Finding Empathy and Passion

©Heather Lynn. All rights reserved.

How do we teach others to find what it is that ignites their inner light…

Where does our determination, our passion for life come from? Are we born with it? For some, has that internal flame diminished in strength or is it altogether extinguished?

Is it true that those who are born first are the overachievers, or, is it simply that they want to push hard and succeed, setting the pace for their siblings to follow…ultimately establishing the expectations?

What motivates us? We are all so different with how we respond to internal chatter and external stimuli. Money and success do not drive everyone toward being their best selves.

It is my personal belief that due to individual circumstances and experiences, some which may be out of our control, as well as our internal dialog, we all find different reasons to excel, to win, to thrive or conversely to crawl into our shell and forget about the world outside.

Disasters or as our world exists today in this current pandemic, this brings out the best in humanity. There is an emotional edge to this, a feeling deep within provoking us to help others, to care about others.

I remember growing up and seeing photos of tornadoes, some which had devastated entire towns in the Midwest. I felt a sense of sorrow for those affected but I didn’t truly understand the dynamics, the utter loss and the shattering of their lives. Some whose homes were decimated in a matter of moments with all their belongings lost.

It wasn’t until I experienced this loss myself that I finally understood and could empathize with others. From that moment on, when I witnessed a natural disaster, I didn’t turn the channel on the television. Rather, I sent hope, love and healing thoughts to those people whose lives were in turmoil.

Losing your home is a tragic and emotional hardship for certain, however, it leads us to realize how sacred life is and how material “things” can always be replaced

So then, how can we, as a society, teach others to have empathy for life, for humanity — even if they have not experienced such hardship or loss?

How do we teach others to find what it is that ignites their inner light connecting them to the magical force within them that provides them with courage, hope, joy and determination?

It shouldn’t take a tragedy for us to smile at a stranger (even under our masks) or to help them. We should want to do this each and every day.

Big questions and not so easy answers.

Hope and possibility are always blessing each and every one of us. We just have to have the courage to light that internal flame.