WORDS OF EMPOWERMENT - Kathy Bourquin

What Am I Giving to Life?

Details: Category: WORDS OF EMPOWERMENT; Published on Wednesday, 24 August 2011 19:02

It’s easy to get caught up in the examination of what we’re getting out of life. We ask ourselves, “What am I getting out of this job?" "What am I getting out of this relationship?” "What does this situation have to offer me?" Others ask us...."Well, what’s in this for you?" "How are you benefitting from this situation or this deal?" Of course it is right to take care of ourselves. It is perfectly okay for us to see that our needs are met. But the commonly held perspective that taking care of #1 is most essential is greatly harming ourselves and our world. In our efforts to serve ourselves, we are on the course of destroying ourselves.

When we see people acting selfish or greedy or seeking to serve themselves first, we often buy into the thought that this is common human nature.

But it is NOT human nature. The nature that is truly ours - as we were created - is one that naturally shares. Our true human nature is one that seeks what it can give - not what it can receive. Our true human nature is to want only what we need, to share the extra and cooperatively work together so all will have what they need. If you want to understand our true nature, look no further than Mother Nature. Nature cooperates. It takes only what it needs and gives back the excess so that other species and natural matter can flourish and be fed.

Science has proven a human’s true nature in tests they have run for years. Studies have been done to show that we actually have positive physiological responses when giving or witnessing others give. As a result, we feel physical and emotional rushes that are very pleasant and motivating. When we watch a video clip on television or from a movie showing a selfless human being stepping up to rescue someone, we feel elation. Often we are moved into the desire to jump up and cheer. When we see someone reach out to another in need, give money or the shirt off their back, we are moved to tears or a full feeling rising in our chest or throat.

We have been fooled for so long by the misled messages of our times. We’ve been fooled into believing our life is about achieving for ourselves. We have misguidedly turned our mission in life toward what we can accumulate. And what we accumulate, we believe, is the measure of our success and worth. We do not have to look very hard or far to see many examples of people who have much, but are extremely troubled and unhappy. We have, in front of us on television and on newsstands hundreds of examples of those living an excessive lifestyle who are on spiraling downhill falls.

There was a story I once saw of a woman working as a toll collector for a toll road. She makes very little income. She’s getting by with just enough to meet her basic needs. Every day she sets out with the idea that her job collecting tolls is secondary to the job of giving joy to every person who drives through her booth. She smiles, jokes and offers a wish to everyone for a good day and safe travels. She sometimes brings candy or cute tokens to hand out to those who look as if they need a boost in spirit. She is known by everyone who regularly takes this route. And frequently the line at her booth is as much as five times longer than others because the daily users of the toll road want to see her. It’s become more important to many busy commuters to be touched by this woman’s "human nature" than to quickly get where they are going quickly.

Her goal every day, when she goes to work is to give all that she can through her job, NOT what she can get out of it. There is no happier employee in the world than this woman! She loves what she does for a living. She has more joy and vigor for her job than any CEO of a Fortune 500 company you will ever meet.
She’s being true to her human nature. She knows she is here to give. As a result, her life is a joy to her and certainly to many others.

Writing this article is not about something as simple as being a nicer person. The subject of returning to our true nature is a conversation and shift that is essential to our survival. These are difficult times - in this country, the world and our own personal lives. There is more than enough food in this world. No one needs to go hungry. There is more than enough money for everyone to be sheltered and receive basic healthcare. There are more than enough natural resources to power our communities. There is far more intelligent and innovative minds to arrive at solutions for every problem. The problem is not a lack of the essentials. The problem is that we don’t share. We don’t seek what we can give and contribute. For too long, we have sought what we can take and keep for ourselves. Big companies do it and people in power exploit it. But it’s not just them. It’s all of us.

It is every human being’s true nature to take only what they need, cooperate with others and give of ourselves for the good of the whole. Wake up every day with this intention: "What can I give this day?" If you do this, we will be immensely more content and happy. If this is your goal every day, you will feel richer and more fulfilled than we can imagine. If this is your purpose, you will feel more like your true self than ever before. You will find out how natural it is to live this way.

This single shift - made by a majority of people on this planet - will save life as nature created it to be. The shift starts with each one of us. It’s easier than you think..............it’s human nature.

- Kathy Bourquin
Email Kathy

If you are interested in having Kathy write an article for your publication or speak at an event, please contact her at the link above.