love live holistically

Are You a Catalyst? 

7th March 2018

Are you a Catalyst?

What is a catalyst? Scientifically, a catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction, without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change. (Chemistry  Glossary)

A catalyst as a person – A Channel, a medium, an agent, an instrument, a muse or a stimulus.

Some professions e.g. Lawyers, Doctors, Counsellors, Mangers, Religious leaders and The police to mention a few, bring about change by their mere presences. In some cases our whole demeanour changes as they approach. There are certain professions that dictate the type of life they should lead. Partying most nights and burning the candle at both ends may bring inspiration to a rock star or other artists. The same behaviour may find the individual disbarred from practicing law. These people in our lives become spectator sport to us, as we watch and learn from them.

Are you a catalyst? Who is watching and learning from you? You may have a different name for yourself: A good Christian, a good Muslin, a good Jew, a good person, a good neighbour, a Mother/Father or Friend.

Who in your life watches you? You will be surprised who sees your action? Have you ever considered that you may be a catalyst? Have you ever noticed yourself giving advice to another, which they took, used and excelled?

Have you thrown advice in the wind, for example in a conversation with a group of people then you find out that someone took, ran with the advice resulting in their life changing for the better.

Have you noticed your advice being taken and used to the benefit of the listener only to watch them excel with no acknowledgement of your help? Has there been occasions when you have noticed that someone has copied your actions and excelled! Never mentioning your part in their progress?

As parents, you expect to be a catalyst for your childrens’ hope and dreams, you hope that they take your advice in-order to excel. Maybe you feel great about your ability to help people in a certain way, but unable to help yourself. I don’t want to give too many examples of myself as a catalyst, but here’s a few.

Most of my jobs involved ensuring clients and patients became the best they could be. In working with young people with mental health issues and behavioural problems. Those with physical difficulties, homeless women with mental health issues. The long time unemployed. Adults  with alcohol and drug additions. My work with the Elderly ‘End of life’ patients and their families. On an everyday level the people I interacted with, tend to go on to excel in life. I have on several occasions acted as a catalyst for work colleagues who went on to seek other employment as they came to the realization that they were worth more than they were being offered in their present position. One example springs to mind. I was given a position in which a member of the then staff had been in a senior role for eight years. She felt that it was her natural progression to have been offered my new position. The mere fact that I had arrived, pushed her to seek and secured a position she didn’t dream of applying for before I had arrived. She may have realised that after 8 years in the same position, she was never going to be promoted. As a catalyst, I gave her the incentive to move on, she also became open to the opportunities that were out there.

Another ‘friend’ managed to buy a property, as I was in the process of buying mine. mmmm sounds a little like you are taking praise for what people had decided to do for themselves! That could be true, but when you are told that you were the incentive for a shift, you accept that you have been the catalyst in that situation.

Are you a catalyst?

Consider your contribution to another persons’ life. Thinking back on your life, who have you influenced for the better or worst. (...and does it matter? Sure it does). If you feel that you have not contributed to anybodies life good or bad. Think again.........Your actions are always being watched by someone, younger or older than you. Someone out there sees you. Think about those people who have copied you! Think about those people who have given you advice. Think about those you have given advice to. They all watch your life. You have contributed to their lives.

I feel that I have contributed to at least six people’ lives, my children. I can only hope that most of what I have taught them has left a positive impression. When I watch their lives evolve, I notice some of my actions and beliefs playing out. I can see my influences. Some good some not so good. But I know i’ve contributed to their lives. My aim as always is to be a living example to everyone I interact with. What would you say you have contributed to other peoples’ lives? Do you see your influence playing out in their lives? Take a closer look.

What does it feel like to be a catalyst? We understand our role as parents, but what does it feels like to be a catalyst to others?

I have seen a quote recently that said ‘I love to see others achieve’. There is a sense of ‘I am pleased for that person. I am glad that s/he has managed to get that job, that house, that new partner, that new path in life. For me it’s not a sense of achievement, it‘s just a pleasant feeling that they have moved on to something or somewhere better. As a catalyst and a human being, I have watched people excel past my own situation or station in life. I have seen people go on to get a better position than I was in, after being encouraged to go for that new job or promotion or to move to a better area, often wondering why I couldn’t do that for myself! Many of the people I have helped to excel, have disappeared from my life, It would appear as if they had only entered my life to go on to better things. Is that the way it’s suppose to be? Maybe it is.

Maybe being a catalyst is an innate ability....What do you think? Blog@loveliveholistically.com Are you in a job that allows you to help others? Leaving you where you are, in-order to help many more. What is your chosen career? You could be a catalyst. Being a catalyst is a gift, it is your talent. There are many people out there that live for themselves and their own. They wouldn’t give a smile away, let alone anything else they deem is theirs. These people will keep information to themselves when they know it would help others. These individuals have climbed their personal ladders over many years and believe that you should do the same. You will find that people like that often see you struggling and reach for the popcorn to watch. They appear to sit back and instead of offering you advice to make your journey easier, they will tell you that , they felt you needed to learn the journey for yourself. (Do you know who I am talking about?) Do you have someone like that in your immediate circle? Blog@loveliveholistically.com Not everyone you have around you are catalysts or have the ability to advise, help or point you in the right direction, but be aware of those you meet at your destination who were there at the beginning of your race and didn’t show you the short cut they took!

Being a catalyst comes from within. What are you doing with that gift you have been given? If you feel that you may be a catalyst and need someone to talk to, please contact me DrScott@loveliveholistically.com. Being a catalyst is who you are, it is a need to help others, you may find that you are unable to help yourself in the same way. Is that you? Blog@loveliveholistically.com When one has a gift such as singing, baking, drawing, writing or playing a musical instrument (to name a few) You get the urge to use it and share it with others. Being a catalyst is one such gift or talent. However it stands apart from many other gifts, as catalysts are here to ensure that they change lives, a life change has to occur. Remember at the beginning of this blog where you was given a description of a scientific meaning of a catalyst? It states that the catalyst has to cause a reaction (a movement) without itself undergoing any permanent change. A catalyst as a person is here to help others excel, move up to another level in their lives and they do it effortlessly. If you see yourself in these words you are indeed a catalyst and you should develop your talent. Blog@loveliveholistically.com

Just like a pianist one has to practice their talent in-order to become the best they can be. Can an innate ability be developed? Sure, any skill can be enhanced. As a catalyst you will find that you are placed in the company of people who need your help to excel, to move up a level in their lives. This may happen through your job, your colleagues, people you see regularly. The people in need of a catalyst will come into your space or life seamlessly, you will not need to go looking for them. You may find that you are at a bus stop every morning with a neighbour who smiles and says hello, you strike up a conversation in which over time, you will be able to help move on or up in their lives. You may meet someone for whom you happen to have the answers to their life changing questions, which when acted up on will excel their life to a better place. By offering your insight or advice and seeing the transformation of others, you will become more astute to the needs of others. For those shrinking violets out there, remember as a catalyst you will not have to do any leg work to find the people you can help. They tend to appear in your life, they will just come to you. Be aware that, in-order to do what you do, people have to be ready for your help, people have to be ready for your input. As a catalyst you have only one ability and that is to bring about change.. As you develop your abilities through helping others, you will find that you will be sought out, people will begin to ask for your opinion on certain matters. You will become the ‘go to person’. Does that occur now in your life? Blog@loveliveholistically.com.

I am a catalyst in that I help people change the way they see situations they may be in and their ability to change them. Are you a catalyst? Do you impact other peoples’ lives for the better. Is this your chosen career? Or do you tend to do this naturally, either way your abilities allow others to excel. You leave others better off, just by being around them and offering non judgemental, practical advice. This ability to enhance others peoples’ lives is a gift or talent, it comes from a higher place. It is innate and can be developed by realising that you are chosen to help others in this way. The more people you help the more people seek you out. Sometimes you will help others excel right pass your station in life, but the feeling you get from seeing others achieve will bring you satisfaction. How you help others may not be immediately obvious, but you will be made aware of your participation in their life change. The person or people you help, may not acknowledge your help, but you will know the part you played. Someone somewhere is watching your life and learning from you.

I hope that anybody who meets me, go away feeling that I’ve contributed something positive to their life.

If you need help with anything written in this blog please contact me DrScott@loveliveholistically.com