Elevate Your Actions

By Steve Gwisdalla

My friends, here in our happy little (but growing) Tribe of Up, we advocate for more joy and help uplift those who need it.

Sometimes, being up can be difficult. Sometimes it is not popular. Sometimes, up requires honesty and truth and that truth can be tough for people to hear. When it comes to being up and paying kindness forward, I aggressively advocate for ensuring you have a strong emotional bank account so you can use your emotional interest to pay kindness forward and not touch your emotional principle. Seeking wonder and beauty in your life is paramount in helping others. If we are quietly miserable or struggling, how can we be honest in our actions toward helping others? That may be a tough thing to hear. It certainly is a tough thing to type. The name of this article is “Elevate Your Actions.” This is one of my personal battle cries. Advocate for more joy is my all-time favorite. I simply choose not to play is another. I have conversations with myself all the time. While driving, I often talk things out about things that are bothering me, or things I have been having a long think on. When I get stuck about what to do, what to say, how to feel, I will shout these words to my steering wheel.

“Elevate Your Actions Steve!”

Nice catch phrase, but how do we do that? Here is how I do it. I reflect. I think back to when I was the person I want to be all the time. Does that make sense? I try to be the person I want to be one hundred percent of the time, but I would be lying if I said I was. If I had to guess, it would be around 80-to 85% of the time. When I am floundering in that 15% of down or negative, the best way I know how to elevate my actions is to think about specific moments when I was the Steve I am trying to be all the time. I remember what I did, what I said, who was involved, what the circumstances were. I believe that always trying to be in a state of elevating your actions is the best way to be and how we are meant to be. Reflecting is a terrific way to do it. Researching is another. I am always on the lookout for beauty and wonder. Something as simple as a young fawn and my rescue puppy meeting each other the other day. The innocence and wonder each had for the other was awesome. It elevated me instantly. I thought about the innocence and curiosity each animal had toward the other is a great way to look at life.

Elevate your actions my friends. That is something worth investing in. Your future self will thank you! Steve is a Dexter resident and the Owner, Chief Action Elevator, and Vice President of Wildlife Watcher at Better Place Consulting, a success, career and life coaching organization. Reach out to me at [email protected].