Backbone Power

"If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything." Gordon A Eadie

Why do I need a backbone? I just have my simple little life. I don't aspire to be famous. Hmmm! Everyone's simple little life is going to be given an opportunity to take a stand for something, someone, some passion, some principle, some cause and you want to be ready.

A great exercise for you to do this week is to just jot down the number of places where you "give in", "roll over" or just go silent. Do you even know the places where you say yes when you mea
No? Do you think to yourself, I can't make a difference? The problem is so overwhelming so I will do nothing. You can make a difference every day and it is important for your dignity in the world to make that difference.

In life at this time, it is easy to take action. We can sign petitions, we can donate money, and we can use social media to educate the world about the injustices happening all around us. Don't wait until something traumatic happens before you take action. If you have a family member who is being emotionally abused, you know an animal being abused, a street that isn't safe, a child being bullied, a teacher being attacked unfairly, something doesn't feel right about a house near you, a family suffering economically, a child struggling on a sports team, a dirty street that just needs to be picked up, or any situation right near you, wake up! Take action. For most of these situations I can give you a story where someone reached out (cleaned up his neighborhood early every Saturday morning), came to the support of a teacher being bullied, reported unsafe streets/lights, intervened on family abuse, helped a child learn a sport, and on and on.

These little actions in your sphere can make such a difference. They will give you the confidence to continue to take bigger stands. We are celebrating Memorial Day today. We have immense gratitude for those who found their Backbone to defend our country. We all know stories of 18 year olds (and on up) who were thrown into situations they had never seen before, mustered up courage they didn't know they had, and performed actions they didn't know were possible. We thank our service men and women and their families for sacrifices above and beyond the call of duty!

"The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach." Benjamin E. Mayes

(c) Anne Brown 2014. Permission needed to reproduce in any form.

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