How to be Worthwhile

Last week we talked a little bit about becoming Worthwhile. To repeat myself one more time:

Worthwhile ALWAYS includes someone else.

The dictionary defines Worthwhile: "Of value or importance."

You certainly can say "I have money and a nice house. These have value and are important to me. Doesn't that make me Worthwhile?"

Actually it makes the money and house Worthwhile. You are still simply you. If you think that having a lot of things makes you Worthwhile, stop reading here. You are already right where you want to be.

For the rest of us, let's get past things and onto people.

This week is just a list. Find something on here that you can do do make a difference in someone else's life. Or use this list to give you your own ideas. I certainly don't have all of the ideas cornered:

• When you go shopping, buy a couple of extra cans/boxes of food and drop them into the barrel in the front of the store for the homeless (inexpensive and so necessary)
• Visit an Assisted Living center and ask a resident to tell you stories from the past (they were not dropped there to die, they need stimulation and love to share)
• Compliment a stranger in a store on her blouse/smile/glasses/... (much like the hug in my last posting, you don't know how deeply you can affect someone simply with acknowledgment)
• Change a child's life. This can be done simply by reading a story to a related child, letting them know someone cars. Or you can put time and effort into becoming a Mentor, helping one more child become someone special
• Volunteer. Anywhere. Find your Smart and share it with others. Help someone else become special by sharing what you know and what you can do

Well, here were some thoughts on Worthwhile. Go forth and make a difference, because

You ARE a S.W.A.N!

Next week we will start with How to Be Attractive.

Become Worthwhile

From the last post, you know WHY to become Worthwhile, now let's talk about the HOW to become Worthwhile.

First, do you know the difference between Simple and Easy?

Parachuting out of an airplane is simple. Jump. Pull cord.

But for the majority of you it certainly would not be easy.

Being Worthwhile is simple. Ready? Here goes:

Worthwhile ALWAYS includes someone else.

Let me repeat that.

Worthwhile ALWAYS includes someone else.

To be able to wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and smile, knowing you've made a difference for someone else, DO SOMETHING for someone else.

There are so many ways to do this that I will be devoting my next posting to that. But first I want to tell you a story of something that happened to me. This makes my life Worthwhile.

I do seminars. During one seminar Ed walked in off the street. He works rebuilding vintage homes, so he looked like he worked rebuilding vintage homes. He was going by, it was raining outside, so he decided to come see what this was all about (truthfully I don't remember fully, it was a seminar to help beginning Speakers).

As Ed was leaving, he came to shake my hand. I shook my head and stated "Handshakes are for the way in. Hugs are for the way out." Then I proceeded to hug him and send him on his way.

The next time we gathered, Ed showed up with 2 roses from his garden and tears in his eyes. He had been in a very bad place at the last meeting. Feeling included and cared about changed him.

He has now joined Toastmasters to learn to be a Speaker and is writing his first book. We run across each other on occasion, but never without a large hug.

Whenever I feel unworthy, I think of Ed.

On the next posting, I will give you ways to become Worthwhile, even if you don't hug.

You ARE a S.W.A.N!

Time to become Worthwhile

If you have figured me out by now, you will be ready to say "I know, I know, I AM Worthwhile."

Don't jump ahead, because you may not be Worthwhile yet. A tough pill to swallow, but not to worry. By the time you are finished reading the next two postings you WILL be. Yep, you may have to get through a couple of postings, because being "Worthwhile" is "Worth" it.

We're going to concentrate this time on WHY you should be Worthwhile.

Have you ever seen the look of pure joy on someone's face and wondered how you could feel that way? You may have tried many different ways to get there.

Let yourself know if you've tried any of these:

Sex

Alcohol

Prayer

Meditation

Dangerous Stunts

Having lots of babies

________________(fill in your own blank)

There are so many ways to find temporary joy, both good and bad. You noticed that I put in a couple that may have shocked you (prayer, meditation and babies). These should give you permanent joy, right?

Prayer and meditation connect you with something greater than yourself, which is great. However, as we all know, we have to come back to real life. And babies grow up into their own person-hood and take on their own lives, leaving us to continue searching. As for the others, we know they are temporary, but sometimes that's good enough for now.

So the best way to have ongoing joy and happiness is to know in your heart that you are Worthwhile. There is a reason for you to be on this earth and in the lives of the people in your world. When you wake up, you feel like going out because you KNOW that you will make a difference.

I'm leaving it here for now because I want you to let this sink in. I want you to want to come back and say "I want that!" Because you ARE a SWAN.