10 way how to improve how you and others feel about yourself

Be a fountain and not a drain 

Photo credit: Wikipedia link El Alamein Memorial Fountain in Sydney, New South Wales

It is so much easier to be a drain than to be a fountain. A fountain takes a lot of energy to push out water and distribute it such that it works effectively. Fountains symbolize refreshment, nourishment, and providing water as a life spending human resource. Fountains therefore help sustain life. They also represent beauty and many say they even are a source of good luck. A drain is just there and does not need to do anything.Of course that is not a literal reference, but it is a great analogy. When we are at our best we are a fountain: we expend our energy to provide love, inspiration, empathy, compassion, creativity, and so many other positive attributes.

However, many, many people allow themselves acting as a drain to themselves and others. Just take some time at the airport, in traffic, and even at the grocery store and observe the sometimes really nasty interactions between total strangers. Ultimately, these folks are energy sinks – a drain of immense power. How about the drain you experience when you have issues with your spouse or your boss? That hits in the gut and heart, doesn’t it? You can literally feel the energy leaving your body and soul when you are close to nasty people like this.

Ultimately though is your choice. Only you can choose to either take a positive route or the negative. Here a few ways how you can be that fountain to others and you will good about yourself as well:

• Choose your attitude: Every morning and moment brings along a new choice for you to make. You can either choose to be miserable, or you can choose to smile and be full of joy. No, I am not saying you should fake this. No matter how miserable you think you have it, rest assure there are plenty of other people who have got it so much worse than you.
• Make other people’s day: It is easier than you think. From random kinds of kindness to just being there for others when they need a boost will do wonders for the ones whom you are helping and your own self esteem.
• Employ the Platinum Rule: I am sure you know the Golden Rule – treat others like you would be treated. Kick this up a notch or two. The Platinum Rule is treating others like they want to be treated. How do you know that other people like what you like? Is it not better to ponder how other people would like to be treated? Would this not make a much better first impression?
• Play: Having genuine fun with others whether or not you are at home or at work is incredibly inspiring and uplifting. Ponder how you can generate a good solid mutual laugh with each other. Carry that out as much as your laughing muscles will bear it.
• Be grateful: Gratitude is when you are truly humbled by the many gifted and talented people you get to meet on a daily basis. Gratitude is when you are truly grateful for your health, family, and friends. We have so much to be grateful for.
• Share your talents: You impact more people than you think by what you do best. Share whatever talents you have and do it freely.
• Volunteer: Let it be at school, church, hospitals, fire companies, local business associations, theater, special events, etc. Volunteering impacts the lives of many people and it feels great having made a difference for others.
• Sleep: Huh? What does that have to do with being inspiring to others? That’s really simple: You had better sustain yourself and sleep as much as you can such that you have plenty of energy to expend.
• Believe: Faith has a great impact on sustaining yourself. I find it all but impossible to be a fountain and not having a strong belief. Stock up on Faith and you will be inspiring to others and have the necessary integrity to do that for the long haul.
• Ask what you may bring – not what you can get: In anything you do with and for others make sure you demonstrate your servitude attitude. Serving others is key to advance yourself. Yes, you serve the ones you may be in charge of. Be open, collaborative, inquisitive, and help break down barriers for the people whom you serve. Give and you shall be given.

Don’t be a drain like this woman (click to watch video). Fear, hatred, bitterness, too much ego drain your personality and reputation straight into the gutter. Sometimes it may be fun and also lucrative to let those bad feelings and thoughts direct you through the day. Ultimately, you allow those dark forces to lower, if not destroy your potential.

That’s when you see a fountain make sure to think of what you will do today to inspire others to also do their best in becoming one too.

Ralf