Merry Christmas to my amazing blog family! Whether you are gathered with loved ones today or simply enjoying a quiet morning, I am sending you warmth and light. And if you don’t celebrate the holidays, I truly respect that, good morning to you, and I’m so glad you’re here.
Today, I wanted to lean into a topic that gets talked about a lot, but I want to approach it from a place of raw, soul-deep honesty. We’re talking about being a blessing to others.
In a world that often tells us to “look out for number one,” being kind can sometimes be mislabeled as being “soft” or “naive.” I’m here to tell you that it’s actually the opposite. Being a blessing to others, especially when you’ve been through the fire yourself, is one of the greatest signs of personal strength you can possess.
The Misconception of the “Soft” Heart
For a long time, I struggled with this. I’ll be honest with you: I have deep-seated trust issues. Life hasn’t always been easy, and like many of you, I’ve dealt with “bad apples”, people who mistook my kindness for an invitation to take advantage.
When you’ve been burned, the natural instinct is to build a wall. We think that by becoming “hard” or cynical, we are protecting ourselves. We tell ourselves that being guarded is a sign of strength. But I’ve learned that living behind a wall is exhausting. It doesn’t make you strong; it makes you a prisoner of your past experiences.
True strength is the ability to acknowledge the “bad apples,” use your discernment, and still choose to lead with love. It is the refusal to let a few negative people dictate the temperature of your soul.
Why Kindness Requires Immense Strength
Think about what it takes to be a blessing when you are in a dark spot yourself. When life isn’t going right, the easiest thing to do is to retreat into bitterness. It takes zero effort to be grumpy or selfish.
However, it takes massive internal fortitude to:
- Smile at a stranger when your own heart is heavy.
- Offer an encouraging word when you’re feeling discouraged.
- Give your time or resources when you know what it’s like to have nothing.
That isn’t weakness. That is the resilience of a warrior. It’s saying, “The world tried to make me cold, but I choose to remain warm.”
The Power of Discernment
I want to be very clear here: being a blessing does not mean being a doormat. As I mentioned, we have to use discernment. We don’t have to give our energy to those who only seek to drain us or manipulate us.
Strength is knowing where to pour your blessings. It’s about being intentional. When we use our intuition to help those in need, we aren’t being “taken”; we are making a conscious choice to impact a life.
We Don’t Know the Hidden Battles
Sometimes we never know what someone is going through unless we look closer. We’ve all seen people who look like they have it all together on the outside, while they are drowning on the inside.
When you choose to be a blessing, you might be providing the one thing that keeps someone going for another day. You might be the “light” in their “dark spot.” That is a high calling. To be the catalyst for someone else’s hope is a position of power and grace.
The Internal Reward: Blessing Your Own Soul
When we talk about the rewards of giving, people often think about material gain or “karma.” But the real “blessing” of being a blessing is what it does to our soul, heart, and mind.
- Healing the Heart: By being kind to others, we prove to ourselves that we are not defined by our traumas. It’s a way of reclaiming our power from those who hurt us.
- Quiet Confidence: There is a peace that comes from knowing you’ve added value to the world. It builds a quiet, unshakable self-esteem.
- Mental Clarity: Shifting the focus from our own problems to how we can help others often provides a fresh perspective on our own lives.
Don’t Let the “Bad Apples” Win
I am still working on my trust issues. It’s a journey, not a destination. But I’ve made a decision: I don’t want to make others suffer just because a couple of bad apples were in my life. If I become cold and distant, the people who hurt me win. If I remain a blessing to others, I win. My soul stays intact. My heart stays open. My strength remains.
Final Thoughts
Being a blessing is an act of courage. It is an acknowledgment that despite the darkness we’ve seen, we believe in the light. This holiday season, I encourage you to look closer at the people around you. Use your discernment, protect your peace, but don’t be afraid to be a blessing.
It doesn’t make you weak. It makes you a hero in a world that desperately needs more of them.
Lakisha Morris
Leave a Reply