July, 2007: What if you could change the world?

Written and published by: Dr. Toby Silverton & Dr. Bev McLagan
                                      Silverton McLagan Coaching

Personal Reflections

Well, here’s a blast from the past! Just happened to open a book and the first thing I saw was this poem by e.e. cummings. Life in first year english-lit class flashed before my eyes, images of an e.e. cummings poem that looked more like a crossword puzzle and denied interpretation flooded my perception. But today was different, it’s so nice to to just “get it”!  

To be nobody – but yourself – in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. (e.e. cummings)

What are we thinking about?

Seems everyone wants to discover their purpose, but that can just feel so big. What if (love that question), what if we just focused on the path rather than the destination? Purpose reveals itself when your unique gifts touch the lives of others. True discovery happens in the doing so it’s imperative you uncover and embrace your strengths, gifts, and skills. You owe it to the world.  

How can your strengths, talents, and gifts contribute to the world? Well, when you step into the world as your true or authentic self your energy is very different than the kind of energy you have to offer if you, what’s that saying, hide your light under a bushel. On a practical level you will excel more in life if you are doing something that comes naturally to you and you love to do. When your level of success soars opportunities increase. With more opportunity comes more ways to touch others and open doors for them. On a spiritual level you can be inspirational to others by being yourself. By living your own truth you give others the courage to do likewise.

Some of our clients spring to mind because they have made the choice to express their gifts through their work: there’s the musician who at the age of 17 made the conscious choice between her passion for music and the practicality of a job with a regular paycheck. Knowing she had a tough road ahead of her she found a way to pursue her passion and turn it into a source of income by teaching alongside of performing. Then there’s our successful screenwriter whose belief in her unique gift together with perseverence saw her through years of patiently pursuing her craft until, yes, the big break happened. Before you decide that expressing your unique talents in your work is just for the artistic amongst us, how about our client whose skill, agility and speed has taken her to some of the most prestigious courts around the world as a court reporter or our client who combined her belief in social justice, community planning and agriculture through her education and is now the executive director of a heritage farm site. Sometimes our gifts are related to our character as well as our skills, like the pilot whose great gift is his abiity and commitment to taking responsibility for the safety and well-being of many others.

Maybe you are fortunate enough to be able to express your unique talents in your work or perhaps you pursue your special gifts and strengths through volunteering or a favoured hobby. Can’t help but think of a friend whose passion for animals led her to establish a no-kill shelter for cats. Thousands of furry lives have been saved because of her amazing gift of compassion and her unique talent of gaining the trust of animals. Whenever you are being your true self you are inspiring those in your personal world, your friends, your family, and your colleagues. You have an obligation to bring your gifts out into the world so the rest of us can grow in depth and understanding.

Maybe we can’t all change the world, but we can start with our own little corner of it. Its never too late to be the person you were meant to be or have dreamt of becoming, but you have to be willing to say “this is who I am”, “this is what I’m good at” and “these are my strengths and unique gifts”. Everyone has something unique to offer. Think of anyone and you can probably think of something they do really well.

What is your heart and soul telling you to do?

Building solutions

Here are 5 ways to begin to discover your unique gifts:

1. Ask someone who knows you really well what they think your greatest
   gift is.

2. Ask someone who knew you as a child to describe who you naturally were at that age.

3. Be honest with yourself, do you have a gift that you hide, discredit or deny?

4. Finish these sentences: My best qualities are…: I shine when I…: I’m really good at…: Ideally, I want to share my talents/strengths/gifts with…:

5. Now’s the time, tell the truth about what you have to offer to the world?

Till next month…it’s all about attitude…it’s all about life! So stand up tall and claim your space.

© 2003-2007 Silverton McLagan Coaching. All Rights Reserved

Resources – quick links to check out resources
(Clicking on the red underlined words allows you to instantly purchase all books online, without leaving your chair!)

• The Soul’s Code. In Search of Character and Calling. James Hillman | Canada | United States | United Kingdom

• Learn to Say No, Fast! (2006) Toby Silverton, PhD. and Bev McLagan, PhD. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving, this one will last you a lifetime.
  http://www.livethesolution.com/products.html

• The Burnout Trap: Bounce Back from Over-Busy, Over-Tired and Overwhelmed! (2005) Toby Silverton, PhD. and Bev McLagan, PhD. http://www.theburnouttrap.com

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