The Gift in Unexpected Places

In 1955 a 14 yr. old boy named Emmett Till was tortured and murdered in Mississippi for allegedly flirting with a white woman.  No one was ever convicted of his murder and justice was never served.  The FBI recently closed this case and although the family expressed disappointment, they also expressed acknowledgement that Emmett’s death was not in vain. 
 
They expressed, through sadness and grief, that Emmett’s death mobilized a call to action, one of the largest to spark the civil-rights movement in the United States.  Through tears, they acknowledged that his death, as tragic and horrific as it was, served a larger purpose.  That, my friends, is strength of character.  Grace beyond measure.  An ability to step into grief and pain, anger and frustration, and emerge finding the gift and opportunity in the tragedy. 
 
What does this take? How can we approach even smaller challenges at work or at home with the same grace, and find the gift and opportunity in all things?  I’m sure it took them a long time to get there, but Emmett’s family are people of faith, and this practice means continually stepping out of fear and into love. 
 
How else can that translate? Spiritual or not, it’s a matter of mental fitness. It’s also working towards a mindset that is growth-oriented and positive in nature. It’s the practice of developing the mental muscle to create the pause between emotions that sabotage us and the self-command to step into our sage-like wisdom.  Whether we call it tilting out of fear and into love, or shifting from a negative to a positive mindset, like every exercise routine it takes guidance and practice. 
 
Imagine that your brain is a muscle, and like any other muscle in your body, it is hungering for a workout. Neuroplasticity is real.  Some of us use prayer, meditation, or mindfulness techniques.  I find that using a combination of the best techniques of neuroscience, cognitive psychology, positive psychology and mindfulness practices helps build the mental muscle and resilience we need to move us from being owned by our emotions, toward owning them. 
 
We lift the weights that we can handle until we're ready to handle more.  None of us are done yet.  We’re all in process and have the opportunity in every moment to make another choice, right the wrong, to pivot back onto a path that serves us, our colleagues, clients, family, and friends.  That’s the often-unseen gift we’re given every day. What will you do with it?  

I wish you and yours a peaceful New Year filled with love, laughter, and grace.