Do you have conflicts over whether you are being of Service or Not?
I was just today having a conversation and coffee with a couple of friends today about this topic. How did it arise?
I was recently doing my yearly reflections and I did my life wheel again. It is a wheel with 12 different areas of one's life on it such as Service, Money, Career, Family, Relationships and so forth. You ask yourself the question, 'how satisfied am I with this area on a scale of 1 - 10?' When I did mine I was most satisfied with 9 of the areas but Service, Money and Career jumped out. Now I gave my Service rating low at 5. Then you ask yourself what number would you be completely satisfied with and then you decide on what you need to do and how you are going to reach that number.
It really sat with me this one of Service of which I have conflicted within me for years. Am I doing enough service and if not, what do I want to do about it. I then got to thinking - Service / Volunteering what are these two or are they the same.
I began to realize in fact that I am doing a lot of Service in my life. It is just done the way I do it. In fact, I am doing Service everyday and have pretty much done this each day of my life. For example, I come home to look after and be with my mother of 96, I may see an old person on the street and ask if they need some assistance, or I say hello and ask the bus driver in Singapore how they are doing, or I work with people all my life who I am either teaching, assisting, guiding or motivating. This is all service.
Then I asked myself if I am being paid for something is that being of service? Of course it is. Now volunteering is another word that is often used when 'giving your time to an organized charity'. That is also service as well. It is the giving and sharing piece here that is important.
We can serve in so many ways and we are doing this a lot of the time - it just depends on how you see it! Take some moments now to think about how many ways you are being of Service! Then make your decision on how you wish to do more - if you do? - and don't beat yourself up about it. Just look at this and get curious!
Service truly comes from the Heart. When you are doing this selflessly and allowing your heart to speak that is being of service to yourself and others. Whether you are making money or not that matters not. It is where this is coming from - the Heart.
So over coffee, I had an Aha moment of realization with my friends that Service and Volunteering is a mindset. It is how we perceive and feel about it and the greater social meaning of the words and actions themselves. This mindset is connected to your Heart - go there and be still.
I now feel happier about my life wheel and my conflict is gone. Thanks friends. I realize that in fact I am being of service so much of the time in my life so I raised my satisfaction level. Yet now to raise it even higher, what is missing for me is to CHOOSE an organization or charity that fits with my purpose in life and I am passionate about. That will then make me feel very satisfied in the Service area of my life. Aha!!! I have now changed my thinking about this. A great new solution for 2012.
The point of Service is to do it from the Heart.
How are you being of service to yourself, others and the greater community? Do you or did you have the same dilemma? I would love to hear about your thoughts.
PS - if you would like a copy of the life wheel - please contact me.
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