Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 171 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Do You Affect or Infect Others?

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 171 of our Trek, and yesterday we finished exploring the 5 trails needed to get over yourself so you can trek on in life. Today we will ask the question, “Are you affecting or infecting others that you impact?”  If you miss any of our Wisdom-Trek episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Our workload continues briskly, but we continue on our trek, one step at a time. If we do not stop, I know we will reach our destination. My voice is starting to get a bit stronger, but I hope my raspy voice has not been too distracting this past week. It has been years since I have had any type of sinusitis or cold like has hit me pretty hard this past week. I am on the back side of it now, though, so hopefully my voice will improve each day.

Do You Affect or Infect Others?

Words, words, words! In my opinion, when we talk about the connection between attitude and behavior, there are two words that come to mind, “affect” and “infect.” My first reaction is to think of “affect” as a positive verb and “infect” as a negative verb, but I guess they can be both.

According to www.dictionary.com:

af•fect – verb (used with object) – 1. to act on; produce an effect or change in; 2. to impress the mind or move the feelings of; 3. (of pain, disease, etc.) to attack or lay hold of.

in•fect – verb (used with object) – 1. to affect or contaminate (a person, organ, wound, etc.) with disease-producing germs; 3. to taint or contaminate with something that affects quality, character, or condition unfavorably; 4. to corrupt or affect morally; 5. to imbue with some pernicious belief, opinion, etc.

I love this quote attributed to, Eleanor Roosevelt, “Every one of us every day has choices to make about the kind of person we are and what we wish to become. You can decide to be someone who brings people together, or you can fall prey to those who wish to divide us. You can be someone who educates yourself, or you can believe that being negative is clever and being cynical is fashionable. You have a choice.”

How true…Which one are you? What would your family, friends, and/or work colleagues say about you?

If you have listened to many episodes of Wisdom-Trek or read the daily journals, you’ve heard me say over and over, “Attitude is a choice!” It’s a split second choice, 24/7/365!

As we begin winding down yet another year of ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies, let’s take a few moments to be thankful for all the good in our lives rather than focusing on the negative.

By making a conscious choice to be a “power surge” rather than a “power drain,” we can open ourselves to have a positive “affect” (influence) on ourselves and others regardless of the conditions around us. We can even “infect” our world in a positive way – spread the positive attitude virus, look for the good, and trust for the right results. How freeing this thinking is! What an uplifting, renewing way to live!

“So it is, life is actually made up of our choices. We are the sum total of them, and if we hold to an attitude of love and thanksgiving for all the good things within our grasp we may have what all ambitious people long for — success,” Maya Angelou.

What about you?  Have you have been infected with the disease of a negative attitude and mindset through those you associate with or because you have not filtered out the garbage that is entering into your mind? If so, fortunately for you, then I do have a cure.

“Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic.’ This is a most searching and true diagnosis. Gratitude can be a vaccine that can prevent the invasion of a disgruntled attitude. As antitoxins prevent the disastrous effects of certain poisons and diseases, thanksgiving destroys the poison of fault-finding and grumbling. When trouble has smitten us, a spirit of thanksgiving is a soothing antiseptic,” John Henry Jowett.

Frederick Buechner says, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

What a wonderful reminder to take the time to think about what God is doing for us. Too often we focus just on the horrid things – evil, terrorist attacks, hurricanes, floods, devastation, and famine.

Instead, let’s prepare our minds for this season of Thanksgiving. Take time every day to verbalize or write all you are thankful for. Doing so will revitalize your soul.

1. Begin with Thanksgiving.

Psalm 100:4 tells us to give thanks to God,

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.”

• Thank Him for His patience and forgiveness.
• Thank Him for the privilege of coming into His presence.
• Thank Him for what He has done in and through your life in the last year.
• Take time to list what God has done for you.
• Be specific.
• Think through every area of your life.

2. List what God has done.

• Thank Him for His patience and forgiveness.
• Thank Him for the privilege of coming into His presence.
• Thank Him for what He has done in and through your life in the last year.

3. Become still before the Lord.

Psalm [46:10] says,

“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”

• Consider who God is.
• Praise Him for His attributes.
• Rejoice in your fellowship with Him and that He delights in you.
• Read passages of scripture and pray them back to God.
• Sing to the Lord.

As Thanksgiving approaches, take the time to reflect on all the blessings in your life. Keep in mind the opportunity you have to change the world through your attitude, talents, and gifts.  In my world, everything starts with the ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE! The life lessons that we learn each day are valuable to everyone we meet. So, encourage your friends and family to join us each day and come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy. Between now and Thanksgiving Day, we will focus on how wise it is to be thankful in a series of short, inspiring stories.

That will finish our podcast for today. Remember to listen to your daily dose of wisdom each day. Please share Wisdom-Trek with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or in person so they can come along with us each day.

If you would like to be added to our weekly email update for Wisdom-Trek, just text the word “Wisdom” to 44222 on your phone, and you will receive a message asking for your email address. It is very quick and easy to do.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!