How dare you? How dare I?

A few months ago I was helping to facilitate a Spiritual Mind retreat and I surrendered for a profound learning opportunity during that retreat.  Despite all the work that I do, I've never really accepted the fact that I've influenced people in my life.  When ever somebody shared with me their gratitude or appreciation, I would say thank you but dismiss their expression as I did not feel worthy to receive it.  Some people saw that as being humble, but when I reflect on it all, it was me feeling unworthy to receive such gratitude and appreciation.  

Then something magical happened to me.  During this retreat, every single individual in attendance, stood up, sat down in front of me and shared how I've influenced or impacted them. For the first time in my life, I let their words get past my armour and sink deep into my heart.  I changed a core belief and accepted the idea that I AM worthy to receive this from people.  I AM WORTHY!!!

I cried and cried.

When people share with me now, my heart is fully open and I am accepting of the words that they feel moved to share.  My spirit is now able and willing to hear and feel what others are trying to express to me.  It takes great courage for them to open up and share just how much I have influenced their lives.  How dare I dismiss, reject or minimize their feelings and expressions.

How many of us feel unworthy to hear or even accept such words from others?  How many of us reject the genuine heart felt words of another?  The topic of influence came up and there are many people in this world who feel that they have little or no influence on others.  Their own judgements upon themselves or the core beliefs that they function on, dictates how they see themselves.  However, we don't get to determine how much influence we have on others.  

Other people are the ones that make that determination, not me!

Perhaps that is where some of our self limiting beliefs come from.  We feel we have no influence so why even bother to try.  The error in that thinking is that it is not up to us to make that determination.  Just a simple smile, gesture or a single sentence change literally change somebodies life for ever and we may never know.  We can influence peoples lives without even meeting.  Who are we to limit ourselves and our interactions with others based on our own limited, blind bias?  Who are we to deny others of an interaction that could change their lives for ever?

We have no idea how we influence or change the world just by us walking the path, sharing, laughing or smiling.  Just being is enough.  Being present with no words or actions is enough to change the life of another and bring comfort, security and peace into their life.  We don't need to try to fix them, rescue or save people.  In fact, we cannot do any of those things anyway.  However, we can influence them to make their own changes in their life simply by being there or walking our path.  

The amount of influence we have on others starts right from birth and can follow us during every moment of our lives.  We are completely blind to the amount of influence we have on others because it is their experience that makes that determination, not ours.  Unless people are willing to stand up and share with us, we will never know.  But when they do stand up to share, how dare we reject, diminish, dismiss or minimize what they are trying to say to us?

How dare I?  How dare you?

What this world is missing is people having the courage to reach out to that one individual, whether he / she is a close friend, family or a complete stranger.  What do you think will happen when we all reach out and express just how deeply somebody has influenced us in our lives?  We don't often do this as the world is infested with a sense of unworthiness, making such gestures painful or even difficult to express.  But if we find within ourselves the strength and courage to accept that we are indeed worthy of such loving affection and we accept fully what others are willing to share with us, is it possible that we can change the world?

Indeed we can!

So I challenge each and every single one of you to do two things.  First, find within yourself the courage to open your heart and really hear and accept the words, feelings and expressions of others when they share with you.  Secondly, reflect on your life and reach out to those people who have influenced you along your journey and share with them just how important, meaningful and impactful that influence really was!  We can change the world by having a profound impact on the world of another individual.  

I ask for forgiveness from the hundreds upon hundreds of people who have contacted me throughout the years.  UNGRIP came out in 2011 and I've literally heard from thousands of people about how my work has influenced them and changed their lives.  I've heard similar expressions from people regarding my book 'Graduating Life with Honours', the workshops that I've held and the retreats that I help facilitate.  I get it now and I'm deeply moved by the energy, gratitude and appreciation.  

I am now ready to allow that energy to enter my heart and hearing how I have influenced others has influenced me tremendously and changed my life for ever.  As a result, I now comprehend the power of influence and I will not be silenced as my life journey does indeed influence people in ways that I will never comprehend or even know about.  Millions of people have seen my work, so it is impossible for me to fully grasp the influence that I have.  But I too am influenced by many of you and for that I am forever grateful.  

As I continue my work to share and help facilitate healing retreats, writings, etc, I am now able and willing to accept that people see me as an elder.  I am humbled by the gesture and now fully comprehend the duty and responsibility of such influence within the communities that I participate in.  Some of them are my physical tribe who invited me in as an elder and where we work together building and facilitating retreats (Goddesses Lair & Lion's Den / www.goddesseslair.org / ), while others are virtual, existing within the realm of the Internet and even this blockchain.  I've recently been invited to be an elder for the Homesteaders Co-op (@homesteaderscoop / http://www.homesteaderscoop.com) and I am honoured and humbled by the gesture shown me by @sagescrub and that community.  No matter how those relationships form, my influence is felt by others and I am equally influenced by those relationships as well.

Do us all a favor;  don't hold back.  Share all your skills, passions, experiences and love.  By holding back and isolating oneself, we not only deny others of the beautiful spiritual experience of self but we also dishonour the sacred and beautiful gifts given us by Creator.  Who are we to hide, dismiss or denigrate the beautiful gift that we are to this world and each other?  

This world needs us all to fully tap into all our gifts and share them with the world openly.  This world desperately needs that beauty, power, authority and abundance of gifts that are locked up in a population who actually feels unworthy and scared.  The parasites that created this environment cannot and will not survive when we all find the courage to come forth with the full glory, power and beauty of our spiritual gifts.  

I say this sincerely and bluntly;  If you need help, we provide a framework to help you crack open that armour and let the light shine brightly.  All that is required is a leap of faith from you to join us in our retreats, writings, interactions or even just a simple visit.  I cannot change you, but I pray that my journey can have some influence in the choices you make in your life.  

How dare we not take those steps to fully heal, be present and share our light for the world to see!!!

Be the light!  Let it shine!!!