Posts tagged with “special”
How Letting Go of the Need to be Special Changed My Life
“Our society has become a conspiracy against joy. It has put too much emphasis on the individuating part of our consciousness—individual reason—and too little emphasis on the bounding parts of our consciousness, the heart and soul.” ~David Brooks
When I was in elementary school, I avoided group projects like the plague. When given the choice to work alone or as part of a team, I always chose to work alone.
When I joined a new class, club, or sport, my parents inquired how I measured up against the rest.
“So what do you think, Hail?” Dad would ask me. “Are …
The Trap of Thinking You’re Special and Entitled to Success
“Life is not designed to give us what we need; life is designed to give us what we deserve.” ~Jim Rohn
Is there something wrong with being special?
Short answer: yes.
But why is that? Being special is… special!
That’s true, but there’s a downside most people aren’t aware of.
Before we go any further, let me clarify what I mean by “being special.”
In short, being special is about thinking that what applies to others doesn’t apply to you, thinking that you’re an exception to the rules of life that others have to follow.
It has nothing to do …
70 Ways to Make Others Feel Special
“Be the person that makes others feel special. Be known for your kindness and grace.” ~Unknown
There is someone in my life that has an extraordinary talent for making people feel special. I would call him out by name, but he’s a fairly private person, so we’ll just call him “E.”
It’s not that E makes people feel that they are somehow greater than others. He recognizes what’s special about everyone he encounters, and through his attention, kindness, and generosity, brings out the best in them.
He doesn’t do this through grand gestures, and not with expectations of receiving anything …
Being Grateful for the Ordinary: The Life We Have Is Enough
“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” ~Unknown
From time to time during my schooling years I’d be asked to identify my role models. I always chose someone who’d changed the world in a big way—Martin Luther King Jnr, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi.
I never looked within my own life for role models. I had lovely parents and great teachers, and still, I was always looking well beyond what was right in front of me. I was always striving for something more, out there, beyond my own …
3 Surefire Ways to Embrace Being Different
“To be nobody but yourself in a world doing its best to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle any human can ever fight and never stop fighting.” ~e.e. cummings
I’m gay. I’m married to a woman and we have a beautiful daughter together. I also have an ex–boyfriend that I was with for quite a significant time. Most of my friends are straight, and I thought I was too until about five years ago when I fell in love with my now-wife.
It was a crazy time, and I suddenly had to deal with being different…
Wanting to Be Special: Would Fame and Fortune Make Us Happy?
“Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.” ~Ann Landers
Until recently, the name “Tiny Buddha” didn’t make any sense to me for a website. Why “tiny”? Yet, an experience I had recently helped me understand why it might make sense to put those two words together.
This experience even led me to ask two key questions that help me to let go of whatever I’m holding onto.
Swimming with “Sharks”
It all started …
When the Pursuit of Greatness Does More Harm Than Good
“Seek not greatness, but seek truth and you will find both.” ~Horace Mann
You’re destined for greatness. Don’t settle for mediocrity. You can be extraordinary.
Have you ever heard one of these motivating statements? I see them all the time around the web, and while I understand the intention, I sometimes have mixed feelings about the implication.
We all want to make a difference in the world. We all want to make some kind of impact, both to contribute to mankind and to feel that our lives mean something.
It’s a great, big world out there, and at times …
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 