In this season of my life I get the amazing opportunity to daily gather in an auditorium filled with over 1000 people from different nations, walks of life and age groups. This week as I rested in the melodies that were playing behind me I was reminded of the story of Charlottes Web. A question nested itself in my thoughts and I found myself answering the question “What was Charlottes role in the children book/movie “Charlotte’s Web”? Right then and there I had to search my memory to recall the story itself. Before reaching for Google, to test the accuracy of my thoughts, I seemed to remember the spider writing encouraging words in her web. After reaching for my phone to clarify that my thinking was accurate I re- discovered that the story was about a pig called Wilbur, the newest member to the farmyard and the so called ‘ runt’ of the litter. Because of his runtiness the farmer did not see any value in keeping Wilbur alive and so decided to slaughter the pig for Christmas dinner.
This is where Charlotte steps in….. Being what I would deb as the barnyard coach/mentor she saw beyond what the natural eye could see and saw the true value and potential of Wilbur and decided to write a word daily in her web for everyone in the barnyard and beyond to see. The effects of this act of encouragement was wide fetched with many people from around the town coming to see the glistening effect of the web. Out of Charlottes act of love and friendship the towns people, the farmer and the barnyard animals saw the true value of Wilbur and they decided to save his life instead of slaughtering it.
As the music continued playing behind me I heard the lyrics of this song playing…..
When I thought I’d lost me.
You knew where I left me.
You reintroduced me to your love.
You picked up all the pieces put me back together
You are the defender of my heart
What does it look like to be the defender of someone heart. To speak out words affirmation overvsomeone’s life especially when others do not see the value or potential in that person. To believe
the best, to declare the gold in the midst of the dirt?
What stood out to me was Charlotte wrote the words in her web. The place she lived. Right then in my own moment of intimacy I felt the call once more to be Charlotte. Someone who lives from a place of encouragement , calling forth the gold in others, especially when another’s view of a person is marred by the runtiness of the person’s life or character.
Though this was a personal encounter I believe we are all called to be like Charlotte. A person who carries love and friendship to the world around them, one who offers the gift of affirmation to another, who helps someone discover once again who they are called to be, who helps to pick up the jigsaw pieces of potential in a person’s life and helps them put it together. This is how to defend someone’s heart. This is Charlotte.
Discover It
Who are you today in the story of Charlotte’s web?
Charlotte – The encourager, the defender of a person’s heart
Wilbur – Someone who needs the belief of another person
The Farmer – Someone unable to see another’s potential because you focus on the runtiness of a person’s life or character?
The crowd – When someone speaks over the life another with affirmation you are drawn firstly to take another look at the person whom the word is about and secondly you feel like.
What would it take for you to become a Charlotte and carry love and Friendship to this to this world?
Is there a Wilbur in your life that needs you to defend their heart?
For different ways you affirm and acknowledge read previous Part 1 and 2 on this topic.
3 levels of affirmation – see blog post 1
Celebrating Progress , Expressing Belief, Naming Identify .
6 ways to acknowledge – see blog post 2
Appreciation, validation, recognition, affirmation , confirmation, thanking, expressing gratitude Who would you like to build a better relationship with this month. Is it someone in your family, a friend, a work colleague, your boss, your employee, the students in your classroom or someone in your community. It can be an individual or a group of people. Spend sometime this week thinking about who you may like to sprinkle the salt of acknowledgment over then create a plan to acknowledge that person or group. Create some variety in the way that you affirm others by using
the 6 ways of acknowledgment written in this post. Be as creative as you like in how you deliver your acknowledgments.
You can create the world you want simple by using words.
At Design Coaching
We design with the brain, heart and strengths in mind
This week’s Design Tips
Brain Tip 3#
Brain Bias Testing
Did you know that the brain is naturally bias. Making assumptions is something our brain loves to do. Its filter being the lens of our past experiences. But all bias and assumptions are not necessary true. Therefore we have the responsibility to test our thinking and the best way to do this is by asking questions. Its through asking curious questions that we discover and have evidence that tell us if our thoughts were accurate or not.
“How curious are you to find out truth?”
Brain Tip Challenge 3#
I am conscious of my bias and assumptions.
I test these thoughts by asking curious questions
Needs Work? Or Getting There Or Totally Me
Heart Tip 3#
Salty conversations
Have you ever heard the saying “whatever is pure, noble lovely and good, whatever is
noteworthy dwell on these things”. There is always things that challenge us to see people at their best but the strength of a person lies in being able to see the gold in the midst of the dirt. Like the classic saying states there is always ‘something good in everyone ‘you just need to look for it.. Like Charlotte our responsibility is to find it, dwell on it and then have the courage to speak it out. Hearts have been transformed by one person’s belief in another human being.
Heart Tip Challenge 3 #
I am conscious of the impact of my thoughts and words I choose to find the gold in the midst of the dirt on someone’s life and speak it out.
Needs Work? Or Getting There Or Totally Me
Strengths Tip 3#
Acknowledging Strengths
I love Gallup Strength Finders because it intentionally focuses on what someone has, not what they don’t. By focusing on a persons strengths we become aware of their uniqueness and what they bring to the world that no one else does. We each have a unique flavour to bring to this world that others cannot not bring. That’s the wonder of you. Choose today to discover and then celebrate this uniqueness over your own life and the lives of those around you. 1 in 33 million have your strength combination. If you meditate on that, that alone is mind boggling.
Strengths Tip Challenge 3 #
I am conscious of the impact of my words.
I intentionally look for the strengths in my own life and the life of others speak
encouraging words.
Needs Work? Or Getting There Or Totally Me
Your Next Step
You can contact me for a series of coaching sessions to help you build this “salty” theme into your personal and professional life. If that’s you click on the link below. CLICK HERE to get in touch.
Want to discover your dominant talents and strengths? Want to learn more about a Strengths session? CLICK HERE.
Are you interested in one of our personal and professional coaching packages? GET IN TOUCH for a complimentary session.