G*Nice: Pay it forward, you’ll reap the rewards

I passed a friend standing in a corridor at work this week just staring out the window looking perplexed. I asked him what was on his mind as he supped his morning coffee. He replied, “Do you believe in energy?” Now, I am an abstract thinker as you know, but even I had to seek further clarification. He continued: “I mean, if I was to sit in the sun all day would that infuse me with energy?”

No matter how busy I am, this is the kind of conversation I relish and of course, without giving it much thought and possessing no insight as usual, I spun out a stream of semi-conscious thought as an answer to a killa-question!

What I think he was getting at is that feeling we have, or believe that others seem to have, that makes us (or them) positive, motivated and dynamic. I had to differentiate between the obvious benefits of a day in the sun just chilling, which can, no doubt, be beneficial for relaxation and stress relief but doesn’t necessarily contribute to the sustainable energy in question.

I am a positive person. I take the time to appreciate the world that I have created for myself. I am not being arrogant by assuming I have created all that swirls around me but I make certain choices about how I conduct myself that has positive effects on my position.

It seems trivial but just by choosing to be generous to others yields constant rewards. Financially, I am privileged enough to be able to give, lend or waste money as I see fit, which I regard as a true blessing.

I don’t regard myself as anything special educationally to be in this position. I find myself here because of good luck, hard work and the support of peers. Generosity however, is not judged by money alone and by embracing a value from my mum I give a lot of myself to others, friends and strangers alike.

It might just be a handshake, smile, a ‘good morning’… But by being willing to engage with others as an equal brings positive energy.

Building these connections with fellow man pays off in bundles. It costs nothing to be civil and friendly, unlike most things in life. What’s the downside? I can honestly say that despite work and life stresses, I am blessed that when I wake up in the morning I feel good about being me. I connect to that feeling in the same way one would a stomach ache – I can feel it and it impacts how I conduct myself.

I think that there is a lesson in there somewhere from my experience that might create a spark for you to chew on.

Can you chew on a spark? Who knows!

Content-ingly Yours,
G*Nice