Earlier this week I had the good fortune to speak a group of brain injury survivors and their caregivers at a local hospital. Even though I have been volunteering there for over two years, I still get hit with a strong wave of emotions every time.
On a weekly basis I have the privilege of being able to listen to patients and caregivers as describe all the emotions that they are going through as they begin to come to terms with what their new life may look like while undergoing rehabilitation.
It’s there that I have an opportunity to share some of the lessons I learned in my own rehabilitation after I sustained a brain injury in 2001, both the good and the bad. While the kind words of praise I often receive afterwards feels nice, that’s not the reason that I do it. What resonates the most deeply for me is the feeling I get inside in knowing that by this simple act of having spoken for 20 minutes, I’ve just made a difference in the lives of others.
I give them a feeling of hope.
I feel very grateful to have made it through a terrible accident where I was critically injured and have previously shared just a few of the miracles I experienced in my rehabilitation. I can now see so clearly how each one was a gift were a gift. I received a second chance at life and now feel driven to do my best to put a smile on the faces of others who are going through what I went through so that they can begin seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
And no, it’s not the light of a train coming their way that they are seeing!
We all have areas in our lives where we are gifted.
The question to ask though is am I using my gift to the greatest of my ability to help others?
You may already know what makes you unique and an original – a one of a kind so to speak and if so, I hope that you are using it to its fullest. And if you aren’t sure what your greatest gift is and don’t have even the slightest idea what that might be, here are three ways that will help you in finding it.
1. Revisit your childhood and reminisce on how you spent your time and what were the activities you did that brought you pure happiness, long before the realities of life or fear of failure struck you. These would be the days when you didn’t have a care in the world; every day was a great day. How did you spend your time? What memories stand out the most? Look for common themes and compare these to your adult world, looking for ways you can incorporate them into your life today if you are not already doing so.
2. Ask those around you what they see as your greatest strengths, skills, talents and what they see you offering to the world each and every day. Listen to their response with an open mind as what they say may surprise you. Quite often we can be the last to see what it is that we do so very well.
3. What is the one (or more) activity in life today that once you commit to, nothing can stop you from completing it? Think of the one or more things that get you riled, psyched and excited, where your mind is filled with so much excitement you lose track of the time. This may be something that happens in the moment, as you take part in a hobby you enjoy or mentor someone in the office or it may be in the extensive planning that you put into planning your upcoming overseas adventure trip or triathlon.
Reflect on your thoughts as you ponder the above and make note of what comes to mind. Take a look at your life today and see what opportunities exist where you could share these gifts with others in a way that will make a difference in the lives of others.
The key here is to think small.
While not everyone has the financial footing of Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg, the smallest of things you do can have a long lasting impact. Today a friend shared with me how she and another friend go to the city core each Thursday and hand out bottles of water and granola bars to homeless people. All funded out of their own pocket!
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt
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