You may be the first

You may be the first person to ever believe in someone...

Some people have never once been believed in, empowered, or mentored towards success.

I discovered this today...or maybe it was that I rediscovered it.

So often, we overlook the very people who need us the most.

Believe in one person today. And make sure to give someone new a chance. Someone you wouldn't expect. They may surprise you once given the permission.

You may be the first person to ever believe in them.

Just another handshake

  

I am definitely a fan of Seth Godin. Mainly because he says things that make me think. Not only do his thoughts make me think, but they at times make me cringe, wondering if I am doing what I should be doing in order to do something extraordinary in the world.                                                                                                                                              

He inspires me to be better.

In this book he wrote "When you meet someone, you need to have a superpower. If you don't, you are just another handshake." 

Just another handshake. 

The exact thing that makes me cringe. I can't stand the idea of being just another handshake. I mean, how many people do you meet in a day where you talk about the weather, the season, their college major, their college year, you say "how are you?" They say, "good, and how about you?" You reply, "I'm good." I probably do this a dozen times a day.

The other alternative: find my superpower.

But what if we talked about our dreams and desires and potentials that we hope we will fulfill? Even if we are not their yet, what stops us from talking about what we hope for.?

It must be authentic. It is not about making something up and being egotistical. It is about realizing there is something incredible inside of you. And that superpower in its truest form, has the potential to change lives for the better, if you embrace it with humility, belief, and courage. 

Here is an experiment: take 2 minutes, right now, and write down what you think just might be your superpower. Pretend you are meeting someone, and you have to convince them how it is that God has gifted you to make a difference. Don't make something up that isn't true. Listen to your soul.

How do you want to see the world change? How does your superpower enable that? 

I would love to hear your thoughts. Further, I'd love to have coffee and chat with you about this sort of thing. It's part of my superpower. I love helping others discover themselves. Email me at davidagerber@gmail.com.                                                                

The hope lies in the context

Often, I hold back from writing because I am afraid I don't have anything "perfect" to say, or that someone could benefit...so I have resolved to not be afraid of that...and now my hope is just that I do have something thoughtful that will get you thinking or maybe even inspire you to love more today...so here goes

I was talking with a friend today about a relational conflict he was going through. And he told me a little bit about his friend and the context of this person's life. As he told me about his friend, this thought came to me..."so often the hope lies in the context." Now I don't know if this is always the case, but when I think about the conflicts I have had lately, this seems to weave its way in. In a conflict, so much is going on besides the actual "conflict."

In a broadened view, if two people are in conflict, to some degree, their whole lives play into that conflict, i.e. the way their parents, mentors, friends handled conflict; their human uniqueness; their story; their current energy level; job or family or other stress; etc.

There is just so much more going on than we see. Yet often, and I know I do this, I look at the conflict with a narrow view, unintentionally (or intentionally) blinding myself from some important factors that may help lead to a healthy resolution.

So what I am trying to say, and the commitment I am making, is, during conflict, to step back and try to get an accurate and authentic view of the other person, and to take that into consideration before moving forward.

Because after all, what we should all want out of conflict, is authentic communication that leads to a hopeful resolution. We should want the best for the other person, even if we disagree on some things. It takes hard work...are we willing to sacrifice in this way in order to serve others? Especially in the midst of a (potentially heated) conflict?

I know I am so drawn to hope, and often it lies wrapped in the context...

Silver Lining

The last two years have been the most difficult.

More than the 17 moves over 24 years while my dad was in the military followed by myself trying to figure out where I wanted to graduate college.

The last few months maybe the most difficult.

And I am not entirely sure why. This is the toughest part.

No direct reason, nothing to wrap my mind around, no place where I can enter a formula and work my way out,

Just a difficult season...

Where does one begin to find answers when there seems to be no silver lining?

I sit and listen...hoping to hear something or discover a brilliant thought that will lead me out of this season...

What do you do when you feel lost. You wish you had a better description...

Where do you begin when you know you have overcome so much and will overcome this as well, but how?

I literally don't know where to start...I am at a loss...

But this does not necessitate giving up. And I will not.

"Nothing worth anything, ever goes down easy" -Mat Kearney

Maybe this is a reminder that I am on the right path, pursuing something with meaning...