OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES : Gateway 1: Purpose and joy Gateway 2: Loving yourself Gateway 3: Negotiating Gateway 4: Life Gateway 5: Belong MORE ARTICLES Visualisation and Goals Disempowerment Self Esteem  Our Self Esteem Your Tombstone Epitaph Win-win situations Sabotaging Your Success

These articles have one purpose: to help you build your self esteem and confidence and take control of your life. I hope you benefit from them.

Gateway Six: Sharing Our Wisdom, Mentoring and Being Mentored
by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

 

Last time we discussed how today's women are luckier than their counterparts in the past. In this section we will look at a Case Vignette to give you a good example of how one can learn from somebody without being in any direct contact with the latter. Older or younger, rich or poor - each has qualities we can emulate.

 

Case Vignette
 
While we were having tea on her back porch, my friend commented, "I'm learning so much from Katie." I said, "Who's Katie?" (I had never heard her talk of Katie
before.) 

 

"Katie's that young woman who lives down the street." I said, "Oh! Do you spend much time with her?" She answered, "No actually we never spent anytime together." "Really?” I said. “Yet you're learning from her?" She responded, "Oh yes, though I don't even think she really knows who I am."

 

Now my curiosity was truly piqued. "Well, how are you learning from her?"

 

“It's easy. I just watch her house and I watch her. I see how she opens her door and welcomes people, the graciousness and lilt in her voice as she says 'Hello' and 'How are you?' And I watch her sometimes when people are leaving, how she escorts them out, takes them down to their car, or if they're walking she accompanies them partway down the street, her smile radiant and sincere. She may be half my age, but she has a world to teach me around sharing, courtesy, and making people feel truly welcomed."

 

"Wow," I thought to myself. "I wonder who's around me who has wisdom lessons to teach, someone I'm not even noticing. I’d better go and start looking."

 

A Positive Activity for You
 
For a week, take on the personal assignment of intentionally sharing some information, wisdom or part of the story of your own life with someone. Make it your intent to ask for and/or listen for the wisdom, information and ideas around you.

 

Try to think out of the box. Your information may come from a senior citizen, a very young child, a piece of equipment, a tree or something else in nature. It may also come from something that's been staring you in the face for years, such as a particular cereal box containing information about nutrition, or something equally important that you've stared at a hundred times. You may get a kick out of keeping some sort of log of the incredibly diverse places and people that will bring important new information into your life.