Pure Spirit

There's something so amazing about someone you love giving you a compliment and encouraging you to move forward, but for me it sometimes can be more impactful when hearing it from someone who I barely know. I am spoiled rotten to have an extremely supportive family who encourages me to reach my goals and to face the impossible. I know that every time someone in my family says they are proud of the woman I have become it is a sincere and honest compliment. But I also know that they are my family, my blood, and part of being a supportive mother is telling your child they are amazing.

It seems there have been distinct moments in my life where I have received some of the best clarity from absolute strangers. I remember feeling like periods of my life were not successful or not productive and all it took was a stranger putting things into the most basic of perspectives that helped me to see things clearly. I'm sure someone in my family said something very close to the exact words that this stranger uttered, but sometimes you need a non-biased third party to help you to see the bigger picture. I will always remember those moments, and today I had another one which will be added to the list.

I have a new friend here in Seoul who is an extremely successful Korean businessman. He is a dreamer, just like me, and the big ideas he has had in the past have become a successful reality for him. He still has monumental plans for his future and I was fortunate enough to hear how this man, totally different from me, was dreaming big for his future today. It made me think of the dreams I have for myself to have a family, to open a nonprofit, and to ultimately change the world. He knows about my dreams because he has read all about them here on my blog, and today he asked me a few more questions about my big dreams for DTM. He asked me simple questions like "How did you get the foundations name?" "What will you do when you get home for work?" and so on and so forth. We discussed the inspiration for my nonprofit, how the responsibility is quite heavily on my shoulders, and basic business and fundraising information. After some time passed and I knew he understood where I was coming from he looked at me and with a smile on his face he said "Nikki. you have a pure spirit." He followed that up with a few other very kind words, some which were translated on his phone, but nevertheless it was extremely touching. There I was thinking about how great HIS business was and how I can only hope and aspire to make my own nonprofit just as amazing, and yet he gave ME a compliment. Crazy old, wants to change the world, ME.

I know I have heard from friends and family that what I am trying to do with DTM is pretty awesome and pretty significant, but I have also heard the complete opposite. I have heard that it will be impossible, that there are a million things against me, and my own doubts of my capability to pull this off sometimes takes control of my mind. Today was a day where I felt completely overwhelmed by the task of still working as a teacher here in Korea, and yet trying to build a foundation at home. Some days I can do it, I can juggle it all, but today it just seemed like too much and I felt unprepared to meet my hefty goals. I continuously reassure myself and try to just take it day by day though. I know the mountain is entirely too big that I need to climb ahead of me, but I am working on getting all my gear together to be able to not just climb it but conquer it.

So, after a day like today, there was just something about this compliment that gave me the energy to move that freaking mountain. These kind words came from a completely non-biased third party, they broke through our differing language, and they broke through our differing cultures to make their point. He has nothing to gain by encouraging me, but he did so anyway in the most sincere way. I felt like my efforts were being seen, my dedication acknowledged, and my heart for DTM appreciated.

I felt re-energized and incomprehensibly happy. I couldn't stop smiling and finally felt like I was doing a great job at this endeavor. I began to really feel proud of my efforts instead of worrying they weren't enough. It didn't take much, but after a day of chaos and doubt, being validated was just the cure.