I was listening to a talk called The Science of Happiness by Harvard professor Arthur Brooks, and something he said stopped me in my tracks:
He said, "We need to get outside of ourselves. It is important to find something, whether it’s religion, nature, or art, that makes us feel small.”
That line hit me.
We live in a world that constantly tells us to stand out, build our personal brand, and make a name for ourselves. Rarely do we stop to think about the importance of periodically allowing ourselves to feel small.
I forget how grounding it can be to remember that I’m just one tiny part of something so much bigger. That the world doesn’t revolve around my plans or the pressure I put on myself to figure it all out.
There’s something surprisingly peaceful about realizing that the world keeps moving, growing, and unfolding whether I’m ahead, behind, or somewhere in between.
This week, my mission is simple.
To get outside of myself.
To shift from me to we.
To notice the ways I can serve rather than seek significance.
Below are 6 journal prompts for you to explore, one for each dimension of your perspective.
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Personal History
When was the last time you were truly of service to someone else?
How did that moment shift your perspective?
Environment
Your environment gives to you every single day. Air, water, warmth, beauty. What do you give back to it, and how could you live in deeper reciprocity with the spaces that hold you?
Beliefs
How do you connect to something larger than yourself. Faith, spirituality, creativity, or nature? What beliefs help you feel small in a way that brings peace rather than fear?
Emotions
When you think about being part of something vast and interconnected, what emotion comes up for you? Does it make you feel more lost, or more found?
Relationships
In what ways are you showing up for the people around you? Where might you be called to listen more, give more, or simply be with others instead of trying to fix or prove?
Identity
What does your ego sound like right now? What is it trying to protect? Who are you trying to be significant to?
Until next week,
Sadie Sanchez
Author of DIMENSIONS