Give Light. Forgive, Learn & Grow

If you want to move forward faster, let go of what’s holding you back.

Research shows the brain wants clarity and to conserve energy. Anger and irritation make things less clear and waste energy. When humans perceive a threat our vision narrows—we lose our peripheral vision. When we fixate on even a small threat at hand (a little pet peeve) we miss seeing bigger threats AND bigger opportunities around us.

Focusing on a mistake from the past doesn’t protect you—it distracts you and trains your brain to relive pain. That’s choosing to make a second mistake. So release what’s heavy and unnecessary. Give – to yourself and others – the gift of “Grace and Learning”:  Forgive yourself and others for mistakes and learn the lessons that they provide which provide leverage for growth.

Every time you give this gift, you reclaim YOUR own focus and foster trust from others – it is how we pursue better together.

So, three Little Keys to Open Big Doors 

1. First, Assume Positive Intent: Before you judge, remember everyone is carrying their own bag of rocks. They’re doing the best they can at their current level of understanding.
2. Number 2, Find An Important Lesson: When someone falls short, ask yourself: “What did they do well?” and “What was my role in this?” 
3. And number 3, Invite Needed Growth—choose what to do different, better or more, and then DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING.

Reframe the word FAILING and leave the rest behind.

When we stop asking “how did we get here?” and start asking: “What can I learn from this? What can I do differently now?”, life gets better. Because you can’t change the storm – you didn’t cause it, can’t control it and can’t cure it –  but you can decide to not keep standing in the rain. Be what scientists call heliotropic: turn away from what holds you back and towards what helps you and others grow. Be the sun for others AND yourself. Forgiveness, Learning and Growth are the smallest keys that open the biggest door doors.