“Our own life has to be our message.” Thich Nhat Hanh
Our message is our life.
But what is your message and how does your life compare in contrast? Lets think about this for a bit.
If you think of role models for this particular way of living Gandhi, Mother Teresa …come to mind. They walked their talk. They lived. They taught. They inspired. They brought about revolutions in good conscious living. They LIVED their message of love, peace and compassion. Their life story is still fragrant with their message and will forever be.
Again I ask YOU, What are You Living today? What is your Life’s message?
How I found My Message:
About 12 years back, I asked myself this very question. At the time I was in a very difficult place in my life. There seemed no message left in me(or so I thought at the time) to share with the world. But, in time, there was a pattern developing. A thought pattern, a feel pattern. A pattern that led me to my life’s purpose and yes, I found my message. But that was just the first step.
Finding the message and then living the message are two completely different things. Your message might be profound, but if you can’t walk your talk, why must anyone in this world believe anything you have to say? Its like having Big dreams, but not moving a finger to make them a reality.
So, 12 years back, I was faced with this very dilemma. I had this awesome message I wanted to share with the world. I wanted to bring about a revolution, I wanted to bring about big positive changes in the world. I wanted to(and still want to) heal the world. Yup! A pretty BIG message hmm..
Healing Self to Heal others
Now with message and passion in place, I had the task of taking the physical action. The big question was HOW?
I had the degrees, the know how, the drive…and I even started on my ‘heal the world’ message to the world. But noone took me seriously. Why should they have? Was I Healed to even begin healing another human being? The answer came to me in a not very happy situation….NO! I was unhealed, unhappy, living a sham of a life….. which was apparent to everyone around me, except me!
It took me a while, to work on myself, to heal my wounds, to heal my heart and my soul.
When I started healing, my life began to take a beautiful positive shape. One even I was happily surprised by. The change was seen, the people who began to meet me felt energized and healed just by my presence. When they would state this fact, I would literally tell them they were joking, and laugh it off.
But it was apparent in one special case: I would travel by the bus to wherever I needed to go when this incident took place. I would travel to and from the same bus stop everyday, while I was doing a childrens research then. I had to be a certain place at a certain time, so would travel the same time everyday. This research took about 6 months. During which I traveled by the same bus everyday. The conductor in this bus was a lady(which is rare in India). She would hand me my ticket, I would hand her the change for it everyday. I began to smile at this lady unconsciously everyday while this exchange would happen. And even greet her with a smile as soon as I climbed onto the bus. One day in between these 6 months, she wasn’t there or was rather replaced by another male conductor. Several days passed. I even asked the current conductor where she was and when she was coming back. He didn’t know anything. After 8 days, she was there again. This time she smiled when I got on. I smiled back. Our usual silent exchange of ticket and change, turned into a conversation, where she shared her dilemmas with me. I listened. Everyday she sat with me. Shared with me. Spoke to me about her problems. I gave her advice, counseled her. Prayed for her. After a few days I missed that bus, cause of the heavy rains. The next day when I got back on the same bus, she sat next to me, and cried. I tried to console her. She went on to say, “When I sit with you, see you, talk to you even for the 20 minutes you come on the bus, all my pain vanishes. All my problems disappear. When I didn’t see you yesterday, I thought how will I take care of my life without your presence.” That was an Oh My God moment for me!
Before this incident I had no idea of the effect I had on people. I was counseling people, helping them, but never had I imagined that on an unconscious level, without even trying, could my just being there make so much of a difference. The gravity of what I was doing and how I was doing it hit me. I asked my spiritual teacher about this, and she smiled at me then. She said, “You are what you are. You are walking your message.” She went on to tell me what so many before her and after her have said, “You are meant to help and heal. It comes naturally to you.”
It took me a while to get to where I am and realize and LIVE my message. But you can do it NOW. Just ask yourself these simple questions and the pattern will appear that will lead you to your Life’s message:
- What do you love to do in your free time?
- What is your life’s greatest dream?
- What legacy do you want to leave behind, when you have passed away?
- What do you want to be remembered by?
- What kind of a role model would you like to be?
- What makes you happiest?
- What is your burning passion, your purpose?
The widowed bus conductor went on to make her 2 sons doctors. She now lives the retired, happy life with her grandchildren. At the time I met her, her husband had just passed away, her sons were in school and she had two really old parents to take care of too, with no bank balance at all. We are still very much in touch.
My life is my message.
My message is of healing, of positivity, of love, of happiness and I walk my talk. This blog is just one beautiful extension to that message. More beautiful surprises in the form of books, handbooks, workbooks are being created in the background. While I live my message in my daily life, by extending a helping hand where its needed, by loving, by caring, by being an active agent of all that is my message….I want YOU to Live your message too. The bliss of living your message and watching that message bloom can’t be described in words. I might not have the fancy chops or the spending power, but what I have is heart and passion. I Live only to heal, if that means healing one soul at a time…so be it.
What do you live for? What is Your message? How are you planning to share it with the world? Take a chance on that BIG dream. Share your thoughts, your message in the comments below. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Is there a message, a dream I could help you with? Let me know, so that I can be there for you.
With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
————————————————————————-
DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE?
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get My Free Ebook “The Best of Positive Provocations”+ “Your Self Healing Starter Kit”+a free Positive Newsletter on the 15th of every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter for Positive Provocations Everyday!
Please Share Positive Provocations: If you like what you read and see here, please spread the word by sharing this article on your favorite social networks. I appreciate every bit of love and support from each and every one of you.
Related articles
- I Cannot Detach Myself
- How to Edit Your Thoughts and Emotions
- Declutter Yourself for Immense Happiness
- 5 Simple Tips to Be Positive while IN the Eye of the Storm (positiveprovocations.com)
Positive Provocations 
Darling Zeenat…the first time I came across you (somewhere along the cyber path) I KNEW you were a healer. I could feel it with every fibre of my being. Nothing has happened to change my mind since then…au contraire…I smile from my heart every time I see your beautiful smile online. You were born to bring comfort to and to heal others…but first you had to learn to heal yourself and more importantly to acknowledge and love who you are. Thank you for this beautiful, thought provoking post Zeenat which will concentrate my mind until I find my own message. Much love to you and your beautiful family. xxx
My dear Rosemary,
You are one sweet soul! All those fibres of your being need to bring you here to India soon… 🙂
I’m so glad that without even trying we have developed this beautiful heart connection.
Healing is such a personal precess of growth and understanding..and one which takes its own course of time. Each person heals, if and when they want to….
If I can help you in anyway to find your message..dont hesitate to email me.
Love to you too my dearest…
Hi Zeenat,
This is a very inspirational post! I enjoyed it so much.
Now I must do some soul searching.
Thank you!
Evelyn
Hi Evelyn,
So glad this post inspired you and is urging you to do some soul searching. I think soul searching is the best kind adventure we all can take. Happy soul searching to you.
So Much Love~
Zeenat,
You are such an inspiration. I can tell that you truly are a very compassionate and uplifting personality to be around.
I found your questions really thought provoking. Each of them builds upon the other and leads the reader to a conclusive realization about their life purpose. I truly believe, as you do, that each of us is here for a reason. When you discover your life purpose and travel on the path that is meant for you – you find true fulfillment and happiness.
Thank you so much for linking to my post about intuition as well.
xoxo,
Angela
Hi Angela,
Thank you for your kind and beautiful words here. Coming from you, i take it as a huge compliment 🙂
I’m glad the questions got you thinking…they are meant to bring out the message that’s so hidden inside. Linking to your post is something that comes so intrinsically to me…thank you fro all you do!
So Much Love~
This is just wonderful Zeenat and so moving and I love your 7 questions as Angela says they build on one another. I love you message – you have me refining mine
love
Suzie
Hi Suzie,
I would love to hear your message. And refining is fun to do na….
I hope to read more about this beautiful refined message of yours.
Thank you for sharing your words here….
So Much Love~
Darling Z,
Everything you share is so refreshingly full of love and encouragement!
My message is peace..I believe once a person honors peace in their life, all else flows effortlessly and abundantly..I live this message–as you mentioned in your life–I first did the work to become peace filled and now I share from this overflowing well.
Thank you Zeenat for all that you reflect in this piece..:)
Darling Joy,
Ahhh peace…its a beautiful message. One of intense healing too!
Thank you for all your peaceful sharing….
I agree with you completely, that once we can do the work on our-self…our message flows effortlessly….and oh so abundantly.
Much Love,~
Hi, Mama Sister!
What an absorbing, fun challenge. You have real aptitude for encouraging a swim in deep water, while removing the fear of doing it.
My answer to this/these question(s) eluded me for a long time. It wasn’t until I was in my fifties that I understood that in my case (and I’m probably not unique in this), the answer changed in different stages of life. In my childhood and youth I lived to learn – about everything, and I do mean everything; religion, philosophy, music, literature, comedy, science, geography, sexuality, culture, languages, media, and other diverse areas. I was passionate in a hundred directions, and had the energy and interest in all of them to be a generalist in study.
From age 20-50 my focus was on the application of things I had learned in these early studies to vocations and avocations. This was the time of doing, more than of being. My work was sometimes creative, sometimes not, and was of use to me but only sometimes of use to general humanity. An increasing desire to help people more by some sort of direct service work, and a growing preference for less noise, less traffic and wilderness led me into the way I live now.
This is the stage of balancing two energies – art & service. The service is direct action in health care. The art is expressing my understanding and experiences through writing and music. I’m contemplating, in motion.
Dear Mikey,
I am in awe of your clarity to balance your life’s 2 great messages. Art perfects over time and so does service…you are on such a right track. I love it that you built yourself, you learned, you absorbed and then Now when you Live your message, you Give fully and completely. Amazing!
May you spread and live your message in every moment.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful energy here.
SO much Love~
Dear Z,
This is one of my all time favorite posts! I love the story of the bus conductor. You clearly have a vision and mission in this life and the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. I agree with you fully that we have to work on ourselves before we can be much help to others. And I know I have a lot of work to do in that direction. In one sense, I know my life message, but you still really have me thinking with this post. In one way, I wish I could be like you – all about love, positivity, and light. On the other hand, I know it’s part of my path to ask the hard questions and to be thought provoking. I’m still learning how to let that unfold. Thanks for this fabulous message. May we all find our message and purpose in life!
Dearest S!
Just by being you you offer so much love and support. You ask the questions that need to be asked and that need to be answered by each adn every one of us. That in itself is a gift..I do hope you continue honing it.
You are best as yourself darling..you need never be like anyone else…just embrace your self fully…
I’m so so happy, that you found this post thought provoking enough….
Amen to “May we all find our message and purpose in life!”
Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts here.
So Much Love~
Dear Z,
This is one of the most meaningful posts I have read for a very long time. What you say here resonates strongly within me, as I have experienced the same type of epiphany in my own life journey. You rightly point out that becoming aware of one’s own message is just the beginniong. After that comes the implementation of that message into one’s day to day life. The implementation is where I am.
The story of the lady conductor on the bus is a beauitful story and it’s also a powerful example of the effect we can have on the life of another person…and it all began with a genuine smile. Think on that!! A SMILE!
Bless you my friend.
Dearest Keith,
You are implementing and living your message NOW! Wow.
Implementing as you say is kind of the difficult part of this whole growth process. Once you start living from the heart, the rest just falls into place na…
I’m so happy this post resonated with you on a deep level….and really, the smallest things can sometimes lead to the biggest and most profound experiences of our life…much like a SMILE!
Love and blessings to you too keith! Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts here.
These questions cause you to think. What we do with our free time is what we should love to do. Whether it’s writing, reading, running or eating..haha..DO what you LOVE!
Hi Jonathan,
I often read and think a lot in my free time…but if eating is your thing..then by all means become a chef 🙂
I hope you have found your message…….
Thank you for your lovely comment here.
Much Love~
Thanks for sharing of your journey, Zeenat. We all have experienced your wonderful healing ‘presence’. This is a powerful post – I think much of the world’s unhappiness stems from the fact that too many people have not figured out their unique and powerful role in the world.
Lots of love and will call soon.
Hi Cor,
ohhh..you feel it too! I feel more of a deeper connection between us 🙂
I agree with you….the world and most people remain in a state of unhappiness, because they havent yet uncovered their life’s purpose.
I’m glad you found this article powerful and that it spoke to you.
I’ll wait for your call.
so much love~
Zeenat,
This is a beautiful, inspirational article. Thank you. It’s funny how life naturally gives us all we need to learn and explore the fullest expression of who we are, isn’t it? You never have to look too far for the next lesson, or the next piece of you waiting to unfold.
Your story reminds me of a very important truth, that the way you do anything is the way you do everything. In other words, your truest nature always comes through in everything you do. So if you cultivate a nature of healing, healing is expressed to everyone and everything that you interact with. It’s a very profound concept. Thanks again for sharing this article, it’s my first time on your blog and I’m happy I found it 🙂
My Dear Z,
It will be one year soon since I happened along to Gail Brenner’s site. What brought me to her was the despair, hurt, anger, loss, broken down feeling I had from losing my brother and my home we shared a few years before.
A walk that I have talked most of my life is that of compassion for the people of lesser mental facilities. I grew up sharing a bedroom with my dual-diagnosed mentally challenged brother. When he was committed to Patton State Hospital, I made the trips up to there and visited him on a regular bases. When he lived in a Board and Care, I would pick him up and we would do things together. I made sure that he had the few things that he wanted…but could not provide the wife, car, or army enlistment.
While he lived with me in my home in the last few years of his life, I along with his social workers, helped to give him a sense of self-worth and independance. While he lived with me I did everything I could regards, medication, doctors appointments, and hospital stays regards his fight with renal cancer.
I lost both my brother and the home.
I have made great strides personally, and with much appreciated help, regards what I have lost.
I have the future of my daughters that I want to help create…to help them be positve contributors to the world. The eldest will be on her way to collage shortly (double major Cultural Anthropology/ Art History with a minor in Photography)
By being a very positve and assured person during my work as a meeting room A/V operator I can have an influence on a doctor’s presentation for the day and help set the tone.
Being *positive* and *assured*
These qualities I had in helping my brother.
“…I can also say that in the past, present, and until my death I have, do, and will keep space in my heart for *MANY* in-significant people.”
The qualities are coming back bit by bit each day…where ultimately will I go with them?
Hi, Zeenat, I would like to take the comment to say “thank you”, that is beautiful. It is so real and shows that at great development is possible, when I read it it seems like you talk from your heart. Especially the what-is-your-message text. Thank you for sharing. And thank you for taking the time to type all down. Have a beautiful day.