Being In Service

10/31/22 • 17 min

Today, Nate explores how to get busy being in service. “When we're ready to contribute to the world, we're ready to be in service,” he says. “This is a fulfilling and energizing place to live in.” There are two components to service: selflessness and willingness.

In order to be in service, we have to be in a place of unconditional love for both others and ourselves. He talks about Paramahansa Yogananda, whose practices Nate himself has adopted. Icons like the Yogi, as well as Mother Teresa and Gandhi, share characteristics of selflessness: they have no ego, want nothing in return, give from a place of completeness, and are completely connected to their spirituality.

While he still gets caught up in day-to-day distractions, Nate has found he is moving in the right direction. Something he finds useful is exploring our motivations when we are in service to others.

One of the teachings of self-help author Cheri Huber is to get out of the ‘dark room’ of self-reproach, and learn the conditioning of the ego that is stuck in survival mentality. Her teachings mention Sangha, a Sanskrit word meaning association, assembly, company, or community. “Willingness is really about giving ourselves the grace to believe that we deserve to live the life that we want to live,” Nate says. Huber’s book explains that one thought process doesn’t lead to a different outcome. For example, working hard may earn you money, but it doesn’t always earn you happiness. Instead, we should focus on what will make us happy now–which is often service.

In closing, Nate challenges listeners, and himself, to release from your ego trappings and allow yourself to live authentically, and return to love, support, and service.

Key Topics:

Introduction (00:12)
Service (00:43)
Selflessness (01:57)
Icons of selfless service (02:48)
No ego (06:55)
Nothing in return(07:29)
Giving from a place of completeness (08:11)
Connected to spirit (09:10)
Motivations of service (10:05)
Willingness (10:55)
Sangha (14:09)
Giving ourselves grace (14:48)
One thought process doesn’t lead to a different outcome (15:19)
Nate’s challenge (16:53)

Resources:

While he still gets caught up in day-to-day distractions, Nate has found he is moving in the right direction. Something he finds useful is exploring our motivations when we are in service to others.

In closing, Nate challenges listeners, and himself, to release from your ego trappings and allow yourself to live authentically, and return to love, support, and service.

Key Topics:

Introduction (00:12)
Service (00:43)
Selflessness (01:57)
Icons of selfless service (02:48)
No ego (06:55)
Nothing in return(07:29)
Giving from a place of completeness (08:11)
Connected to spirit (09:10)
Motivations of service (10:05)
Willingness (10:55)
Sangha (14:09)
Giving ourselves grace (14:48)
One thought process doesn’t lead to a different outcome (15:19)
Nate’s challenge (16:53)

Resources:

Previous Episode

Moving Through Resistance

Today, Nate explores moving through resistance. Most of us have a higher version of ourselves, but we are often impatient with ourselves and set unrealistic goals. “What if we could let go of focusing on the result of our change, and instead being on a path of change itself, be its own reward?” He references a book from Dr. Joe Dispenza, which advises having a higher vision of yourself that is so clear and associated with positive emotions, that there is no mental space for resistance.

Resistance starts with feelings, and then the thoughts that we attach to those feelings. When we have thoughts of resistance, we are not beholden to them. Sometimes, he explains, we can make an energetic choice. In making these choices, and being disciplined with them, we build new neural pathways. Being present, as self-help author Cheri Huber explains, can be achieved through simple practices. This is reiterated in the work of Julia Cameron, whose work outlines exercises that help you move into a creative flow state.

Nate shares two personal experiences in which he encountered, and eventually overcame, mental resistance. Most life challenges, he believes, can be boiled down to three choices. One: leave a situation, two: modify the situation, and three: accept the situation. Peace comes from knowing that you have the ability to make the choice. In closing, he explores the idea that death is not to be feared, which is the final lesson of letting go.

Key Topics:

Introduction (00:12)
Moving through resistance (01:05)
The path of change as a reward (02:35)
Breaking the habit of being yourself (02:59)
What causes resistance (04:17)
Making energetic choices (04:58)
Being present (07:03)
Moving into the flow state of creative energy (07:59)
Personal anecdotes (08:26)
Three approaches to life challenges (21:12)
Letting go (25:05)

Resources:

ColdWaterHotCoffee.com
Break the Habit of Being YourselfDr. Joe Dispenza
I Don’t Want To, I Don’t Feel Like ItCheri Huber
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity Julia Cameron
The Tibetan Book of the Deaddocumentary

Next Episode

Getting Happy

Today, Nate explores getting happy. “Let’s start living,” he urges. He lists the causes of unhappiness: overworking, poor diet, no routine, staying inside, not allowing yourself to feel too much, social media, not getting ready for the day, and skipping self-care. Those same areas serve as starting points on your road to happiness. Nate then lists ways to increase your happiness: make time for self-care, practice gratitude every day, consistently exercise, get outdoors daily, find your tribe, find a way to give back, and develop a spiritual practice.

He poses some questions: Is your life an endless to-do list? And does completing that to-do list really fulfill you or make you feel good in the moment? But is tomorrow filled with yet another to-do list? What if you had no to-do list? These questions can help you identify what is actually fulfilling for you. But to take action to use those identifications to make yourself happier requires courage.

Nate then outlines the steps for happiness goal scenarios. Step one: identify and understand what you want to change. Step two: rid your life of negativity. Step three: exercise more often. Step four: be kind to others. Step five: build a support network. Step six: eliminate the non-essentials. And step seven: take baby steps. He outlines some methods of self-accountability in enacting these steps, like using post-it notes to remind yourself of your goals. Nate shares some of his own goals he set for himself, and how he worked to achieve them.

He reminds listeners of the importance of modifying your goals so that they feel achievable to the stage of life you are in, and to be deliberate in your actions. He challenges listeners to pick one or two things to invest more time into in building your happiness, adding that he hopes you take on a stretch goal.

Key Topics: