Do you know what your greatest gift to the world is?
We all have so much to offer the world, if only we could see our own greatness. And yet so many of us tend to hold ourselves back, in case we stand out too much.
We don’t want our light to shine. But as Marianne Williamson said, who are you not to let your light shine?
We all have greatness within us and the challenge most of us face is accepting and acknowledging that greatness.
It’s okay to start projects small and grow them incrementally. They don’t have to be world-changing from day one!
Everyone one of us has a gift for the world – and the adventure we face is to find this gift.
“Happiness is a by-product of a life lived as a gift to everyone.” – Davide De Angelis
Maybe not everyone has to become a Gandhi or a Mandela. Maybe it’s okay to just shine in our own world and make a difference in our own way, no matter how “small”.
I have been away from the world of blogging for a few weeks whilst I took some time out. I am working on some new projects in the pipeline and more of that in the coming weeks.
During my time away, whilst taking some time out, I have also been reviewing just what my own gifts are to the world.
What I have learnt is that it’s okay to be me and not try and be something I am not. The biggest realisation has been just what matters to me and what’s important in my life.
From my perspective, one of my gifts is the ability to connect with people from all walks of life and to bring them together.
I am at my happiest when I am amongst people. It’s just what I do and enjoy. So possibly my greatest gift to the world is to bring people together and teach others to do the same.
“The happiest life is that which consistently exercises and educates what is best in us.” – Philip G. Hamerton
If you have read The Alchemist by Paulo Coello, you will have read how the main character goes on an epic desert adventure, only to find that the treasure he had been seeking was buried near his home all along.
In the same way, our greatness and ultimate happiness is within us and the clues are all around us.
So ask yourself these questions:-
What am I really, really good at?
What’s my greatest gift to the world?
“Live your life in such a way that you make a difference to people whilst you sleep.” – Jaz Rasool
Ultimately when it comes down to it, your happiness comes from what you bring to the world and those around you.
It’s not about the size of your house. Or the speed and engine capacity of your car. Or heaven forbid, it’s certainly not about how many subscribers follow your blog!
All that matters at the end of the day is what YOU bring to the world.
It’s time to ask yourself some powerful, life-changing questions as follows.
My contribution and my impact:-
What contributions am I making to my loved ones?
What impact am I having on the environment?
My legacy for my children and the world:-
What sort of legacy am I creating?
What am I doing that one day my children will be proud of?
Living my best life:-
What will it take to live my best life?
What does living my “best” life mean to me?
These are all life-changing questions only you can answer.
Take some time out and look within – you already have all the clues you need to find out just what your gift to the world is.
Then go out and share your gifts with the world. And allow yourself to become the greatest gift to the world.
Please do share – what’s YOUR greatest gift for the world?
Lovely to feel your calm certainty and confidence ….your greatest gift is to be and be who you truly are. Thats powerful and yes i agree you are excellent at bringing the best out in people and connecting souls. Enjoy being you.
Ntathu, thanks for your kind words. I really do seem to have a gift for connecting and bringing people together. Much more to come:-)
And great to see you at the dinner party last Friday:-)
Arvind,
You’re so right. Our gift to the world is ourselves! We just have to be ourselves and share our love and caring with the people we come in contact with each day. Nothing else is needed. Just be YOU!!
Angela, so true. All we need to do is to share our love and caring for other people.
I once read somewhere that your life purpose should simply be to show love and kindnesss to others.
So the greatst gift we can give the world is simply to live a life of love and kindness.
Arvind,
“The Alchemist” is one of my all time favorite books–one Christmas I gave copies to everyone I know. Love it!
Awe-some title/awe-some article..I spent many years of my life dimming my light to ‘fit in”..ah, but it radiated anyway, so now I let it shine brightly..and what I attract back into my life is bright light, perfectly placed in ways I may accept and use. A beauty filled, magnificent cycle..I share my self and the world shares back:)
Joy, I first read the Alchemist many years ago and I just saw it a nice to read story.
Then when I reread a few years ago, it was as if it was “speaking” to me from every page.
As for you letting your light shine, I can see you doing so. more and more:-)
Congratulations re your new website design – long may you shine your light through your work.
Hello Arvind,
I hope you are well. This is so true, if we are happy, secure in ourselves and our lives, that shines through to others.
It is easy to look at the questions you asked and think there is a vague idea in there somewhere…to really sit and think about them, and write down some answers takes a lot more…but will give us a lot more too.
Kate, all is indeed well with me:-)
The happier and more secure we are in our lives, the more our light can shine through to others. No rocket science really.
As for the questions I posed, they are decetively powerful questions. Everyone should take some time out and spend some time reflecting on the answers.
Hey Arvind. What a great post and an important message. We each do have a role to play and an impact we should have on the world. That is not anything we should ever overlook. I really liked the quote you shared from Philip G. Hamerton … so powerful
Sibyl, we all indeed do have a role to play – and we can make a huge impact on the world, if only we allow ourselves to do so.
Glad you liked the Philip G Hamerton quote:-
“The happiest life is that which consistently exercises and educates what is best in us.”
So all we need to do to be happy is to find what’s best in us:-)
Great post. I like the Williamson quote, and also her quote from A Course in Miracles which precedes it–Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deeptest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
What is my greatest gift? Or anyone’s? Perhaps being present. I’m reminded of an answer Ken Kesey gave to an interviewer asking him what he was doing for the world these days. He said, “This year I’m growing asparagus.”
Galen, glad you like the Marianne Williamson quote – she is such an inspiration to all of us,.
Thanks for sharing your gift – or should I say your present / presence?
The Ken Kesey response also reminds us that we don’t need to look at changing the world big time – every little thing we do makes a difference.
Here’s to more of us growing asparagus!
It’s the truth! Each and everyone of us are born for a reason, for purpose in this world. To know ourselves first and we will be able to light our path in this world for others to share or follow.
Wenny, welcome to my blog!
We are all here for a reason – and the key is to live the best life we can, even if we don’t think we know what that reason is. And perhaps we don’t need to know this reason, this purpose.
Let us all light the path for others to follow:-)
Hi Arvind,
I love this article. So true. Each of us has gifts that are uniquely ours that only we can give to the world. And when we give those gifts without strings attached, the world responds in kind. Thanks
Thanks Lisa – I take it you liked this article:-)
Outstanding Arvind! I never resonated with the people who feel the need to leave a house or bank account behind as their legacy. I always think that the biggest gift you can offer is personality-based. But I guess one needs to really believe in who they are at a personality level to accept this.
Eduard, maybe it’s okay to leave a house or a bank account your legacy – but even better to leave behind a legacy with a lasting impact on the world.
And that can happen by truly believing in your gift for the world i.e. YOU.
Hey Arvind, these are really important questions to ask ourselves. “What am I contributing?” I firmly believe that we reap what we sow, and if we can create value in other people’s lives then we will get value in return. Thanks for elaborating on this for us. It was valuable. 😛
Arvind: I loved this post and this message. I couldn’t agree more that it is important to determine what you feel your best way to contribute to the world is. I love how you said that it doesn’t mean you have to be Gandhi, you just have to find what makes the most sense for you. It is all about finding your own light and then letting it shine. Thanks for a great message and post.
Sibyl, and there I was thinking you were the next “Gandhi” 🙂
An important message, so simple, even obvious, and yet elusive. To be oneself and no one else, that is the key is it not. But then to understand what one is and how to be that is not always as obvious as it might seem…
Great post – thanks Arvind!
Stephen, usually the simplest messages are the best.
Now to try and understand what I really am:-)