Have you ever met someone whose vibe immediately attracted you? Something about them made you smile inside and say to yourself, “Who is that person. I wish I had some of their charisma. You’ve just met the person so you don’t even know them, yet you are intrigued by them. They are radiant, genuine, carefree, and seem to truly be in love with life. You walk away from them feeling just plain good.
On the flip side, think to a time when you met someone who immediately drained the energy out of the room. You felt uneasy or anxious around them, maybe even a little angry in their presence and you felt the urge to get away from them as quickly as possible.
The difference between the first person I described, Charismatic Chris, and the second, Lifeless Lee emanates from how they approach small things in life, the energy they give to the littlest task they undertake. Charismatic Chris gives her full attention to the task at hand and sets out to do the best job possible despite its seemingly insignificant nature or import. Lifeless Lee sees the task as inconsequential, as a means to an end, at best, and an inconvenient waste of time, at worst.
Charismatic Chris’ bright energy was born of giving her best efforts to everything she willingly chose to do, creating the habit of showing up fully all the time. This behavior breeds self-confidence because you’ve left nothing on the table, no room for doubts, regrets, or feelings of shame. Showing up fully for the little things in life prepares you for when the bigger things come your way. You don’t have to shift gears, get ready to pay attention, change your attitude, and figure out how to give it your all before tackling the opportunity. You are more positive in your approach and this makes a world of difference. You are passionate about things and about life. Your fire burns brightly and you attract positive circumstance into your life.
Lifeless Lee, however, smolders. She only gives minimal effort to much of what she undertakes. Often she doesn’t feel like she even has a choice in the matter. In not showing up completely she misses the benefits of always doing her best and doesn’t form the habit of conscious awareness in doing. As a result she is not very satisfied with the opportunities life and her minimal efforts afford her (though she can’t see how lack of passion and poor effort are in any way related to her “unfortunate” circumstances). She will continue to be unhappy and find fault outside of herself, blaming others or the bad hand she was dealt in life. She will continue to smolder and never become a fully involved blaze, not until the day she recognizes that not showing up in all that she does is the problem.
About the author: Patricia Brooks is a speaker, life purpose coach, and author of Growing Bold: How to Overcome Fear, Build Confidence, and Love the Life you Live. She is currently living in France and experiencing her dream.
Photo Credit: Manuel Nägeli