If you haven’t signed up yet, you should check out the Power of Positive Summit that is finishing this week. Every day you are emailed 4-5 short videos of encouragement around facing the challenges in life today from some of the best coaches, athletes, speakers, and authors. It has been great so far this year.
https://www.powerofpositivesummit.com/
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My new home office, which is also my living room, kitchen, and gym, is positioned with a stellar view of another apartment building and a parking deck. Luckily, there are two big trees right next to my apartment to add some life. These trees are absolutely coated in pollen, which brings numbers of bees flying around my porch and window.
Since I was looking at bees throughout the day, I decided to do some research. There is a rumor that a bee will die if it stings anyone. Honey bees are the only type of bees that die after stinging someone. I haven’t talked to a honey bee, but I bet they don’t know they pass away if they sting a human. In an attempt to protect themselves or other bees, they suffer an unfortunate consequence.
Beyond an annoying sting, bees actually provide incredible value to our lives. According to the FDA, honey bees provide an estimated $15 billion in added crop value every year, 10-20x the value of honey and beeswax. Bees are vital to nature by pollinating crops and plants. Just watch Bee Movie if you need any more evidence that bees are important.
Bees actions are oddly similar to us. Are you out trying to sting others? Is your goal to get under someone else’s skin and “sting” them for something they said or did? The more we try to sting other people, the more we die inside. Bringing down others only brings down our own reputations. You kill your reputation when you are out to get someone else.
You also have the option to bring life to those around you. You can “pollinate” them by lifting them up and encouraging them. Just like bees help bring beauty to this world, you can bring life and energy to the people around you.
You can be a bee who stings others and dies or a bee that brings life to the world. Which bee are you going to be this week?
I appreciate you.
-JP