So what is it to be a “Fairy Godmother?” A wave of the wand, a sparkle of magic or maybe it’s really just the goal of helping others. In the rush of our own lives, we tend to seek fulfillment from many different material sources. True purpose, however, can’t be found in our houses, cars, clothes or even our children’s accomplishments. We have to develop a true sense of purpose by bringing out the fairy godmothers who lie within.
To begin this process, let’s turn it for a bit into a conversation which is always a part of my leadership master classes. It begins with this simple question; What do you do when someone asks for help? In the classes, the responses have always been positive and many even expressed pleasure by being asked. Of course, it isn’t surprising that no one has actually said they wouldn’t help someone else. People usually jump at the chance to lend a hand. There is meaning in receiving gratitude. There is joy in the opportunity to be generous. Clearly, meaning and joy are there for us for the taking. What are we waiting for?
Being a Fairy Godmother means that instead of waiting to be asked, the offer of assistance is freely given. A need is seen; a need is met with no expectation of repayment. It is a purely generous moment. The funny part is, when you do it, the person might first politely decline. Just pause for a moment and watch their expression. They are usually jumping at the chance to say yes. Actually, I have never had anyone say no after the first attempt. People need help. People want help. They just get in their own way sometimes.
To make the moment easier for them to understand, I usually tell them that I am a fairy godmother who is there to help. It is a great way to defuse the reflex of saying no. While being a Fairy Godmother is a distinctively different approach than most people take, there are steps to make the change of mindset easier. Here is a quick list to get us started:
- Awareness
- Empathy
- Generosity
- Courage
- Gratitude
- Faith
- Hope
- Love
There might even be more and we can begin the transformation process by focusing on these characteristics. Over the course of this new blog we will explore these characteristics more so we can increase our own sense of purpose. It will also be a forum for sharing these experiences. The more we understand and share, the stronger our ability to help others will become.
Having the latest phone might be nice but it isn’t life changing. Watching reality television shows don’t increase our emotional connections. True meaning in life comes by putting ourselves aside to truly help others.
If you aren’t convinced yet, consider this…Usually those childhood tales portray the hero as the prince or princess. Here is the real secret…the real hero of the story was the fairy godmother. Why? Because without her, the story would have never happened.
