Quality
Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
Let me share this post with my friends experience:
While I waited for my entrée at an outdoor café this autumn, one of the waiters caught my attention. As he moved blithely in and out of the restaurant, I noticed that he seemed bursting with good spirits. I mused on what kinds of events might account for the happiness bubbling out of him. Was he in love? Had he just gotten a raise? I continued to watch him through the evening and noticed that his good spirits affected other people. As he swirled through the room, dancing a virtual ballet of dishes and checks, people visibly thawed.
After the waiter’s particularly witty exchange with a table of two women, the man sitting alone at a nearby table joined in. When the waiter jauntily went on to his next chore, these two tables began banter of their own, and the next thing I knew I was drawn into the fun. What started out as three tables of unconnected diners turned into an unexpectedly rich and satisfying communal exchange.
That experience with the delightful waiter gave me an insight into human nature: Joy is contagious. It not only spreads like a virus, but it also changes people who come in contact with it. This young man, who was bursting with life and happiness, brought his joy to work with him. And in his daily routine of waiting on customers, his happy glow touched people and brought smiles to their faces.
What Is Joy?
Joy is a driving force in human nature, and it exerts a powerful pull on us, drawing us toward our highest purpose and the most complete expression of our gifts. His Holiness The Dalai Lama says, “I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness.” Our brains are wired to seek out the events, people and things that create joy, happiness and pleasure. But what brings these feelings?
Life is full of basic pleasures: a perfectly ripe peach, for example, or a kiss from a loved one. The sources of happiness are highly personal: What brings satisfaction to one may mean nothing to another, but typically happiness comes when our wishes are fulfilled, when we see our standards met, when we find ourselves in a good place.
Finding joy is in essence a creative act, one filled with a certain amount of mystery and a great deal of discovery. As a rule, it requires courage, an open mind and a willingness to explore some of our own darkest corners.
Quality Of House: Be Joyful
