Bigger is always Better

It's always a good feeling when you can go from something smaller to something bigger. When you get a new phone with more bells and whistles, bigger is better. When you move from an apartment into a new house, bigger is better. When you get a brand new super-sized TV screen, bigger is better. Bigger provides us more comfort, greater ease of use, and in some cases more pleasure, but what if today instead of talking about externally getting bigger, we talked about you becoming a bigger and better version of you?

Bigger Starts with You

The problem with being a bigger and better version of yourself is that it leads many people into a conundrum. What does it actually mean and more importantly what does it take to be a bigger person? A more self-actualized definition would be to become less focused on yourself today than you were yesterday. It's easy to be the bigger person by holding the door open for someone, but what if that person is someone who hurt you badly? Being bigger for a complete stranger is no challenge at all, but it's a completely different story when someone has hurt you deeply, attacked you viciously, or betrayed you wickedly.

The Starting Point to Bigger

So if you want to be bigger, what is the starting point? The more bitter you are, the harder it is to be bigger, but the better version of yourself you develop, the bigger you'll discover you really are. Here's the deal. Bitterness is the kryptonite to becoming bigger; therefore, letting go of the pain of betrayal and hurt is the starting point to uncovering the bigness that is already inside you.

Yes, the starting point is forgiveness, but here's the good news. Forgiveness is a one person job. You don't need to connect with those who hurt you to forgive them. You just need to leave behind the baggage of pain and anger. Letting go leaves your smallness behind, but you can rest assured. If you fail to forgive, you'll fail to discover the beauty of bigger.

The Steps to Bigger

Dropping the baggage of pain must occur before you take the first step, so after you forgive, what are the subsequent steps to becoming bigger.

1. Thicken your Skin - Offenses will continue to come, but choosing to be offended ends today.

2. Soften your Heart - This doesn't mean become a push over. It means that big people see the pain in others that causes their defense mechanisms to hurt others.

3. Give Gratitude - The more you are thankful for, the bigger you become. Give thanks in all things, especially the painful things that have ultimately grown you more than anything.

4. Fill your Heart - Make time everyday to fill your heart, mind and soul with positive words, music, and motivation. The bigger your heart, the bigger your life.

5. Make the 1st Move - Demonstrate how big you are by initiating kindness to all, especially those who have hurt you.

6. Speak Life - Be the example of bigger to everyone you meet by speaking to others about the power in being bigger.

7. Reflect Daily - Spend time everyday reflecting on your wins and your losses. Wins reaffirm your bigness, but losses refine your bigness when you choose to own them and grow from them.

The World Needs More Bigger People

This world is full of small people who act big, and the world is constantly tempting us to get smaller and more selfish everyday. If you want to see any positive change in this world or your life, it's going to require a lot more bigger people. You could wait for bigger people to show up, or you could start building them right now. I choose to build a bigger version of me first, so I can influence everyone around me to get bigger with me. Will you join me? After all, the world isn't getting any bigger.