Wellness In-Sight: Imagine

CINDY E. FARRAR

When I was in my twenties (many, many moons ago), I attended a leadership conference. I had also volunteered to be on the “clean-up committee” following the conference. Little did I know that for me the most significant lesson I would receive that weekend would occur while helping to clean up. As my fellow committee members and I were hurriedly putting things away, one of the conference leaders had been observing our hastiness. She approached us and simply said, “Remember, always leave a place better than you found it.”

That simple statement immediately made an indelible impression on me. It heightened my perspective regarding how I “show up.” It reminded me of the saying, “Good, better, best. Never rest until your good is better, and your better is your best.” Good enough was no longer good enough. That is not to say life became about being perfect. Our “good” will be different day to day, moment by moment. However, there is a big difference between “good” and “good enough.” The quality of the results of our efforts will ultimately be a reflection of what we bring to whatever with which we are engaging.

Since then, I have also learned that life is relational. The reminder given all those years ago not only applies to places, it is applicable to things and people as well, including ourselves. The concept “you get out of life what you put into it” is not quite accurate. The effects of how we relate to our world - the people, places, and things - is more than reciprocal. Life is much

more than a mere series of transactions.

What it means specifically to leave someone better than we found them begins as an intentional interaction. It also requires the willingness to see them as greater than their current condition. I am not suggesting we discount someone’s immediate state of being. To the contrary, it is necessary to first acknowledge it, and, as we say in massage, “meet them where they are (without judgement).” Then we can be in a position to be able to make a positive impact.

The greatest gift we can give someone is to allow them their humanity. And in our humanity also lies our potential. To affirm another’s potential is not projecting on to them what we think is best for them, nor is it taking away their personal power. It’s taking an opportunity to support and add to an environment that encourages an enhanced quality of being, even if momentarily. I am fortunate, blessed, and honored to have been called to massage therapy, life coaching, teaching Qi Gong, and writing, that affords me this opportunity multiple times a day. However, it need not be part of one’s profession, career, or job, or should being paid the motivation. As we are conducting our daily activities, we can give everyone we encounter a friendly word or kind gesture to elevate their mood or make life easier, leaving them better than we found them.

When it comes to things and places, what if everyone did something simple, such as planting a flower, picking up a piece of litter, or repurposing used items. Imagine how much better we could leave the world for our future generations.

CINDY E. FARRAR, LMT, BCTMB, CLC is a licensed massage therapist, certified life coach and the owner of Massage Associates of Atlanta, LLC (Lavista Road in Tucker). In addition, she is a certified Qi Gong instructor and a nationally approved continuing education provider for massage therapy and bodywork. Cindy enjoys sharing insights on wellness and personal and community development as a speaker and writer.