Funny, you don’t look like a light house.

But that’s exactly what you are.

For centuries, mariners have relied upon light houses to guide them through times of poor visibility, helping them avoid the jagged edges of rocky shorelines that can splinter even the strongest of ships. They serve as navigational landmarks, sending their powerful beacon of light miles into dark and stormy nights, guiding the lost and the wary home to safe harbors.

Light houses serve to guide those navigating the seas. What kind of light houses do we turn to to navigate our life?

In life we all have people that we look up to. People we trust to always be there.  People who we look towards for guidance. People who can help us steer away from the jagged edges of the rocky shoreline of our own life. People who can lead us back to our own safe harbor.

Light houses.

Our relationship with these light houses is for the most part passive. Usually we never let these people know that they are our light houses. We watch them. We observe them. We listen to them. But we usually never send them a “Thank You for Being My Light House” greeting card, nor do we introduce them at cocktail parties as “my light house”.

SETTING THE EXAMPLE Right now, to some person or persons, you are a light house. There are people, some lost and wary, looking to you to help them return to their own safe harbor. They are looking to you to help get them through some rough waters. How you navigate your own life serves as your powerful beacon. The energy you send out to the world serves as your powerful beacon. You guide them by how you lead your own life. You guide them by the examples you unknowingly set for them.

Who are these people that consider you to be their light house?

It could be anybody. It could be a person you work with. It could be a sibling. It could be a friend. It could be a customer. You just don’t know. But just because you don’t know doesn’t change the fact that how you live your life serves as an inspiration to others.

Children always look to their parents as their light house. They listen to everything you say and see everything you do. Your attitudes and actions are absorbed by their impressionable minds, and will shape their own attitudes and actions throughout their lives. But children aren’t the only ones who are looking up to you.

THE ACTION PLAN Here are three simple steps that can help you make a difference in the lives of those looking up to you. They will also make a difference in your life as well.

1. Acknowledge your role as a light house. You have no say as to who decides to look to you for inspiration and guidance. Understand, though, that someone somewhere on some level views you as their light house.
2. Accept the responsibility. This is leadership. This is standing up and deciding to fully become a beacon of hope and positivity in a sea of despair and negativity. At work or at home, understand that you have the ability to change lives. You have the power to greatly impact all those who come in contact with you. Assume this responsibility of leadership.
3. Shine. Let the beacon that is you light the lives of others. Realign yourself daily, making sure that all that you do and all that you say sets the proper course for others to follow. Affirm your leadership position each morning. Affirm that you will make a difference and will be a positive light of guidance in a world in need of light.

Living Half Full means doing all that you can to improve the world we live in. Better people will build the better world that we all long to create. Your service as a light house, as a beacon of inspiration and guidance, will help build the better people that will build that better world. It will also keep you on your own chosen path as well.

The world needs your leadership on this. It’s all part of the innate greatness that lies with in all of us.

It lies within you.

Light the world!

It’s a great day to be you!