Whew! Itʻs hard to believe that a little over one month has passed since the inception of our Feature Friday weekly event. This has been such an eye-opening and rewarding effort for us here at The Swell. We knew that we were lucky enough to have befriended some pretty amazing people over the course of our lives, but I donʻt think we knew quite to what extent until we had these folks put their thoughts and experiences down on paper. It has been a humbling experience to have had more than a glimpse into some deeply personal adversities that our contributors have faced. I know that at some point in our lives we have or will come up against our own unique set of challenges. I also know that there are a few things that largely remain constant, one of which is that most of us find comfort in knowing that someone else has dealt with the same or similar hardship and has come out the other side standing in the light and whole.
I believe we find courage in bearing witness to othersʻ resiliency and journeys. I find it motivating and a source of strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other as I move through my own predicaments. For me, itʻs not so much the “if he/she can do it, so can I” mentality but more so itʻs the “wow, they dug deep and found their truth and strength, I want to know what that feels like” train of thought. Our contributors have inspired me in a multitude of ways and for that I am grateful; I remind myself daily how each and every one of them have added to the richness of my life. It is easy to succumb to a funk or hem and haw about what weʻre unhappy about or what seems to be the irritation of the moment, but we have a choice to channel that same energy into a positive state of mind and stay in the space of appreciation and gratitude. I canʻt help but notice that one recurring theme in all of the profiles to date speaks to tolerance, understanding and immense love for self and everyone else we come into contact with.
We would be operating under seriously false pretenses if we believed that we never made a misstep, said the wrong thing or hurt someoneʻs feelings – intentional or not. The idea though, is that the more conscious we are of our words and actions, the more tuned in we are to what makes us, as well as other people, happy. Have you ever noticed that happy people operate on a whole different level of energy and vibration? I find that when Iʻm around people who are happy, my happiness grows and in turn, I have a deep desire to see other people experience the same happiness and disposition and Iʻm glad to do what I can to bring that state of being to fruition. Our Swell contributors are no different…we understand that they want the same thing we want and are willing to put forth the effort to make that happen for ourselves and see the ripple effects of it reach others we come into contact with. Our motto of “be good, do good, see good, share good” sums it all up really. Thereʻs enough pain and sadness in the world as it is and that said, there are truly wonderful people out there dedicating their lives to ensuring the exact opposite energy is out there and just as prevalent, if not more so, in our society. Itʻs apparent that our guests, alongside of ourselves, are on a quest of self awareness, growth, wellness, giving and receiving love and teaching what is learned during this process in the hopes that others will see merit in our efforts and live to do the same.
We appreciate you and hope youʻll continue tuning in; there is more goodness and abundance on the horizon and we hope youʻll share in our light.