Investments in People
It’s such a counterintuitive lesson, but the more you focus on others, the easier your needs and desires get met.
It’s counterintuitive because, if you were like me for a long time, it’s the last thing you might think to do while you’re in scarcity. When resources like money or food are scarce, a natural reaction is to hoard and contract and try to keep as much of the resources as you can. It really takes trust to be able to let go of the attachment to your stuff and be able to share and invest in others. It takes trust to expand when everything in you is telling you to contract.
A common trait I see with people with great social circles is they invest in people. People might be their highest investment. It might be listening to them. Spending time with them. Visiting them. Calling them up to see how things are going out of the blue. Sending them a message on social media. They respond when people have taken the time to engage with something they create. If they create a Youtube video, they’re in the comments acknowledging people. If someone in their offline social circle needs a ride they’re there. They might be volunteer. Whatever it may be, they take an investment in people. Though this investment in people, they build up social credit. If they ever fall on hard times, they have a great social circle to pick them up in places they need it.
Also, understand that there are some who aren’t a right fit for your investment. If you invest in people enough, you will gain a greater sense for neediness. For these people, whatever you do will never be enough, and you might find them draining. Let them go with love. It might take that for them to realize they have a lot more help than you.
There will be some who just don’t want your investment and/or don’t appreciate it. That’s ok too. Wear the world like a loose garment.
Get into the habit of making wise investments – not only with money but with your imagination, your creativity, your presence, your experience, your wisdom – you.