Being new to the ServiceSpace community, I often struggle with an inner problem of giving my time over to sharing my experiences, reading posts and responding to others. I tell myself "I should be spending my time on acting in my small corner of the "real world" instead of reading and talking in the "virtual world".

But this week I learned my humble lesson about the Huge benefit of taking the time to connect within the ServiceSpace community. With many post notifications piling up in my Inbox, I gave myself the gift of reading one. The Universe sent me Bela Shah's post about guiding a college student she is mentoring through the experience of an original intention to serve spiraling out into a stressful outcome-focused list of deadlines and worries. And there in her post were exactly the questions I needed to be asking myself regarding my actions in the "real world".

My recent work with my yoga mentor to expand classes and gatherings at her studio had become strained, awkward and focused on boundaries. So I asked myself...Why am I doing this? What is my motivation? I was able to return to my original intention of sharing my love of the yoga tradition and participating in a circle of learning with others.

Having this intention in the front of my mind, allowed me to be a whole different person in my next discussion with my mentor. I was able to express gratitude for the gift of the beautiful studio space she has spent so much of her life energy creating and communicate my priority of serving the spirit of that space above any personal goals of mine. Our whole time together transformed into an energizing and productive afternoon.

A humble thank you to Bela Shah for giving of her time and spirit in the Service Space community by sharing her experiences. I hope to contribute my small part in the same spirit of gratitude.