery store line.
December 5 to 25. One thing a day.
Want to join me?
It’s no big thing. Just something small.
It’s a huge thing. It could change your/the world.
If you dig this, will you help spread the word?
Facebook post: I’m joining the #20daysofgiving Challenge. Wanna join me? http://libreliving.com/coaching/20-days-of-giving/
Twitter: I’m joining the #20daysofgiving Challenge. Wanna join me? http://libreliving.com/coaching/20-days-of-giving/
Much love,
L
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This is a guest post by Lindsey Lewis, yoga teacher, life coach and founder of www.libreliving.com.
Daily Cup of Yoga 