Comments on: Changing Yourself, or Changing the World? http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/ A Community for Digital Nomads and Vagabond Entrepreneurs! Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:58:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Ross Hill http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-212 Ross Hill Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:27:45 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-212 "Changing Yourself, or Changing the World?" Why not both, and more? “Changing Yourself, or Changing the World?” Why not both, and more?

]]> By: Brooke Ferguson http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-192 Brooke Ferguson Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:10:22 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-192 @Ash - I think one of the hardest things EVER is trying to detach ourselves from the American Notion that we aren't worth anything unless we are producing something. Living in Thailand has been an interesting reality check for that. Almost Too Much of an extreme, some people seem to be a bit sedated, but it is an important lesson to learn. It has taken me awhile to 'come down' from the constant rushing around feeling that had become normal back home. Really, what are we in such a rush for, anyway? @Ash – I think one of the hardest things EVER is trying to detach ourselves from the American Notion that we aren’t worth anything unless we are producing something. Living in Thailand has been an interesting reality check for that. Almost Too Much of an extreme, some people seem to be a bit sedated, but it is an important lesson to learn. It has taken me awhile to ‘come down’ from the constant rushing around feeling that had become normal back home. Really, what are we in such a rush for, anyway?

]]> By: Ash http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-191 Ash Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:00:13 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-191 This post was fantastic! I'm absolutely going to keep the Emotional Bank Account in mind. Very, very inspiring. I think that a large part of the guilt that we feel if we aren't giving everyone 100% can be related back to demanding societal expectations - we equate doing things with being productive. Therefore, if you aren't doing things, you aren't being productive and therefore you've somehow failed as a person. But sometimes, we really do need to just STOP, sit back for a minute, and be present in our lives....instead of just rushing through everything, checking items off the to-do list. Thanks for a fantastic read, Brooke. This post was fantastic! I’m absolutely going to keep the Emotional Bank Account in mind. Very, very inspiring. I think that a large part of the guilt that we feel if we aren’t giving everyone 100% can be related back to demanding societal expectations – we equate doing things with being productive. Therefore, if you aren’t doing things, you aren’t being productive and therefore you’ve somehow failed as a person. But sometimes, we really do need to just STOP, sit back for a minute, and be present in our lives….instead of just rushing through everything, checking items off the to-do list.

Thanks for a fantastic read, Brooke.

]]> By: Brooke Ferguson http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-188 Brooke Ferguson Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:43:08 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-188 @Chris - Maybe someday we can all be that enlightened :0) lol. @Earl - Thanks for the comment! I agree, I think it is an ongoing process, focusing on becoming our best selves while we help to make positive change in the world. But I'm sure that it is more sustainable if we are first grounded in being the people we want, and then sharing that with the world. Cheers. @Greg - I think one of the hardest parts about being a business owner, especially in the service industry, is knowing when to take time for ourselves. Try this: look at your schedule and plan time for yourself. Keep the date and time as though it were as important as you meeting with a celebrity! Because...we all know you are a rock star :0) @Magnus - thanks for the comment. I think it is our job to continually check in with how we are feeling and use that as our internal compass. If we find we are starting to get irritated, be overly emotional, or just plain cranky, something is Wrong! We probably haven't taken enough time for ourselves, and it begins to affect everyone around us. By taking the time to check in with ourselves, we are really doing everyone a Big Favor. @Cath - Great point! I think whenever we are trying to control things, it is easy to lose sight of what is important. I've done that one before! We also can't control other people's reactions to us, and getting caught up in the drama can be a huge waste of time and big burn of our emotional bank accounts. However, if we do like you say and stay focused on our part, we are much more likely to feel happy and be fulfilled. @Rasheed - I think it is all too easy to get caught up in trying to please others. Especially if we are a caring person, we want to help others and sometimes even at the sacrifice of not being our true self. I commend you on recognizing that and taking the difficult but necessary steps to make changes! Great quotes, and as always, thanks so much for commenting! @Chris – Maybe someday we can all be that enlightened :0) lol.

@Earl – Thanks for the comment! I agree, I think it is an ongoing process, focusing on becoming our best selves while we help to make positive change in the world. But I’m sure that it is more sustainable if we are first grounded in being the people we want, and then sharing that with the world. Cheers.

@Greg – I think one of the hardest parts about being a business owner, especially in the service industry, is knowing when to take time for ourselves. Try this: look at your schedule and plan time for yourself. Keep the date and time as though it were as important as you meeting with a celebrity! Because…we all know you are a rock star :0)

@Magnus – thanks for the comment. I think it is our job to continually check in with how we are feeling and use that as our internal compass. If we find we are starting to get irritated, be overly emotional, or just plain cranky, something is Wrong! We probably haven’t taken enough time for ourselves, and it begins to affect everyone around us. By taking the time to check in with ourselves, we are really doing everyone a Big Favor.

@Cath – Great point! I think whenever we are trying to control things, it is easy to lose sight of what is important. I’ve done that one before! We also can’t control other people’s reactions to us, and getting caught up in the drama can be a huge waste of time and big burn of our emotional bank accounts. However, if we do like you say and stay focused on our part, we are much more likely to feel happy and be fulfilled.

@Rasheed – I think it is all too easy to get caught up in trying to please others. Especially if we are a caring person, we want to help others and sometimes even at the sacrifice of not being our true self. I commend you on recognizing that and taking the difficult but necessary steps to make changes! Great quotes, and as always, thanks so much for commenting!

]]> By: Rasheed Hooda http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Rasheed Hooda Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:46:06 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-187 Excellent post, Brooke! Taking your own advice is something that makes sense, for some reason, that is the last thing we do. I have been preaching the sermon of being yourself for years, yet I tried to be someone other than myself to please those around me, yet they were never pleased. It wasn't until I swallowed my own medicine and committed to being myself regardless how anyone else felt about it, that I was able to please those around me. It is very simple, you can't give something you don't have. If you're not happy, you can't give away happiness to others. One of my favorite author, Wallace D Wattles put it this way, almost a hundred years ago. "You can render to God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself." Or as Gandhi said, "Be the change you seek in the world." Glad you're finding your way around and attracting what you want and need. Rasheed Excellent post, Brooke!

Taking your own advice is something that makes sense, for some reason, that is the last thing we do. I have been preaching the sermon of being yourself for years, yet I tried to be someone other than myself to please those around me, yet they were never pleased. It wasn’t until I swallowed my own medicine and committed to being myself regardless how anyone else felt about it, that I was able to please those around me.

It is very simple, you can’t give something you don’t have. If you’re not happy, you can’t give away happiness to others. One of my favorite author, Wallace D Wattles put it this way, almost a hundred years ago. “You can render to God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself.”

Or as Gandhi said, “Be the change you seek in the world.”

Glad you’re finding your way around and attracting what you want and need.

Rasheed

]]> By: Cath Duncan http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-186 Cath Duncan Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:05:39 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-186 Spiritual teacher and ultimate peace-addict, Byron Katie, has a way of saying it... she say's there's 3 kinds of business: 1.) your business 2.) someone else's business 3.) God's business When we're in other people's or God's business, we stress ourselves out trying to control stuff we don't have 100% control over. Just focus on your business, which is what you have 100% control over. And oddly, that's the place where you're most influential too. Cath Spiritual teacher and ultimate peace-addict, Byron Katie, has a way of saying it… she say’s there’s 3 kinds of business:
1.) your business
2.) someone else’s business
3.) God’s business

When we’re in other people’s or God’s business, we stress ourselves out trying to control stuff we don’t have 100% control over. Just focus on your business, which is what you have 100% control over. And oddly, that’s the place where you’re most influential too.

Cath

]]> By: Magnus http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-185 Magnus Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:27:01 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-185 Thank you for for high lightening this. Very inspiring to read and to remember that taking care of oneself is good for every body. I like what you say in the conclusion: "By Living a inspirational lifestyle, you are saving the world. Your focus, friendships, and relationships will improve." That is what we try to do with our blog www.extendedworldtravel.com Thanks Magnus Thank you for for high lightening this. Very inspiring to read and to remember that taking care of oneself is good for every body.
I like what you say in the conclusion: “By Living a inspirational lifestyle, you are saving the world. Your focus, friendships, and relationships will improve.”
That is what we try to do with our blog http://www.extendedworldtravel.com
Thanks
Magnus

]]> By: Greg Rollett http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-184 Greg Rollett Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:14:53 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-184 Hey Brooke, this is a hot topic in my house. I am always quick to help others and in fact have helped others create some really cool things while my businesses linger on in the same stages. I take a Saturday project instead of heading to the beach to surf, etc. Your post is cool and gives you that sense of I need to be doing some things for myself. Like Earl said its not selfish, its really making you a better and stronger person so that you can help even more people when the time comes. I love the analogy of an emotional bank account. I think I am going to use that one and see what happens. Hey Brooke, this is a hot topic in my house. I am always quick to help others and in fact have helped others create some really cool things while my businesses linger on in the same stages. I take a Saturday project instead of heading to the beach to surf, etc.

Your post is cool and gives you that sense of I need to be doing some things for myself. Like Earl said its not selfish, its really making you a better and stronger person so that you can help even more people when the time comes.

I love the analogy of an emotional bank account. I think I am going to use that one and see what happens.

]]> By: Earl http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-183 Earl Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:55:08 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-183 I often hear people claim that focusing on yourself is 'selfish'. But I'd have to agree with you that an unhappy 'me' is not nearly as effective in making a difference in this world as a happy 'me'. It's not selfish, it's building a stronger, more confident foundation for your life that will allow all of your future efforts to have a deeper and more lasting effect on the world. It is also about balance though. Concentrating solely on what gives you joy without ever thinking about benefiting others, might not prove so fulfilling in the end. Your example is inspiring me, so thank you! I often hear people claim that focusing on yourself is ‘selfish’. But I’d have to agree with you that an unhappy ‘me’ is not nearly as effective in making a difference in this world as a happy ‘me’.

It’s not selfish, it’s building a stronger, more confident foundation for your life that will allow all of your future efforts to have a deeper and more lasting effect on the world.

It is also about balance though. Concentrating solely on what gives you joy without ever thinking about benefiting others, might not prove so fulfilling in the end.

Your example is inspiring me, so thank you!

]]> By: Chris http://www.businessbackpacker.com/changing-yourself-or-changing-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-182 Chris Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:17:59 +0000 http://www.businessbackpacker.com/?p=900#comment-182 Sex, drugs and rock n' roll bring me joy - Shame my loved ones don't understand I do it for them :) Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll bring me joy – Shame my loved ones don’t understand I do it for them :)

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