I was preparing for a Facebook Live mini workshop I did the other day and an idea came to me. This idea was reinforced as I listened to John Maxwell speak on day one of his virtual leadership summit.
We are carriers . . . all of us. 
Whether at work or at home we are a carrier of a disease . . . or a cure.
In the unique reality we are experiencing this idea challenged me. Whether leading at work or at home I am carrying something.
Hope or Fear
Whether in an e-mail I send, a post I make, a blog I write or any communication I make publicly or privately what am I spreading? No matter the circumstances around us we either are a beacon of light and hope or we spread anxiety and fear. This starts with us.
What I allow in my mind and dwell on impacts if I am spreading hope or fear. When we think there is no hope we nurture and act from a fear-based mindset. On the other hand, if we see opportunity and options amidst difficulty we create soil for hope to grow.
Selfish or Generous
The soil we nurture impacts our actions. For example, if we believe resources are limited and will never return our highest concern may be ourselves and from that mindset we will act. Alternatively, if we have hope that the situation we are experiencing is temporary we will consider more than just our needs.
When operating out of generosity we seek to serve, give and help those in greater need. My wife is an amazing example of this generous mindset right now. She has gathered a group of people to partner in serving an elderly neighbor who is not well resourced by purchasing and delivering groceries. Her generosity is rooted in the soil of her selfless mindset. Nurture that soil in each of us and we will spread the same generosity and hope.
The Natural Antibodies
I am a person of faith so you can ignore this part if you want. As I listened to a faith leader recently he reminded me of what I would call the antibodies against fear.
Faith
Hope
Love
Regardless of whether you are a person of faith, as leaders at work and home we spread faith that there will be a better tomorrow. Deal hope to those who are in fear that today’s reality will not last. Extend love to those around us. As we nurture these antibodies, we create an environment that carries hope and healing instead of dis-ease and fear. It all starts in our perspective.
Can I encourage you to take captive your thoughts and ask yourself if it will bring hope or fear? Be aware of reality, but let’s point one another to hope in difficult times and lead as beacons of light to those in our workplaces, communities, and families. You are a leader, you influence, use your influence to be hope and a lighthouse in the storm. Lead well.
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