Genshai
Lesson #1 in an Eleven-part
series based on Aspire by Kevin Hall
I am a word-hound. The longer I live, the more I realize the importance
words play in impacting our lives. As a
writer, I know that I can lift someone up, or bring them down simply by how I paint
word images.
For the next eleven weeks you and
I will take a journey together. Using Kevin
Hall’s book Aspire, we will explore the
meaning of eleven powerful, life-enhancing words. This will be good for our souls and our
minds, and especially good for our relationships with others.
Let the journey begin
“One
word could change the world for the better.
Words are like passwords. They
unlock the power. They open the door.” (Kevin Hall)
Our first word is Genshai. It means that “you should never treat
another person in a manner that would make them feel small.”
A practitioner of Genshai will
use language such as this:
“I think there is a better way to
do this.
Avoid this – “That’s
stupid. Why would you do it that way?”
Or this:
“You gave your best effort on
that report today and I thank you. Now, I
see a couple of areas that need strengthening.
What if we work on this together next Thursday and see if we can make an
even stronger presentation?”
Avoid this – “What
were you thinking on that report today?
Don’t you
know
anything? I should have done it myself.”
Do you see how our words used can
make a big difference on the receiver’s end?
Words matter.
I am all about lifting people
up. I dislike put-downs and condescending
tones. And I despise being made to feel
like a slug; a wee little person who is not worth considering except to be
stepped on and squashed under foot.
Genshai: Never treat another person in a manner
that would make them feel small
The second part of Genshai is this: “Genshai
means that you never treat anyone small – and that includes yourself!”
Oh my. I could write volumes about this one.
What conversations do you have
with yourself about you?
Do you like yourself?
Do you approve of yourself?
Do you see value in ‘you’?
The image one holds of oneself is
perhaps the most important ingredient for success and development as a
fulfilled and successful individual.
The bottom line here is
this: Treat yourself with respect. Hold forth a more lofty idea of your worth,
your skills and your worthiness as a human being. After all, You Are Somebody!
As Kevin closes this first
chapter, he gives us a glimpse into his Journal Thoughts. Listen to this:
“I
have divinity within me. I have
greatness within me. I attract into my
life that which I believe I am.
“Believe”
means to ‘be love’. When I love myself, I
treat myself with respect. “Spect” is to
look at.” “Re” is back. “Respect” is to look back at.”
May we commit that from this day
forward we will always treat everyone we meet as large and important –and especially
ourselves. May we hold forth an image of
I am somebody. I am a person of
worth and value.”
That, my friend, is Genshai.
No comments:
Post a Comment