  Spiritual
This week: Everyone Deserves a Chance Edited by: Kit of House Lannister  
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Everyone deserves a second chance. That's the saying, and it's true. But what about a first chance?
This week's Spiritual Newsletter is all about chance and opportunity, and why reaching out to others can make the world of difference.
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It is said that everyone deserves a second chance. Sometimes, though, even a first chance is difficult to come by.
The one I was looking for was technically a second one, but it felt like my first. Readers of this newsletter will probably know that I don't score that high on the self-esteem scale. It wasn't always like that. In high school, at least in the early years, I had a bit of confidence. I ran for class president in my second year and won. I had a nice group of friends and even though I wasn't amongst the most popular kids - for that I lacked fashion sense - I wasn't unpopular either.
It all changed at some point. I can't say when it happened exactly, but it did, and especially in the last decade or so I've retreated into a shell. No confidence, no self-esteem, and a life ruled by shyness.
There are many people like me. They'll receive a lot of advice. I've heard everything from "just snap out of it" to "pretend you're confident and no one will know the difference.... sooner or later it your confidence will grow". I would have loved to snap my fingers and poof, confidence! It doesn't work like that. I didn't feel it and I'm not great at pretending to be someone I'm not.
As is usual with my newsletters, you may wonder if you've stumbled upon psycho-babble-for-dummies instead of a spiritual editorial, but the fact is, when you lack confidence, when your self-esteem is gone, it's difficult to be spiritual. If a person doesn't like themselves and doesn't think they're deserving, it's difficult to believe that a greater power would have any interest in them whatsoever. It's difficult to open yourself to anyone or anything. An existing faith may become wobbly. In my case, I wondered why a God would love me and find me worthy. Why would He even listen to my prayers? Others are far more deserving than I am.
Depressing, right? But I wouldn't be writing this if there wasn't hope. Something happened recently that's made me believe that confidence can be rebuilt, no matter how impossible it feels, and it all started with a chance. Someone gave me one.
Someone, right here on Writing.Com nudged me out of my retreat by forgiving me for messing up and offering me an opportunity to prove myself and my skills at editing. It was a reality check. If I were ever going to do something I love, I would have to go for it instead of hiding away amongst my Facebook games. Here was someone who believed in me and I wasn't going to let them down.
I decided to refocus on my writing and editing. A small but respected website gave me a chance to publish articles there, and they offered excellent feedback. Then another website offered me a chance to publish pieces not suitable for the first one. They didn't have to. I'm an unknown. I'm glad that they did.
One of my articles became somewhat popular, and I got invited on a radio show to talk about it. A few years, or even a few months ago, that would have sent me right back into my safe little hiding place, and to be honest, it took me more than a week to accept, so certain was I that I'd mess up. Still, I wondered when I'd ever get the opportunity again. Why wouldn't I do it? They wanted me. If it went wrong, it would hardly be the end of the world.
I did it, and I just listened back. Even though I do sound nervous at the start, it wasn't bad at all. And you know what? It felt good. They're happy to have me on the show again, and I already know I'm going to do it. Somewhere, deep inside, I feel a spark of confidence. It's tiny, but it's there. I hope I can nurture it and let it grow.
Everyone deserves a chance, not just a second one, but also a first. If people hadn't given me a chance, I'd still be without that spark. Sometimes all that's required to change someone's life is to place your faith in them and allow them to show what they can do.
That's my advice for the week. If there's someone you know who lacks confidence and self-esteem, and there's an opportunity to give them that chance, please do so. They may pleasantly surprise you. And if you're like me, and someone reaches out to you, go for it. Accept it. Do it. It's so easy not to, but it's true that you have to help yourself. Others can only help you along your way. When they do, it's a wonderful thing.
Thank you to all the chance-givers. 
kittiara
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The Spiritual Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback, so please don't hesitate to write in! 
~
Sofia  - Inspirational writing!
Thank you so very much!
~~~
alfred booth, wanbli ska  - Thank you for an excellent hymn for individuality. I've spent all of my life trying to answer the question "Who are you?" and still haven't come up with a complete answer. And I hope I never do. For the truly introspective person, the search should never end.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I do agree. Every day and every decision we make brings new questions and new answers. The search will, indeed, never end!
~~~
GYPSYROSE- Grateful 2 WDC - Kittiara, This Newsletter was so inspirational, thank you for reminding us that we are all unique, and that we have a purpose on earth and WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
What is happining in our country (USA) today is the disregard and disappearance of our middle class. Too many are unemployed, too many have become indifferent, and we should try and make it a better place. There is a lot to do even if we do not have a lot of money! We will be held accountable one day. GYPSYROSE
Thank you so much!
If I were to get started on politics and the way the world is run, there would be so many newsletters I could fill!  And yes, despite all that we can make a difference. We should make a difference. We are all important, we all have skills and we all have a voice. We should use it. Our countries, and our planet, need us to be responsible.
~~~
M.Harris - There is a song that answers this
"What The World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love....
As a Christian, I believe that love is Christ Jesus.
Thank you! Yes, we do need love!
~~~
Zeke  - There's a very old saying that when a person walks down the street, there are three. Who he thinks he is, who other people see him as and who he really is. When we can make these three closer to each other we are usually better people.
Thank you for sharing that saying. I like it, and it's very true. Something to think about!
~~~
the wanderer - I really like reading the spiritual news letter I'm a spiritual person and thats what my poems I write on here are I always try to put God in them and theres a story thats been on my mind which I believe God wants me to write been in my head for about seven years I got from the begining to the end all in my head but as soon as I begin to write I get writers block like something don't want me to write it just don't know what to do looking for some advice.
I suffered from writer's block for years, and I know how difficult and painful it is. What helped me (and will hopefully help you), was to make some time for myself. A peaceful, quiet time with no noise or interruptions. When I did that, I gave serious thought as to what was stopping me. It was obvious that something was. Was it that my head was busy? Was it because things were troubling me? Was it because I was running around trying to do so many things all at once?
It took time to find out my obstacles and to deal with them, and the biggest one was that for some reason I worried too much about how others would perceive my writing. I wasn't allowing inspiration to flow. I was too focussed on the individual words and phrases, and that's why I wasn't getting anywhere. Once I opened myself up, had a little faith and just wrote, it slowly started to happen once more.
You may wish to take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). That's all about writing and not worrying too much about perfection. Once it's written, you can always go back and make it look nice. It's getting it out in the first place that matters.
Good luck!
~~~
embe - Hello Kittiara,
Love your newsletters.
Herewith my poem of faith, to share with you.
embe.
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Thank you!
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Light - Great NL, Sophy. Knowing who you are is important to living a joyful life. To truly be yourself, you need to be willing to be different from others, as well as the same. You need to be willing to be wrong, as well as right, to disagree as well as agree. All these things need to be okay with you before you are willing to know and be who you truly are and know the truth in life.
Pssst, I am Kit, not Sophy  . These are very wise words, though, and I thank you for sharing them. I fully agree!
~~~
Itchy Water~fictionandverse  - Thanks Kittiara for the great article about defining who we are. The world says who we are is determined by what we own. The never-ending advertisements of things that will make us happier, more pleasant, a better person, etc, are all a sham. Sure you might be happier for the moment but true happiness comes only from within.
All the things in this world cannot define me as a person. The things that define a person are the person's morals and character. It seems like the world bypasses the morals of a person, making the morals of a person to be errelevent. I wonder if that is why children no longer seek wisdom, but rather the newest and hottest gadget.
We live in a fast world. Everything is temporary and it's focussed on temporary, fast satisfaction. Everything changes all the time and we're expected to take part and keep up, otherwise we're told we're just not good enough.
We need the latest gadget, latest look, latest career goals, latest this and that. It's only when we take a step back that we notice how shallow and, well, silly it actually is!
It's consumer society, and it's rather tragic.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
~~~
Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Spiritual Newsletter Team:
Sophy  , KimChi , kittiara
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Spiritual: September 14, 2011 Issue [#4615]
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