The Bright Side! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~
Vol. 3, Issue 63 December 5, 2002 www.BrightSideCoaching.com ISSN: 1530-4334
~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome Where the Real Gift Is Soul Restoration Tip About Beth Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~
Season's Greetings! A BIG welcome to all -- thank you for sharing your time reading The Bright Side! If you like what you read here, please forward this entire e-zine to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. I so appreciate your support of my work and words. Thank you. It's chilly here in Atlanta! I am grateful for a warm home, fuzzzzzy socks and cozy fires! :-) If you have these things, you also have a lot to be thankful for. I think of those who are cold or homeless and I feel compelled to help when I can. Remember the German proverb -- Charity looks at the need, not the cause. Perhaps you and your family have extra coats or blankets -- this is the perfect time to donate them to those folks who really need them. Please consider looking in those closets and making a real difference in the life of someone who is cold. You'll be blessed! Saint Augustine said, "Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others." With Love, Beth
~~~~~~~~~~~ Where the Real Gift Is
"The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity." ~ Arthur James Balfour Are you looking for the perfect gift this Holiday season? Will you search and shop for THE perfect gift for someone special? Will you watch with delight as that person opens it? Won't it feel warm and fuzzy when that someone realizes how much they mean to you because of your thoughtful gift? That's a great feeling! Ahh, but when the Holiday Season is over and the money is spent, the glowing feelings tend to vanish as fast as Santa dashes up the chimney! All too quickly, it seems, we are back to the daily grind and the Holiday Spirit is long gone as we head into a new year. For many folks, it leaves them feeling depleted and very ordinary once again. That's a lousy feeling! Gift-giving can be such fun! Wouldn't it be awesome to capture that warm feeling each day? It is possible if we are conscious about making it happen! Gifts don't necessarily have to come wrapped with a bow on top -- in fact, the very best gifts are not wrapped at all. I am talking about our "first gifts" -- the ones we give to others that are born from our character and love. Our "first gifts" are defined as those things that we most want for others. Generally, these gifts are what we most desire for ourselves as well. For example, I most want people to have the gift of INNER PEACE. This is important to me because I have been through some turbulent times that rocked the core of who I am. So, for me, I understand the gift of inner peace and the need for it my life, therefore it is the one thing I most want people to have. I do all I can to help others come to terms with their world, their circumstances, and make peace with who they are. That is my life purpose -- my first gift. Perhaps you have not felt safe before, therefore your gift to others may be to provide a sense of SECURITY for others. It could be that you know the extraordinary power of FORGIVENESS and it is your gift to share that with others. Maybe you know how MERCY can transform lives and so you offer this present to others. If you have seen the miracle of HOPE in your life, perhaps you are called to show others the good news that hope brings. Suppose you have experienced the darkness of depression and you value JOY in life -- share that with others. Maybe you have experienced profound GRIEF and you serve as an example for others who are in the process. It could be that you have been imprisoned and your wish for others is FREEDOM. All of our experiences -- the good and the not-so good -- happen for a reason and have a lesson to teach us if we are open to learning. The amazing news is that we don't need to have our lives tidy and neat in order to give our gifts to others. Every day, we can choose to grow more and give more. Most often, sharing our vulnerabilities is what people find attractive and want to learn from. Our first gifts are created to be INclusive, and not EXclusive. The gifts are endless! Consider these as well: ACCEPTANCE, FAITH, COMPASSION, GOODNESS, KINDNESS, GRACE, HUMILITY, PRAYER, PERSEVERANCE, ENTHUSIASM, PATIENCE, SELF-DISCIPLINE, and GRATITUDE. These, of course, are all acts of LOVE that we desire for ourselves and for others. What words resonate with you? Think about it. Write each of these words on down and explore the meaning of each one in your life. You'll probably find a couple that exemplify what you want most in your own life and for the world. These are your "first gifts." THIS is what you are on Earth for. I believe that every life can be a ministry. YOUR life is a ministry. When you align yourself with your divine purpose and then share your first gifts, you begin to change the world. Yes, you are that powerful! Don't let your Holiday Season end when the decorations come down! Keep the Spirit in your heart and each day make the choice (and it is definitely a conscious choice!) to share your "first gifts" with the rest of the world. Watch what happens in 2003 when you intentionally create miracles for your life and others!
~~~~~~~~~~ Soul Restoration Tip Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. ~ Lao-tzu ~~~~~ Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind. ~ Henry James ~~~~~~~~~~~ My Wish for You
I wish for you a season filled with a growing faith and deep meaning -- both in giving and in receiving ... Beth Coach / Writer / Human Being
About Beth's Work
Beth Burns is a Professional Life Coach -- partnering with motivated people on their personal and professional goals. Her mission is to teach people to love themselves and to love the life they create. She offers two free email newsletters and can be visited on the web at www.BrightSideCoaching.com. She is also the Founder and Creator of The Inner Peace Project (www.innerpeaceproject.com), a journey in celebrating the masterpiece and divine person you are, no matter what circumstances you are in. She can be reached by calling 678-938-0419 or by email at Beth@BrightSideCoaching.com.
