giving back – COURAGE COACHING

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Today is International World Peace Day. This highlights the destruction that war is currently causing all around the world even more and I feel deeply saddened that things are the way they are. Humans will never learn from their mistakes and greed & power seem to always take the forefront unfortunately.

So what can we do in this ever changing world of destruction, mass murder & grief?

We can’t seem to stop the war & voilence, as world leaders always have the last say in what happens..We can’t always prevent bad things from happening but we can make a small difference by being kind to others. We can help someone in need & offer them some comfort.

Sometimes people don’t want to or can’t ask for help. They may feel too embarassed, too isolated, too scared. They might be so traumatised that they can’t even speak. They might have learnt the hard way that you can’t trust anyone because they have always been let down.

I have been in a position of vulnerability many times in my life. I used to be someone who was too afraid to trust others. I used to be someone who was too afraid to ask for support. I thought I was a burden because I was made to believe that I was.

How many of you give money to a beggar on the street? How many of you help the homeless? How many of you contribute to bettering the world in some small way by maybe helping the refugees or protecting familes from domestic violence?

I’d love to hear your experiences.

I personally, don’t always give money to the homeless or to beggars. Here in Europe, I know that there are a lot of people who are made to beg for money but don’t get to keep it. Their gang leader keeps it.What I try and do instead is give people items that provide some comfort. A scarf, some food, a hot drink etc..

I also aspire to work in areas where I support others. I am currently looking after a little boy who has a single mother. My heart goes out to them both.I only found out recently that the mother is being emotionally abused by the father of the boy, who is telling her he will turn up on their doorstep after 2 years of ignoring the child. He lies to her and makes threats. I have promised to support her if she needs me. She has asked me to entertain the wee boy at the moment, in case things get akward. This little boy doesn’t even remember his Dad. He has only just turned 4 and it is a delicate matter.

Helping out this small family is my way of giving back to the world and supporting others. I want to care for others, as I know what it feels like to not be cared for. Nobody should feel that way.Nobody should have to feel scared and alone.

Love Athina ♥

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The above quote is easier said than done when we are constantly surrounded by negativity, tragedy, pain and loss. If we were raised by mentally ill, abusive parents, the negativity that we carry with us takes years to change in therapy. It is a huge commitment but it is possible to change for the better.

If we have been lucky enough to only have certain certain negative experiences with others and in our life, then this of course makes it easier to not sink into the depths of negativity or despair.

If we have many loving, uplifting people in our life, a good job, a healthy lifestyle and a loving marriage then does negativity affect us less? It probably does but what is also important to consider is the amount of inner resilience and courage we have and the possibility of mental illness or physical illness which can touch anyone.

Every person is unique and each experience is also unique but how prepared are we to challenge that inner voice we might have of worry or destructive thinking? Not everyone is willing to reflect on themselves.

It is difficult to commit to changing a bad habit but if this habit is making us miserable then we should want to put in the effort to change it at whatever cost, right?

One of the biggest things I learnt is that we are the driver in our life. We get to choose what direction we go in and whatever comes our way is up to us how we deal with it. Making excuses in life is easy but when we are really passionate about something, excuses don’t exist. Maybe we should always aspire to finding passionate purpose in our life.Some of us may choose to dedicate our lives helping those less fortunate. Others may be passionate about art, science or education. Whatever we choose to do in our life, balance is very important, respect of others and ourselves is important and giving back as much as we take, is also important.

Currently, I wake up every morning with the ability to spend my days freely and I feel fortunate in so many ways. Although I have experienced tragedy, trauma and been surrounded by negativity in my immediate family for most of my life, I have chosen to give back, to share, to support and to be grateful for every single thing I have. When I watch the news, I feel overwhelmed with the state of our world. The greed that has destroyed so many lives, the fantasies of wealth and power that continue to kill innocence and safety. The constant lies that we are fed in the media, the poverty, the destruction and the neverending war are enough to erase any hope for a stable future.

What can we do however? Do we turn a blind eye and retreat into our own little bubble of life, work and family or do we make sure that we do one good thing for somebody else each day? If we earn an extra 100 or 200 a month, shall we donate it to charity to help others or do we keep it in case tragedy hits us and we need to pay medical bills?

There are so many questions to answer but the one most important thing I have realised is that we can always give back, that we can assist and share our love and be kind to others as much as possible. Keeping negativity away is very difficult, especially when you are a highly sensitive person but whenever you have the opportunity to help someone in need, then I believe you should do it. It is important to have a good conscience and that is the thing that drives me in most of my decisions.What is yours?

We are not infallible and just like any other person we have days where we feel that we haven’t done enough or could have been a bit more aware of our choices. The important thing however is that we keep learning and we keep growing.

Love Athina ♥