Our Inspiration Lies In Our Strengths

 What causes us to lose the child-like imagination we are born with?

I'm musing on this today as I consider the ramifications of this sad truth. That as we grow in age, we diminish in imagination and the ability to clearly see who we are in such a way that we play to, utilize and live by our strengths and our inspiration.

Think back to being a 6 year old…Life is amazing! You wake up excited to meet each new day. Life is full of discovery and it's just waiting for you to meet it head on. Friendships mean everything to you. Happiness is yours, as you have no idea what the 'opposite' is. You are beginning to awaken to your abilities, the things that make you who you are as a unique kid…You want to be a star, you want to fly to the moon, you want to put out fires, you want to save the world, and there is no safer place than in your parents arms. Your daily goals include catching frogs, riding a bike, seeing how many licks it takes to finish a double chocolate ice cream cone, and building a fort with your best friend. Questions abound, about life, about god, about the universe, the family next door and why or why is the grass green and not purple? Life is…life is.

What happens along the way that in a span of a decade or even two, this amazing, hopeful person full of dreams, laughter, passion and discovery, belief and all those motivational words we today post on our walls, books and tattoo onto our bodies - what happens to them? What happened to us?

An even more important question….if by challenging ourselves to answer this question, can we find a way back there?

Marcus Buckingham, author and speaker, tells us that we are told that 'as you grow, you change'. He believes that this is a myth. That the truth is," that as you grow, you don't change your personality. As you grow, you become more and more of who you are.". Who we are is there from the time we are born and that same childlike wonder lies dormant in us, just waiting to be awakened, discovered and reignited.

If I was to ask you if you know who you are…what responds inside of you as you read this question?

If I was to ask you what your strengths were, what would show up for you?

And if I was to ask you if you are playing to your strengths…what answer comes through for you?

What percentage of your day is spent playing to your strengths?

If you can believe it, after thousands of people were asked by Buckingham, his research showed that a mere 2 out of 10 said they were playing to their strengths each day. 2 out of 10…

While the responsibilities are ever towering over you for the reasons why you can't afford to live and play to your strengths, I have got to ask the question…Can you afford NOT to? Take a look at the people just in the world around you that you know of, living on anti depressants, highly stressed, unhappy, divorced, angry, miserable, chameleons, fearful, hiding, broken, distrustful, resentful, dispassionate, full of excuses, hiding in the shadows of their frail lives.

Have I touched a chord? Does this resonate with you? Does it even describe you here or there?

So what can we do to change this?

By beginning to look at what is at the core of who you are, who you were made to be, the things that made you grin and get excited about as a child now as you think about them make you grin and get excited about…start here. Get into a space and allow yourself to go there. Write it down, in no particular order and don't think too hard. Just let go and put it down on paper.

Now, consider your strengths…do you know what your strengths are?

In my next installment, we will look at uncovering your strengths and together, will discover how you can play to your strengths and life your life more fulfilled and alive than you've been since you were a child. Ready for the ride? I know I am.

Till next time...