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Helpers As You Re-plan your Life
In my own journey through Quiet-Desperation and trying to restructure my
life, I've come to know how meaningful it is to get simple encouragement.
But encouragement has come in
I met Vicki while playing online Texas Hold-'Em. For almost a year a group
of us (with 2 or 3 regulars of each sex) met every night to win tokens from each
other, share jokes and laughter. It was a very nice way to pass some
evenings. But, I was just beginning to think about creating my own
website, so my mind was starting to drift away from flushes and straights.
On a slow-night, it was just Vic and me and I told her my web site ideas.
And that I knew ZERO about any of it.
Vic is has one of those million-in-one Souls. She's such a sweet
person, always looking to help other people. Although she didn't know how
to do websites either, she said her cousin Janet did, and offered to put us in
touch. I jumped at the chance!
It turned out that Janet was an artist, but also taught computer programs at
a local college. And she said she could help me. But I wasn't
so sure; I knew absolutely NOTHING about HTML (the computer language to create a
web page) and my first attempt at a "personal page" was an
embarrassing horror. But Janet kept saying "I *know* you can do
it! Go for it!"
I wasn't so sure. You see, I had already spent months reading online
"how-to" articles about web making, and still did not understand the
material. I could do the easy stuff, but making tables and how to use
scripts?? I just didn't understand! And, I felt sooo stupid!
"No way are you stupid," Janet retorted over the phone, "you
just need some help to get started." With her help, I was able to
begin and within a month, I had launched my very first web page, all by myself.
That may not seem much to other people. But it was (is) for me.
Because of my physical limitations, I had been feeling so useless. My
brain wanted to soar and my creative spirit had all sorts of ideas of things I
wanted to DO, but if the project needed me to be up on my feet, I couldn't do
it. I felt like my life was stagnating. And I knew creating websites could
open other possibilities of computer projects I could do. But, when you
don't have someone in your life who knows what you need to know, what do you
do? I had a huge need for a mentor to show me what I needed to learn and
help me understand the various pieces. Janet was that long-distance mentor
for me!
Janet probably doesn't even realize how much her simple words of
encouragement helped me that day (and in a few other conversations we've
had). "You can DO this," was exactly what I needed to hear!
And her enthusiasm. My god, I wish I had the ability to create the
positive tone of voice and sheer excitement she conveyed to me, about MY
project. You see, it is much easier to "get excited" over your
own work, but it takes someone special to get excited over someone else's
project or ideas! THAT is what makes a mentor, life coach, or even a
special friend. The kind of person that can motivate another person to go
ahead and slip on their wings and FLY is a person who gives a huge
GIFT to another human being.
Thank you Janet for helping me through those first weeks of uncertainty and
frustration, and for not letting my discouragement change your enthusiasm!
It got me moving and kept me moving.
If you talk to a friend who's down and discouraged, try to communicate
sincere interest and simple encouragement. You'll never know how much it
can help!
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