Making a Difference, Having Fun (Part 2)

The routine of daily life affords opportunities to make a difference in your own life as well as in the lives of others and (since everything is connected) in the world. To continue to do so without damage to personal health, relationships and career is to employ an element of fun.

Remember your humanity – and the aspects of your personality.

In eagerness to do great things we can get caught up in the work and forget our humanity. That all work and no play produces stressed individuals and strained relationships. That we are a multi-dimensional being with needs and it is okay to have those needs met. Needs like sleep, family time, worship, community service… Deliberately schedule in down times. Purposely set a no-electronic break. DO take a yearly vacation, preferably without cell phone or e-mails.

In eagerness to prove who we are one often take on too much. “I can do that.” “I can do that.” “I can do that.” In the overload reality sets in; “I cannot do that!” Just because you are good at something does not mean you have to do it. Never say “Yes” just to be liked. It doesn’t work!

Remember that you cannot be all things to all people so give up the stress of trying. Psychologist Carl Jung says that of all the people we meet in a lifetime, 1/3 love us, 1/3 tolerate us and 1/3 loath us. Joyfully adopt the mantra: “Some will. Some won’t. So what? Next! J”

Remember their humanity

Co-workers or family members have viable ideas and legitimate needs. They tire and become stressed. They make mistakes and need compassion. They have an identity and need acknowledgment and respect.

In the movie Patch Adams the training doctor took lowly interns on rounds. With pontification he pointed out maladies and pronounced treatment. To his humiliation (and I trust humbling), Patch gently reminded Doc that “the gall bladder in 202 has a name; Mrs. Smith.”

How easy is it to expect a child to be something the parent is not willing to be; patient, calm, understanding. How easy is it to respond “Again?” to an appeal to restock a local food pantry?

We human beings are more alike than we are different. Find commonality and soften irritants.

Use humor appropriately. If you are going to laugh about it someday, go ahead and make that day today. Be on the lookout for the absurd and find something funny about it. Laugh at yourself and with others. Never make another the bunt of a joke. Eliminate sarcasm.

Life is a gift given to us by God and our parents. What we do with our time on planet earth is a gift given in return. You will not live forever. Pass it on. Be promotable. Leave a legacy.

“Let your vision become larger than yourself, or it will die with you.” - Cleddie Keith

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