See Yourself as Whole

I found a quote today that I had scribbled down a few years ago:

Those who see themselves as whole make no demands.

From A Course in Miracles, this idea is one of the pillars of self worth. When I am secure in who I am, I don't have to demand that you behave a certain way or give me certain things.

Have you ever met a person who was just easy to be with? Someone who made no demands. Someone who was happy to just "be" and allowed you to be the same!

Norman Brinker was one such person. I had the good fortune to work with Norman for about 6 years in the early 90's, during a major growth period in the life of Brinker International. One of my favorite responsibilities was participating in "test kitchen" roundtables, where we reviewed new menu ideas for the Chili's brand.

There would usually be about 10 or 12 people around a large table and we would try different "new" ideas. Lots of free-flowing comments and critiques! Norman was always very open and asked everyone for his or her opinion.

In my 25 years in corporate America, he was the only CEO with whom I interacted who portrayed a man who was whole. And, he treated me as if I was whole, as well.

This is the focus of a "holistic" view of healthcare,isn't it? In holistic healthcare (and note it's not called sickcare) we focus on the well or whole person inside and work with the client to bring out or reveal that part. In medicine, they treat the "sickness" and focus on what's wrong. In holistic care, we focus on what's right and re-establishing that basis of health.

As Carolyn Myss points out, we may not revert totally to the earlier condition. Given aging, that may not be possible. But, we can recapture our vitality and a sense of being that is, in some ways, better than our prior state of dis-ease.

So, begin to see yourself as whole. Because, when you see yourself as whole, new possibilities begin to present themselves. And, you also give others permission to be whole, as well.