Negativity and selfishness gets great publicity in our social networking, indirect-contact society. You’d be led to believe the world’s running low on good people and that no one cares for or respects one another anymore. Their only concerns are themselves; and when they’re in need, no one is willing to lend them a hand without reward.
This is not the case. Kind, caring, selflessly-generous people still exist. Trent Shelton is a shining example.
A former NFL player turned motivational speaker, Shelton is one of the most heartening and inspirational public figures of this generation. A champion of self-worth and self-love, his messages of “It all starts with you”, “Don’t die with your dreams”, “It’s time to rehab”, and “Never settle” have positively impacted million of lives around the world.
Shelton is also a best-selling author whose heart can be felt in each word. His books Straight Up and The Greatest You extend the reach of his encouraging embrace.
While good at what he does, he’s also a good person and one who believes in helping others.
I asked Trent Shelton to tell me about a time when he did something nice for someone that he didn’t know. Here’s what he shared.
“A group of people who supported me came to an event I was a part of. It wasn’t my event, but I was speaking. So, I told the people over the event that they have to come in, and they got to be in VIP.
They wanted to be speakers and they got to experience it.
Afterwards, I took them all to eat and talked to them. We sat there and had a conversation for hours! It blew their mind because they look at me in a way that I don’t look at myself. They see me as inspirational and someone they aspire to be like.
And I did it because that’s just who I am as a person.
I like to humanize myself and show other people I’m regular just like you. Social media can change that because you see followers and likes, and you start to idolize people – which you never should.
I wanted to show them I’m a regular human being just like you. And when you leave here, I want to be so normal that you’d be like, “If Trent can do what he did, I can do it.” Just hearing their testimonies, it was like, man, you really helped me by just being who you are.
There wasn’t anything magical that I said. I was just relatable, and they realized it was possible for them.
When you have someone that’s succeeding and it’s tangible, you’re like, dang, this person is succeeding and they’re next to me!
I always say you should want your friends and your family to win because they’re showing you it’s actually tangible to succeed, and they come from the same place as you.
So I try to do that very often just to show people, “You can do it too!” |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
Our Shining Example column features a remarkable person sharing an inspiring personal story about an act of kindness.
“We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving.” – ‘We Are the World’
