Every single person on this planet has immense value to offer.
As I said in part 1 of this post (http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2016/05/why-its-so-important-to-me-to-make-sure.html), every single person on this planet has immense value to offer. Whether you realize it or not, you have the power and potential to be a world changer. There is HUGE power in the simplest gestures of love and kindness. Small spoken words can change the trajectory of another person’s life and there is an incredible ripple effect produced by that. I’ve learned that it’s extremely important in life to create a support system that will empower you in the tough times and that it’s just as important to BE one of those people who will do that for others in their tough times. It all starts with a willingness to be open, show that you care, and show love in whatever ways you can.
When I was going through a REALLY tough period in my old job (I was stressed out a lot, feeling disconnected from myself, dealing with constant anxiety, and wondering how much longer I could go on - you can read more about it here if you’d like: 
http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2016/03/gratitude-for-my-story-as-coach.html), I had a lot of friends who really stepped up to show me support in that time. I had friends who frequently called or texted me to check in. My friends that I hung out with most frequently were so supportive and accommodating in dealing with a lot of the control issues that had developed for me because of all the anxiety I was going through, especially due to a lot of the work traveling I was doing at the time. They knew that if I was going to hang out with them, I had to feel like I could leave anytime I wanted. If I felt anxiety rising up and wanted to go, they knew not to push me to stay out. They were extremely nurturing and made me feel safe and supported. And despite all the weird rules I had at that time about what I had to do to make sure I could feel ok in social situations, they stayed by my side as friends anyway. My friend, Chelsea, constantly reminded me that “your struggle is your struggle” and even though I knew I had not been through anything that society would have considered tragic, I was allowed to feel how I was feeling about it. I had my go-to friends who I could call anytime that would make me see the lighter side of things and remind me to relax. My friend, Nilo, talked me through some tough things I was dealing with with some of the people I had to work with at the time (these were not people who worked directly for my company; my coworkers and bosses were great and always had my back). He taught me some important lessons about setting boundaries and being assertive. My friend, Diego, shared with me during a marathon training run a list of 50 life secrets and tips (http://highexistence.com/life-secrets-and-tips/). The books I read because of that list were some of the first to set me on my journey of personal and spiritual growth. 
Some of the people who REALLY helped me through some tough times may not even know how big of an impact they had. During this time of personal/life/identity crisis, I remember OBSESSIVELY wanting to figure out my purpose in life. I contemplated daily what I would do with my life if I had to quit my job if the stress became too much. All I wanted to do was help people. I did a ton of research on starting a nonprofit but felt stuck in finding a cause that felt like the “right” one (not surprising since my approach was a little backwards- I was really seeking fulfillment and purpose more than anything, not necessarily starting with a cause that was close to my heart). I remember a HUGELY impactful conversation I had with a friend of mine who at the time was going through a tough battle with cancer. I was talking to her to try to get ideas for ways I could help or what I could do with my life. She said to me, “Katelyn, what I’ve learned is that if you’re the type of person who wants to help people, you will help people no matter what you do,” then shared with me the story of how much her hair dresser helped her by giving her support and comfort when she was going through the process of losing her hair during her chemo and radiation treatments. In an instant she gave me peace over my obsessive search for finding my life’s purpose with that simple statement and story. I will never forget how much of an impact that had. I share that story all the time. And I always remember that no matter what I’m doing in life, whether I’m doing everything perfectly or doing a terrible job juggling priorities, I don’t need to be doing everything “right”, but there is ALWAYS an opportunity to help just by showing the people I come in contact with that I care. BE LOVE, and you will always be helping, you will always be living a purpose. 
Some of the people I learned from were not people that I knew personally. I listened to a Tony Robbins CD on repeat just to get through the day sometimes and ended up going to his incredible Unleash the Power Within conference. Through a Wayne Dyer book, I discovered the world of Hay House publishing company and the wonderful other authors that are connected with them. I went to several of their conferences as well and listened to their Hay House Radio app anytime I needed a boost. Several times a year they host a free online world summit (there is one coming up on May 7, 2016- https://www.hayhouseworldsummit.com/). The first one of these that I listened to back in 2013 was life-changing and extremely spiritually opening. I am so grateful to these authors for sharing so openly about their lives in a way that has made such an impact on me that I am determined to pass that on with my own willingness to be fearlessly open, even when talking about things that are tough to share.
In more recent years, I have had friends willing to spend hours on the phone with me helping me grow my own self-awareness. We learn together and from each other. We share our struggles so openly and we create an environment where we feel heard and understood and safe. These friends are willing to challenge me in a safe way. They make me feel incredibly understood while also suggesting other perspectives or other things that I could work on. They are real, they are honest, and they don’t hold back. They love me for who I am, all that I am and all that I am not, while also empowering to live to live aligned to my highest truth and my higher self.
I learned some of these lessons all over again just this past week. From what I could tell, it seemed like a LOT of people were struggling this past week or so- definitely some intense energy and things happening in the universe. But what kept me grounded was the love and support from people who I know always have my back. A little over a week ago, I ran into an old friend who REALLY spoke a lot of belief in me. I wrote about the experience here: http://katelynlesk.blogspot.com/2016/04/baby-steps-releasing-pressure.html. It really made a profound impact on me. On Wednesday we had our bimonthly L3 Leadership small group meeting. Just being in the presence of the people in that group remind me of my value and what I deserve and that I’m supported. It’s incredible. Later in the week, I got the exact clarity and reminder I needed from a blog post on my friend, Doug Smith’s website (http://dougsmithlive.com/what-if-you-knew-it-would-happen/ - read it, trust me). I got to spend the weekend connecting with some really special friends who were in town who have always reminded me of what’s really important in life. They are the type of people who truly CARE about people. Being around people like that reminds me that there will always be people in life who support me no matter what. It makes me feel connected and loved and special. I hope I am able to do the same for them.
Interestingly enough, I also got to spend some time with my friend who had originally told me that big message about helping people. I’m happy to report she has made a full recovery and her cancer is gone and her health is excellent. But she told me it took her a long time after that experience to emotionally heal. And of course she had a big message that completely hit home for me again. She was passing on the words of a yoga teacher of hers who told her when she was trying to figure out what to do to help herself get better emotionally, “Heal first. Then you will know what to do.” Wow. Let that sink in. How many times have I struggled in life where I obsessively tried to fix it and feel better?? That statement reminded me that the healing process of whatever we’re going through IS already taking place. We just need to trust in the process and know that we will know what to do as it all unfolds. 
Those were just some of the people who have helped shape my life in big ways and make me who I am today. I am so incredibly grateful for ALL the people in my life who show others, including me, care and support. And it is so incredibly important to me that I am able to do that for others as well. Cheers to the world changers! And know that we are ALL world changers! You absolutely have the ability to change someone’s life (and the world!) as much as anyone else on this planet! I hope you see your own incredible, unique value!! And like I said in my previous blog, whatever you are going through in life right now- whether it feels like a complete struggle or a total high point, know that we are all on this journey together!! You are never alone!! And I care about each and every one of you reading this!!!
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