The Power of Doing YOU

A lot of my posts are focused on physical health and fitness, but what about our mental and social health?  What makes you happy?  Do you have dreams or has the world robbed and raped you of them?  If you are reading this from your office chair, chances are you have been robbed of your dream, if you even know what that dream was.

I can say that I allowed the world to rob me.  I considered my job to be my first priority, not me, my family, or any other human life for that matter.  At the same time, I found myself asking God to guide me into the life he has set forth for me. 

I am sure you an guess that the path I was walking on was vastly different that what God would want, especially given the priorities I was placing on the people and things I cared about, including me.  The first step to getting on a better path is to remove the most obvious obstacle.  For me, that was my job.  At 36, I had been employed since the age of 16, so this was a blow that damn near tore me apart.  But faith has led me to see that I can experience life in a totally new way.  I am finally doing all the things that I have wanted to do, the things my heart has desired to do.   I finally have the time to give.  The giving I do does not pay me a dime, but the happiness, joy, smiles, and progression I see from simply giving my time to others pays more than Donald Trump as far as I am concerned.

Yesterday I volunteered my time at City Gospel Mission, located in Cincinnati, OH.  I enjoyed dinner and conversation with a man who, as he stated, lives outside.  In 30 minutes, I learned about his love for his children that he desperately wants to see more.  I learned about his goals, hopes and dreams.  And then he asked me, whats you dream?  I thought and realized that I could not even answer the question.  I simply said, ya know, I don't really know.  He had asked me early on if I went to college, so his facial reaction to my answer let me know that he was surprised.  

I found myself realizing later that night that while my plan was to go help others, he had really helped me instead.  He got me thinking about "what is my dream".

So, what is my dream?  I still don't know....  What I do know is that I love to help others and serve.  I started with my passions: homeless, children, and health/fitness.  That has expanded to include visiting hospice patients.  I now dedicate a decent portion of my time serving those causes.  I don't know where this path goes, but the journey is scenic, beautiful, and inspiring.

Something that I learned yesterday that made so much sense: we were created to include others, but the world has taught us to exclude. We were created to love others, but the world as taught us to not love.  This reminds me of the innocence of a child.  Instead of calling it innocence, maybe it is our human nature.

Are you searching for your dream?  I would love to hear your story and experience.

BodyNista