I learned today that to be highly effective in leadership roles, we need to love our people. We must nurture others so they flourish, spreading their wings to fly their most magnificent skylines. To help others prosper, I believe we need to be selfless. That’s because every big ego gets buried in the mud, so selfless, loving leadership is always the model to strive for. In other words, showing love for others increases the likelihood of success—for everyone. And when we hit a brick wall, counting our blessings is a form of love, perhaps self-love.
Listening to an audiobook on scrum project management has taught me that counting our blessings is important. We always have things to rejoice in, even the tiniest things, like a sip of water. Even though a sip of water is not exciting, it’s a tiny blessing. However, a better strategy is to fantasize about future blessings. Those dreams stimulate our excitement, hope, gratitude, and passion, helping us endure anything, even the dark nights of the soul.
So, I went to the movies the past four nights to watch the pre-show video ad I made for a book trailer. The ad played on the big screen for 30 seconds, filling me with joy. I am grateful that this creative spiritual project will impact 30,000 moviegoers, as it brings a message of love to others, even displaying Jesus offering a loaf of bread. Expressing gratitude while bringing a message of love to others brightens up any dark corridor.
Despite unemployment, I’m very grateful to continue listening to audiobooks on project management. I also recently bought a project management textbook, which I’ve read a quarter through and am thoroughly enjoying. I also pre-purchased the last course for a Digital Marketing Certificate that I will finish later this year. I may also receive a $6000 tax credit within six months, which I aim to use partially for an agile project management certificate.
The key to capturing grand positives during dark times is hedging–investing in ourselves–while we have the available resources. In other words, continuously investing in our goals will create wins, even in dire times. So, tally every blessing, every win, no matter how trivial. It fuels our motors for success.
On a personal note, I’m grateful that my employer and I are leaving on good terms, as I genuinely care about him. He is ending my full-time employment with a skip in his step, too, as I will continue to work diligently and responsibly one day a week for him, which reduces his costs so he can partially retire. If I were the one to terminate my role, it would have crushed him. His voice is soft and gentle when he speaks to me. He is at peace. So, I passed that life mission, marginally, but still a pass.
We have countless blessings even in darker times, for the darker times are part of how we grow into light beings. By light beings, I mean spiritual beings, or in atheist terms, beings filled with love and joy—our higher selves. So, count our blessings every chance while prioritizing others, as these actions result in eternal wins.
