Stars

Star treatment.  Shine like a star.  Star student.  Be a star.  Hollywood star.  These are phrases we often hear about special, high-performing people.  We correlate the attributes of stars hanging in the night sky with amazing brilliance.  This is a fair assessment since these celestial lights stand in stark contract to the blackness of the evening sky.

Most of us know that stars are located light-years away, are burning masses, and the largest is the sun.  However, there are lesser-known facts about the 200-400 billion stars in the sky that have lessons to teach.  The next time you look at these constellations or praise someone for having star qualities, remember the pieces of information that often don’t come readily to mind.  When we see stars twinkle, it isn’t because the star is doing something out of the ordinary.  Rather, it is the movement in the earth’s environment that creates this fun sparkle.  It’s the quietly working atmosphere that lays the backdrop for the star to get credit.  Also, stars with the most mass are the ones that live the shortest period.  The requirement to produce so much energy shortens its lifespan.  Having a great amount of mass comes at the cost of it burning faster.  Sometimes a steadier presence can have its own reward in a longer existence.

The next nugget of wisdom to consider about stars is profound: Stars are in perfect balance, yet stars are in conflict with itself.  There is a gravitational pull of its mass that is constantly pulling it inward.  Left unchecked, stars would merely collapse.  This doesn’t happen, however, because there is a force that pushes back: Light!  The core of a star produces enough energy to balance the gravitational pull.  The result is the illumination we see at night.  This is remarkable given how far away stars are from earth.  And yet, we can see their beauty with the naked eye.   

It makes sense why we use the analogy of a star to characterize greatness.  The physical brilliance is noteworthy.  Yet, the symbolic brilliance is equally noteworthy.  It is the subtle working of the atmosphere that creates the glimmer we admire.  Perhaps this is the important role you take in the world.  Also, it is the star with lesser mass that paces the longest.  Maybe you take this steadfast approach to life.  But regardless of the role we take in the universe, it is important to remember that stars shine not because it is effortless.  The harmony comes because the internal core of the star works in balance against gravity by using its own source of energy.  Each of us has this ability within, so we are all tasked with the responsibility of shining in the environment we’ve been given.  Let us all be our own star.

Changepoints:

Next time you look up at the night sky and see stars, pause to observe them, and consider:

·        Upon looking at stars, what human attributes come to mind?  Are you currently modeling these traits?

·        Think of a specific time when you felt positive about yourself.  What behaviors did you engage in to get to this point?

·        Are there potential shifts in your atmosphere that will help produce a needed glimmer of self-encouragement?  How can you foster your internal core to produce energy to make a difference in your world?

·        How can you create inner balance to ensure you don’t burn out quickly? 

o   What inspires you to stay engaged for the long run?

o   How is the world around you benefited from this approach?

Balance in life comes from an acknowledgement that life has a gravitational pull, and we have the internal power to create light that works with it.  This is how we glow.

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.