POD: Your Fame Wall

What do you want to stand for or be about? What do you stand for now?

When you think about the way you show up in the world, who or what inspires you?

What would you put on your own Fame Wall? It might be pictures of others, but also could be relics or documents from your own life past, present or future.

What do I stand for?  I hope that other’s would say Christ.  I want my life to be a reflection of His.

I want to stand for honesty, integrity, compassion, and helping of those in need.  I want to be about family.  Those are the things that are most important to me.

I know sometimes I fail to stand for these things, to properly reflect those things which are most important to me. I put other things in front of God and family.  I don’t give them my best, but often the leftovers that should just be scrapped into the trash instead of shared.

I often look for the grey area of truth to manipulate things the way I want them to go.  A slighted truth may get what I want, but it is a lie of omission.  I find myself more and more seeing the truth of that statement, and catching myself backtracking because honesty, complete honesty, is definitely something I want to be about.

I feel frustrated instead of compassionate and selfish instead of helpful.  I should step back in these moments and take a moment to reflect on why I love serving others and how I would want others to help those I love.

These failures in my stand, aren’t things that I am proud of, but it is the truth.

When I think about what inspires me to show up, it would be passionate people.  There is something about being around others who are passionate, even if it is not something I am compassionate about.  The energy of other’s causes me to show up.  It is contagious and empowering.  When others are excited about something, it is very easy for me to join in and show up to help.  However, if it is not something I am passionate about as well, I often will fizzle out if it is a longer term commitment if their passion level doesn’t remain high.

A compelling story also inspires me to show up.  I like to be involved in things that cause me to feel – whether a feel good story or a story that infuriates me.  I like to sink my teeth into a cause that helps others overcome or in advocating for change.  I am not likely to be inspired if it is not something that compels me personally.  I may feel the plight, and might even give to the cause, but I will not likely show up unless it is in line with what I am passionate about.

My fame wall would be filled with the people who have touched my life, people whose story I want to remember for the way it touched my life.  Jesus, Joseph, Ezekiel and Peter come to mind from the Bible.  Jane Addams and Sister Katherine McCauley from my profession.  A few of the single parents that I have worked with like Tristen, Heather, Madison, and Ashley who challenged me with their tenacity for life.  I would add the two young men who tugged at my heart welling up the passion to see the church rise up and be what God created us to be.  I would have a few simple momentums from my days at the state of families who impacted my life as much as they think I impacted theirs.  I would be amiss not to also have a few framed books that have altered the course of my life-giving me a fresh perspective like the Circle Maker, So Long Insecurity,  Honor’s Reward, The Sun Stands Still and Instinct.

This post is prompted by Tara-Nicholle Nelson’s 30 Day Writing Challenge for Conscious Leaders.