Today’s Brilliance from Dr. Elizabeth M. Wisniewski

B.J. Palmer said, “genius is not property of few, it is buried in all.”

Have you ever had a “stroke of genius?” They are those moments when everything is right in the universe, your heart is full of love and for that instant in time you feel content. Living a life that is full of purpose helps create more of these perfect moments so that your life is a continuous stream of joy, love, and contentment.

We are all created through innate intelligence and this inherent wisdom persists with us throughout our lives. It guides us when we are lost and encourages us when we are experiencing a stroke of genius. Breathe, and let your entire body and every sense experience those moments so that you are able to live a mindful, peaceful life.

The world today is fast paced and extremely visual. It is time to embrace all of the senses in order to lead a more well-rounded life. This means literally stopping to smell the roses, savoring each bite of beautiful, local, organic food and listening to the birds chirp in the morning. This means smelling the air after a rainstorm and feeling the wind whisper in your ear.

When you lose a sense, like vision, this automatically occurs. The brain is amazing in its ability to adapt and change, something called neuroplasticity. I had always been a very visual learner, but when I was forced to change literally overnight I was able to! Taking examinations on chemistry and physics verbally is different but not impossible. It involves being creative, but this alone engages different areas of the brain allowing for optimal life expression.

Learning to embrace your challenges as unique gifts and then figuring out how to turn them into your greatest asset is critical to living a life of purpose and service. While studying organic polyculture in Brazil during undergrad, a farmer explained to me to never exploit the weeds- instead you must employ them.

This means instead of yanking the weeds out of the ground because you see them as being something negative, figure out how they are helping you and the entire ecosystem. In nature or farming, they may be holding the soil in place to prevent erosion and helping their neighboring plants.

In society we are quick to judge others with disabilities and cast them aside. Instead of hiding these people, it is time for us to embrace every person and help our fellow neighbors find their passions and gifts while fostering their development. This insures that every member of our ecosystem is contributing and living an authentic and meaningful life.

I may have lost most of my sight, but I have a huge vision for my life and the world. This is my stroke of genius. What is yours and how are you going to share your special gifts with the world?