Day Four: What does it mean to serve?

Next week I will return to posting 2x per week.

Today’s question, the 4th in our 7-question series is from Jennifer Louden. Tomorrow’s question, on creativity, is from Jonathan Fields. Stay tuned!

Question: How did I serve in 2011? Whom did I serve? What aspects of my service brought me alive? What aspects drained me? If I could serve in any way possible in 2012, what would I create? Let your imagination run wild.

Service can sound so dull and feel so heavy, something only really good (cue white toothy smile) people do or something you do to other people for their own good. Yuck. Let’s ditch those ideas. Instead, try on the idea that service is your heart’s desire made visible. Service is the act of sharing what you most care about for the greater good. It requires no special goodness, thankfully. After our basic needs are met, we all yearn to make a difference and service springs from listening to that yearning – and taking action on it, step by little step.

Service makes you tingle with aliveness like all true acts of intimacy. It’s deeply creative, generative, and yes, risky, because it means you share your heart. It’s also as natural as breathing, and like breathing, must include giving and receiving,

How will you serve in 2012? I can’t wait to hear! –Jennifer Louden

Feel free to post your thoughts below or on our FB page where you can also read others’ (wonderful) answers.

And remember: to truly serve, you must possess confidence that you have something to offer. (Which you do.) Confidence comes from belief in your basic goodness. Basic goodness is what you experience when you meditate. Please sign up to receive (free) meditation instruction via The Open Heart Project. xo s

This post is #4 in a week of 7 questions that form The Week of Inward Looking Each day has a different questioner, and a different theme:

Dec 26: Patti Digh On Bendiness
Dec 27 Ken Robert On Shadows
Dec 28 Andrew Mellen On Becoming Organized
Dec 29 Jen Louden On Service
Dec 30 Jonathan Fields On Creativity
Dec 31 Susan Piver On Spirituality
Jan 1 Seth Godin On Becoming an Artist

categorized in: open heart project