The School of Life Thread
Think of life as a school. It has its lessons to teach you. It even gives you homework to do.
A: Use this thread to share a lesson:
What has light taught you today? Share with us!
For example, life has taught me that good things take time and I must persevere through mistakes and challenges.
It could also be something someone close to you inspired in you. For example, I learnt from my mother to never lose hope and believe again, and try afresh every new day.
Or it could be something someone in our 7cups community inspired in you. For example, @sunisshiningandsoareyou inspired in me the spirit of endless care and kindness toward my fellow human beings.
B: Use this thread to share Homework:
What good did you do today for your growth and progress? Share with us!
For example, I went for a quiet walk today. Or it could be something good you did at 7cups. For example, I hosted a chatroom event today.
You can do either of the above two, or both, as you like it, any time and any number of times.
Keep coming back to this thread to share your lessons and homework and to support others in their lessons and homework. Let's see one another grow.
@Fristo
Indeeedio, we are all students in the school of life. Eternal learners! 📚😄
Love the examples, Fristo! :P What a sneaky way to shout out hehe, you are just amazing, always coming up with fantastic ideas to enable learning, growth, compassion and gratitude, for self and one other. Thankyou for this lovely post and thinking so highly of me! ❤
1) Share what life taught you.
Life has taught me to not take it for granted. Life has taught me that come what may, life goes on! 💛
2) Share what someone close to you inspires in you.
Someone close to me inspires me to be more resilient while navigating challenges and more grateful when something goes/ is in my favor. 💛
3) Share what someone in our 7cups community inspires in you.
I'm inspired by a lot of people here, and that includes you too! You are phenomenal in everything you do, Fristo! And now I know more on "how/why" behind. 💛
It's life teaching you to persevere through any challenges and mistakes, and your dear mother motivating you to keep going no matter what comes in way~ encouraging your never give up attitude, "let me try and see what happens, even if it doesn't work as planned, I'll be satisfied with my effort in atleast giving something I believed in, a shot"~ mindset, your forever humble, heart-ful and hopeful persona. 💛
But I'll take this moment to send a shout out to someone else also, someone who is the absolute epitome of all things kind, caring, compassionate, appreciative and loving. 💛
@SparkyGizmo, my wonderful Spidey Twinn, you inspire me day in and day out, ever since we first got to know one other here. You pour your heart in making people feel seen, you know the value behind and you never take anyone/ anything for granted~ your level of practicing gratitude is unmatchable. Your level of consistency and integrity is beyond measures! 💛
Gratitude for people, gratitude for things/ activities, gratitude for your challenges (now that's even more inspiring), gratitude for life in general. 💛
I'm forever a fan of how you carry yourself around, Sparkyyy Sparkkk, people getting to know you for less than 10 minutes adore you and feel grateful for you already, I've known you for almost 3 years now and you best believe the admiration, respect, love and gratitude for you has only multiplied, every passing day. 💛
I heart youuu so much, you are m-a-g-I-c! Keep sparkling bright always! 💛
🤗 *big hugssss* 🤗
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
@Fristo
@VictoriaLove7
@Heather225
@GlenM
@ASilentObserver
@Hope
My wonderful Good Day Sunshine! 😊❤️ You have no idea how very much this means to me. I cannot thank you enough! To be someone that YOU admire is high praise! 😊❤️ It's one of those feelings of things coming full circle as the feeling is so very mutual!
You truly are one of my personal hero's here on this site as well as in real life as you bring much to the table. Thoughts, ways of being, being a good example to others that can be thought about and admired in real life as well. It translates. For me, you are truly one of the very best leaders that 7 cups has ever seen! You have been a change agent here on this platform. An absolute powerhouse that sticks to their values. I said it earlier today also, your moral compass is not broken. It's so much easier to not to do the right thing sometimes. You do it the right way, each and every time. You do not miss a beat. 😊❤️
You roll up your sleeves, you are plugged in and you are willing to do the hard work. Far be it from you to ever say "it's not my job". You create change in a positive direction by "being the example". Lead, follow or get out of the way, lol 😊 Your leadership style is brilliant! You are trustworthy, you are someone of high integrity, if you say something to someone, well they can take it to the bank cause' your check will cash! lol 😊
You are patient, you are kind. You are someone that inspires others. You are not ego driven. You embody the essence of service driven leadership. I see it as the inverted triangle with the true leader seeing themselves at the bottom and being of service to others.
I guess the topic of this thread is "The School of Life". I'd like to express my gratitude for others that have paved the way for you to be here Good Day Sunshine. If it weren't for them, you may have not have had the opportunity to grow, flourish and provide 7 cups with all of the amazing things that you have to offer to each and every one of us. I remember "Life" around here before you came.
I have a tendency with my gratitude moments to even look at the bigger picture. How could I not? I see the ripple effect or domino effect. I see causation and change in the positive direction.
Vic created a wonderful appreciation post the other day and I second that! I feel as if they are spot on in appreciating and knowing how these people have made 7 cups what WE are today! 😊❤️
Thank you O.G. 😊❤️(Glen) Thank you for everything that you did to get this site up and running. Thank you for persevering. I think if more knew of the origin story behind your creation of this site, what you had to go through, they just might have a deeper respect. You are a human being behind this screen too that has a heart, a soul, a pulse, a life, a family. You rolled the dice. I imagine it wasn't easy. You are quite brave my wonderful friend! This was your brainchild and thank you for giving us all the gift of that! ❤️ You have been most selfless in bringing good things to the masses.
I've said it many times before and I'll say it again. One of the best things you ever did was to put H as our community director! All things good have flowed from them.
Thank you H (Heather) 😊❤️ Thank you for taking that baton and running with it! Without ever even having a conversation with you, you saw what I was seeing. 6 months, 6 months you starting showing results and turned this place around! 😳 I've never brought that up to you, however that is some monumental stuff right there! You cleaned this place up. The forums were fraught with arguments, disrespect towards one another. The rooms the same. Bunch of loose cannons running around with no filter.
I have told Glen that putting you in the pole position was one of the best things that ever happened to us. You had a great advantage of being on the "front lines" prior and living the experience and knowing quite quickly what should be changed. Like nope, that ain't right, nope, that ain't quite right neither, lol 😊 You are not far removed from what goes on around here. You have your "finger on the pulse". You too are plugged in, connected and have a great deal of realism to your leadership approach.
If a leader is too far removed from the actual experience of it all, standing on "high", I think the judgement calls might not be the right ones. It ends up being cold, shallow, not connected and simply earning a pay check. Not paying attention, not listening to the people around them and ultimately not caring. It's more of a "look at me process" and I'm the boss. Thank you Heather for not being that type of person. ❤️ Thank you for being real and authentic. I am most grateful. I don't think you changed our culture, you were our Neo, the One, the deliverer, that brought us back to Glens original plan. 😊❤️
Thank you for putting others in their rightful place to bring more good things..........(thank you for making wise choices)
Hi Obs! 😊❤️ Thank you for taking on the task of cleaning up the rooms. Wooooo hoooo and *high fives* 😊 Talk about pushing an elephant up a hill, lol 😊 I can only imagine how many sleepless nights you had in trying to get those rooms on track and to where they are today. I'm grateful. It's a new day, much different from the past.
I imagine it's going to be a constant process. I get it. Thank you for being there ❤️
Hi Hope! 😊❤️ Thank you for accepting the role of Dean of Academy. I see the change around here on the platform because of you and all of your efforts! You know, I can first meet a teammate here on the site and hope that they will come along, embrace our culture and I do my personal best to help and make that happen when I have the opportunity to interact with them. 😊
I notice a vast difference in our people after they have been a part of your programs. You too create change in a positive direction! So many, after spending time in your area exhibit a distinct change. It's as if for many of them, it's eureka! And a light bulb moment. I see behavioral problems lessen, people dialing it back a bit, being here for helping others, less "I" and "me" and more "we" and "us" which I like hearing personally. I feel as if many times, after being a part of your programs, they start to "understand my language". I be like, aha, now I got something to work with if they were a bit problematic at first onset, lol 😊❤️
So, Good Day Sunshine, I am most grateful for all of the above that I have mentioned as well as their efforts. I feel like your timing was impeccable for showing up here on 7 cups. You've been able to see what I call "some of the growing pains". Yup, I know you've seen a great deal also. Thank goodness you didn't see more of it before. Before you showed up, it was truly no bueno, lol. At least this platform gave you a fighting chance to do your great works! 😊❤️
The above mentioned made great choices and great decisions and just in the nick of time to pave the way!
*high fives* 😊 and big big *hugs* ❤️ Good Day Sunshine! Keep rocking the house! Nothing but blue sky's ahead of us now! 😊❤️😊
@SparkyGizmo thank you for tagging me and for sharing these kind words! I appreciate your never ending enthusiasm, can-do spirit, and high fives!
@GlenM
❤️❤️❤️
@SparkyGizmo
Thank you for tagging me, Gizmo! ✨ It took some time for me to compose my reply cuz I would like to reply properly.
Thank you for mentioning about the appreciation last week, it was a joy and an honor for me to convey the appreciation for @Heather225 @Sunisshiningandsoareyou
@ASilentObserver
@GlenM
Thank you to @Hope too, who help us to navigate the courses in the academy.
Gizmo, I echo everything you said about Sunshine, I have seen their excellent characters in many ways.
Ever since the first time I met Sunshine, I was impressed at their quick wittedness, their support even though I am just a member, and at the time have not taken any roles. I have said this to someone, if there is anything good I did in Cups, it is because Sunshine 🌞 who inspire me owlways.
Sunshine really defines her name. Sun is shining, they shine on us, make our days brighter and make this community better. They goes above and beyond in their efforts to make Cups become a better place. They have made a significant impact on Cups community. You earn our gratitude every day, Sunshine.
I would like to answer the questions in this thread.
1) Share what life taught you.
Life taught me that I have to be strong and not to fall into hindsight bias. Because we never really knew what would happen.
2) Share what someone close to you inspires in you.
Someone close to me inspires me to not be afraid to express what I feel rather than keeping things inside.
3) Share what someone in our 7cups community inspires in you.
There is more than one, a couple of awesome people, those leaders that you have mentioned up there, have made my Cups journey more meaningful.
But I would like to reiterate how two of them have inspired me.
Sunshine 🌞, have guided me and have made my Cups journey more fulfilling. From the beginning when I was just a member who taken up the hosting role and faced difficulties, Sunshine encouraged me to keep going and have owlways been there. They have high perseverance and I learn to persevere too when things are not as easy as I thought.
Fristo inspired me in their way of seeing the good out of something. Fristo taught me to see, when we face something that is challenging they always try to find things that we can learn from it. They always help us to be thankful for our lives. Just like this thread topic that I have wanted to reply to since the first time I saw it. ⭐
(Now I really want to put this sign ©️ to what I wrote here cuz they are personal to me. 😄)
@VictoriaLove7
You are most welcome for the tag my wonderful friend! 😊❤️ I was grateful to do so and to highlight your efforts as well! To bring you into the fold of my response as I felt that you truly belonged there in that moment in time. ❤️ You had said it best and had said it days prior!
I'm never here to "steal anyones thunder" but yet to point in the direction of greatness, to give credit where credit is due and to be grateful for all of the special and unique gifts that we bring to one another and the platform. 😊❤️
You have a keen eye and you are able to see things and people for what they are. Everyone that you had mentioned are so very highly deserving of your praise. They probably don't even hear it often enough from us. I think, we at times, can be even timid to give that praise to others that are, what we perceive to be in "higher order roles". Maybe the feelings of......who am I to give you praise? Who am I to give you positive affirmations? You of all people don't need positive affirmations from little ole' me. 😳
One of the 7 cups core values is "we believe in equality" so for me, it has to go both ways. I feel as If I have truly embraced and internalized all of them. That core value works for all of us. It goes side to side, up and down, back and forth, inside out. Glen, H, Obs, Hope are human beings that get up in the morning with hopes, dreams, needs and desires just like the rest of us. They want the very same things that we do out of this site and I'm confident that they want many of the same things out of life.
We are all much more alike than we are different and teamwork makes the dream work! 😊 They are just humans, like me, like you. They put their pants on the same way I do, just one leg at a time! They are all kind and highly approachable people and they really do care. ❤️ I must admit, I am so grateful for each of them as I have had my moments, special ones with all of these leaders. They could care less about my badges or lack there of (we believe in equality). It's not what they need me for. It's my heart, my intentionality here on this site and they know small can be mighty! It's what you do, and what it is you have to do it with! Weeeeeeeeeeeee weeeeeeeeee! 😊
Badges, roles are simply a designation of who to go to when we need support and help. It's simply a signifier of who to go to get things done.
So, back to......we believe in equality. Oh my dear friend. I hear you saying that "I am just a member". Well, you are a member, sure. Many of us are members. We believe in equality. No difference in being a member or a listener for the sake of who has more value. We are all here to help one another and might fit into a certain role simply at the moment. One hand washes the other around here. We all need one another ❤️
I am grateful for you Vic. 😊❤️ In your member role, you probably do a great deal more heavy lifting and work harder than many on the platform, maybe even more than the majority of listeners. (oopsie, drats, did I just say that out loud? lol 😊)
When I first came here one of my thoughts and constructive feedback was the comments of team vs. community. No one was saying things this way to be mean spirited, it was simply a way to understand who was doing what, how to refer to one another. Either way, for me personally, it didn't sit well for team building, community building, relationship building and a sense of unity that we are all in this together. For me it smacked of an "us vs. them" concept and it wasn't intended to be that way. To hear team and community was driving a wedge in between the "we" however subliminal the message may have been. That has changed and greatly 😊❤️
Same with member vs. listener attitudes. We are all on the same team. 😊❤️ I said this over and over, that some days our members can be our very best teachers.......we just need to listen to our members. Members are much more powerful than they know as they have the power to reward for good behavior via positive written reviews to help show the listener that they are doing something well (positive affirmation) and to please keep doing that as well as the power to provide a negative written review for corrective action.
Good Day Sunshine embraced this concept and most quickly ❤️ The community started onboarding members into pivotal roles and leadership positions. Wooooooo hooooooo! 😊❤️ We are all simply just people, trying to help people.
Vic, you might be a member but never the "just a member".
*high fives* 😊 big *hugs* ❤️ and keep rocking the house my sweet friend! I am most grateful for you ❤️
@SparkyGizmo admire your team-spirit always, sparky: You see each of us as part of a big team working together to make a good change in the world. Secondly, I love the fact that you support your peers so much by deeply understanding their journey and being with them along the way. These two qualities make you "you" for me!
@Fristo
❤️❤️❤️
@SparkyGizmo
Sparky! ✨ I think Sparky fits more to your sparkling personality.
(I like the oopsie part 😁)
That is true, I have seen how members in our chatrooms try to console others fellow members. I first heard and learned from Sunshine 🌞 the concept of wounded healer, people whose painful experience enable them to help others. I think it is what we see in our member support rooms like the 24/7 support room, Sharing Circle, and other member support rooms in Cups.
Yes yes, I see how Sunshine encourages members to take parts in making this community better. Even when we feel we are not enough or not that good, their encouragement keep us going in our efforts.
I'm also grateful to know you, Sparky and that you are in this community. You have been a great example of wisdom in your way of expressing your thoughts. ✨
@VictoriaLove7
❤️❤️❤️
@VictoriaLove7 you are in good company with us here, and have to say, we are in great company with you💛 may you keep having people at cups and in your life who inspire you to a meaningful living, and in the process, we keep learning from you! together, we make wonders come true, and conquer challenges in a good spirit.
@Fristo
Thank you, Fristo for saying it! It means so much to me, because I learn a lot from you. Thank you also for your well wishes!
We will conquer challenges and I know you always try understand us. I truly appreciate you for that. ⭐
@SparkyGizmo
what high praise. I am beyond moved 🥺🥺🥺 you pour so much thought and love into your words for others Sparky and I can say you've made my day on many a day. i'm glad i could help elevate 7 Cups in a noticeable and impactful way and that you could also attest to the improvements over these years of being an active participant in the community. you've seen it evolve, and i value your voice! thanks for your continued support Sparky, and for always building others up, as a mentor and a friend.
@Heather225
big big *hugs* ❤️❤️❤️
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou you only know how you do what you do. how you remain grateful for what you've got and reflect it back 10 times more. i wish to see you continue to evolve and be a marvel for us.
indeed, life goes on, and amidst the coming and going of situations and people, it's the personal evolution that is the most beautiful! may we all evolve in our individual journeys for our own individual peace and satisfaction. doing that indirectly and most effectively ensures the world as one unit is growing and blossoming.
@fristo, I think this is great. I wonder if one way to simplify this exercise - to make it easier might be - to make it just one easy question: what has life taught you today?
@GlenM you're right, simplicity would make it more inviting. I edited a bit.
Life has taught me to turn my mind step by step to higher values and good and helpful thoughts. I realise our mind's very powerful. If we direct it well, it will lead to a lot of inner calmness and bliss. If we don't, it's like a monkey mind causing inner conflicts, confusion, and disturbances.
@YourCaringConfidant life is beautifully, miraculously, and mysteriously just! i feel the same way😀 whenever i am lost, or perhaps did a mistake, i try to think of my overall journey and reflect on the good that has been happening underneath.
@Fristo Today, life taught me that you should face your challenges and everything that scares you head on since you would eventually need to face it anyway. At least on your own terms, you will be prepared to stand your ground.
Today, I chose to out myself above my work.
@PhenomenalGurrl it gets tough though, right? i do agree a lot that accepting your challenges and mentally preparing yourself to face them and pass through them, gives us the strength and peace that we need.
Today life has taught me - again - the importance of clear communication.
will be interesting to see how many times I have to learn lessons :)
@GlenM good thoughts deserve to be repeated until they get absorbed into our personality. but more helpful is understanding what makes those thoughts good, since only then we are able to embrace them with a full heart.
in general, perhaps, anything that supports and leads to harmony with ourselves and with the world around us is good for us and our environment!
@Fristo well said!
Life has taught me to pay attention to the signals. Not everything is a coincidence. I am learning to follow the path, even when it feels like it's deviating. I am learning to explore every avenue because you never know what's out there unless you see for yourself.
@Heather225 i too feel that observation plays a big role in determining our life quality. we can't see everything but being open to seeing more and understanding more, developing this observer attitude unravels a lot of mysteries to us and opens the doorway to new levels of progress and upliftment.
today life is teaching me the importance of perseverance in getting details right. sometimes the details influence one another and make things work quite a bit better.
i learn today no time is a bad time to bounce back.
@Fristo
There are two sides to everything in this life... Just like a coin.
What may seem bad, might prove good. What may seem good, might cause harm.
It's all a matter of time and your insight. If you have it positive, you'll be one of the happiest people alive... Flip the coin, what you see might just make you smile.
@AJneon do you mean trying out your options and finding out which one works in your favor?
@Fristo
Not exactly, I'm saying it's all a matter of perspectives. We should be fair and look at things for not only their visible negative effect but also the good impact it will surely have. It is my observation that anything that occurs in this world, any phenomenon... it has more than one impact. More than I could ever count.
Could be good, could be bad... We seek benefit, so looking at the good one will make us happy and wary of the bad effect.
Developing such insight would be of utmost benefit.
@AJneon makes total sense! we look for the good in everything that happens, take advandtage of the good by putting our focus on it, and move on! do i get it right?
@Fristo
Bingo!