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Hello
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I trust your summer plans include some time for rest and relaxation. I’m blessed to live in Colorado where the mountains are such a source of renewal for me and others. Though I’ll be off to hot and muggy Tokyo next week, I look forward to some cool and dry mountain time upon my return.
During the past few months I’ve published an excerpt from my book, “Living an Extraordinary Life” (your signed copy of the new revised third edition is available now at http://www.extraordinarybook.com) plus one of my Extraordinary Minutes on the subject of how serving others – in addition to its intrinsic value – also serves as therapy for much of what ails us.
I received some amazing unsolicited replies to those articles and I thought you’d enjoy and learn from them. That’s our feature for this month plus a book recommendation and some great quotes.
Be extraordinary!
Robert White
Robert@ExtraordinaryBook.com
An Extraordinary People International monthly eZine dedicated to assisting people in living extraordinary lives and creating extraordinary organizations.
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In this issue:
| Stories that Inspire From Our Readers |
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“Human beings are complicated, yet from our experience of working with hundreds of thousands of people, we’ve learned that most or even all of the average person’s neuroses and hang-ups disappear when they start giving and serving others.”
from “Living an Extraordinary Life”
by Robert White
This “Extraordinary Minute” generated more response than any other in our history. I thought you’d enjoy and find personal value in seeing slightly edited reprints of those responses:
Let’s begin with one that brought tears of sadness and joy to me from friend and partner in service, Gordon McCormick:
“I have been dealing with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable fatal bone cancer since July of 2003. I am happy, engaged and very little concerned about the diagnosis and treatment of my disease. I have been giving and serving others with a renewed passion - full time since I only work a few hours a week on business now. It is the best time of my life.
I am the Chairman of Sarvodaya, USA http://www.sarvodayausa.org/ where we have been very active in rebuilding after the Asian Tsunami. We raised $3,500,000 last year. We’re also doing what we can to contribute to the Peace Process in Sri Lanka.
I also serve on the Boards of 2 Fonkoze entities. Fonkoze is the largest Microcredit Bank in Haiti. I have been very active with Search for Common Ground in Sierra Leone and the Middle East in conflict resolution. I work with and advise the CEO's 3-4 other charities as well.
My wife is miserable since she spends a great deal of time worrying about me and no time serving others.”
I meet some wonderful people when I do public speaking appearances – especially when the subject is leadership. Patricia Tucker who manages a key piece of the U. S. Army’s welfare and recreation services is a great example. She’s also an example of how our jobs can be an expression of higher purpose:
“The business I am in is service--and that is service with a capital S. My staff and the rest of the MWR professionals I work with are responsible for taking care of soldiers and families. Other government employees comment on our "passion" and we say it isn't a job, it is a calling. Some have even called it a vocation.
Feeling that what you do makes a difference in people’s lives makes the rest of the pettiness seem very unimportant.”
Another new friend from a speaking engagement, George Groseclose, should expand the following to an article or even a book:
“When we become stressed from our relations with the outside world we tend to withdraw from those stressors and retreat in to ourselves. The problem with this is that the more you avoid the outside world and the perceived stressors the more your focus is directed inward. Usually this inward focus is of the "woe is me" variety and not the "how can I improve me" kind. In this retreat the walls permit nothing to come in and nothing to go out. This limits your reference and perspective which increases the neurosis or stress.
Pushing through this wall is similar to taking flight. Remember your perspective at the airport as the plane sits on the runway - your sight is limited by the tree line at the edge of the airport; your senses confined to the limits of the cabin. As you speed down the runway and liftoff your small world inside the airplane seems to dissolve as your attention is focused on the unfolding world below you. All reference to the "inside" disappears and all focus becomes "outside" and on the expanding horizon.
This outside focus is what diverts our attention from the "woe is me" myopic view we sometimes fall in to. Pushing past the "me" perspective to the "us", "we" or "them" perspective removes the mirror from in front of our face and changes it to a window. Rising up to peek out the window is the first step in the journey to a new horizon and ultimately to a new "you".”
And finally – and perhaps most emotionally gripping for me because it came from a family member …..
“I am a firm believer in this! I tell anyone I know that if they feel like they are down about how their life is going or angry at the world because things are not going their way, they need to work with people that are not nearly as fortunate as they are.
When I began working with a local therapeutic horseback riding program in my area, I suddenly realized just how lucky I was. It helped to dispel old anger and self-pity and gave me a new lease on life. I realized that some do not have the simple opportunities such as being able to walk, speak, hear or see, like I could, and that most of us waste many opportunities because we are so busy bemoaning our lives.
We also have a group home right behind our riding program, and the children there are "wards of the court". I did not have the best childhood, we were very poor and Mom was an alcoholic with many problems of her own, but we had each other. I have a new appreciation for what she was going through and how lucky I am to have my family, as quirky and irritating as they can be.
I cherish the time I get to spend with the kids I work with in the program. Knowing how much the program helps them physically and mentally really makes my spirit soar.
I wish that real community service was required for all. Dealing with the less fortunate of humanity is the best therapy anyone could ask and I think there would be a lot more love, understanding and compassion in the world.”
WOW! I couldn’t say it any better!
| Extraordinary Wisdom
Quotes of the Month |
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Our theme this month is serving others, so here are a few of my favorite quotes on that subject.
“I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.”
Maya Angelou
"The purpose of life is not to win. The purpose of life is to grow and to share. When you come to look back on all that you've done in life, you will get more satisfaction from the pleasure you have brought into other people's lives than you will from the times that you outdid them and defeated them."
Rabbi Harold Kushner
“Human beings have an infinite capacity for two things: giving and love. Do you think Mother Teresa ever ran out of love and care to give to the sick and the destitute? At nearly 85 years of age, and with a weak heart, she was still out there giving; traveling and speaking, caring and working as she had been every day since she was a novice. That’s because giving nourishes and replenishes the giver. Taking depletes us and burns us out.”
from “Living an Extraordinary Life”
by Robert White
Awaken Your Soul – A Journey of Discovery
by John Drury
 This is a very tricky book ... it tricks you into enjoying it for its beauty while sharing John's sometimes brutally frank personal journey and making solid suggestions on how to be more fully human.
You could argue that it is "free form" and the kind of book you could open on any page and find value. You could also argue that John Drury has been very thoughtful in its organization as a life guide -- especially for anyone going through any kind of important life transition.
John explores the role of "masks" and how to remove them. He goes on to suggest that we can reclaim our soul, really feel our emotions and "grow through change, curiosity and courage."
John Drury’s promise is that if we do the work outlined in the preceding paragraph, we can experience increased faith, love and passion.
Awaken Your Soul will be my year-end gift to friends and family this year and an anytime gift to anyone in my world who would enjoy a fresh perspective on life – especially for creating a more meaningful, satisfying and passionate life.
You can learn more, enjoy an amazing website and order your copy at:
http://fullyalive360.com/index.cfm or on Amazon.com.
| Extraordinary Living Action Steps -- Be Selfish: Give, Give, Give and then give some more |
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The action step here is repeated from my April issue...cuz I can’t communicate it any better:
“I want to be able to say this in way that penetrates deep into your being: Everything I’ve learned about this complicated existence called ‘being human’ and amplified by the experience of working with Levi and Emily and with hundreds of thousands of people, tells me that most or even all of the average person’s neuroses and hang-ups disappear when they start giving and serving others. It’s that simple. If you’re feeling “down” or ineffective or confused or all those conditions where you’re being in a less-resourceful state … just find a way to give, to contribute to others. Doing that will transform your experience of life from ordinary to extraordinary more than any other single known choice.”
Wishing you an Extraordinary Life and Extraordinary Organizations...
Robert White
Extraordinary People International
1461 S Ulster St
Denver, CO 80231Phone: 1-303-632-7744
E-mail: Robert@extraordinarypeople.com
http://www.extraordinarypeople.com
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