Share the Love ❤ Success is Never Conquered Alone

In response to Coffee Challenge; Why I am pro the SHOUTOUT Movement

Zig Ziglar said it best:

“You can have everything in life that you want if you just give enough other people what they want.”

Every social space in this cyber web connects people in magnificent ways.

We come to them as lone wolves and blossom as we grow our packs.

Without the tribe that forms around us, we would remain small and in the shadows, never going anywhere of notable significance. But the hands, hearts and voices of others are the vehicles that take us to new heights.

It all comes down to a few important things…

1. Connection

We reach people through the magic we share in our written words. But nothing speaks louder than letting someone know that they touched your heart.

How powerful is it to acknowledge another and to let them know that they, once that lone wolf, are seen and heard?

The kindness shared in those supportive story responses and mentions is worth its weight in gold and I have enormous gratitude to the readers and writers who have given me that lift. I wish to thank Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles and Courtney Simms for their kind mentions, among others.

2. Help and support

We come into this world knowing nothing. As newborns we rely on our mothers first, our fathers second, and our closest siblings and wider family next. In nature, the structure for us to find our feet and learn to walk is in place already.

In these socially constructed networks, no one has been assigned that role to lead. It takes insight and observation to recognise the mere babe in the space, and the kind nature of strangers to hold out their hand and offer some guidance. And it takes courage and humility to step into the valued role of a leader.

Two of the kindest people who have shown me that, and I wish to thank, are Robert Ralph and Kristina God.

3. Kindness

True kindness deserves its own mention.

However you show up for others, whatever kind of role you assume, when you do so with kindness, it never goes unnoticed.

In this vast, busy space, those little gestures are what keep the connections alive and keep us wanting to give back to the wider network. There are people from whom I just feel that warmth of kindness that means more than you can imagine, notably Yana Bostongirl and Dr Mehmet Yildiz for the kind comments and the lifting.

4. Community

All of this culminates in the one thing that humans need more than anything.

Community.

We are innately social beings. No matter how much time we may seemingly spend alone with our devices in this strange new world, through them we find our community. Some of the people with whom I have found the greatest support and connection, I have never met in person. But, they are the people who are there every day, showing up for us and supporting us.

The incredible thing about communities in these online spaces is that they have infinite growth potential. The arms of the community reach far and wide and never stop doing so.

The generosity of those working behind the scenes of the publications that host the work of many is far-reaching. I am especially grateful to the following publications for allowing me to feature my work:

• New Writers Welcome (for whom I am also now an editor)
• Writer’s Blokke
• The Haven
• Catness
• ILLUMINATION (and its sister publications)
• About Me Stories
• sofi stories
• Checkmate
• The Shortform
• The Daily Cuppa
• What Is Love To You?
• Hello, Love
• Feedium
• Pets and Animals
• Thank You Notes
• it’s just foam
• Know Thyself, Heal Thyself

Not forgetting, of course, Coffee Times, and the brainchild of this movement, Winston.

And finally…

5. Gratitude

Perhaps the most important attribute of all.

Expressing our gratitude to another for how they show up — for the community, for themselves, for their family…for whomever they show up for — affirms why we are here on this planet together, interacting individually yet as one.

And, expressing our gratitude to others makes us feel good.

Back to Zig Ziglar…

“You can have everything in life that you want if you just give enough other people what they want.”

In other words, be willing to give and receiving will follow naturally.

And that concludes why I am a big supporter of the SHOUTOUT Movement.

So, go ahead and tell me who you wish to thank and why!

My shoutout for today goes to Trisha Dunbar for this lovely piece on building a mindfulness practice:

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