How you see yourself has the greatest impact on how well you take care of yourself, how big you dream and ultimately the success you will achieve in your life.
I’ve heard this story of the eagle who thought he was a chicken many times and maybe you have as well, but it’s worthy of sharing today as a reminder to be aware of how you see yourself as you step into the New Year. You are beautiful, you are delightful, you are wonderful, you are glorious! Walk in this truth, and soar like the eagle. Do not keep pecking like the chickens.
The story goes….
“One day a farmer found an eagle’s egg and thinking it was one of his chicken’s eggs, placed it in a nest in his chicken coop. The egg hatched and the baby eagle grew up thinking that he was a chicken. The eagle did what the chickens did. It scratched the dirt for seeds and worms. It did not fly more than a few feet off the ground because this is what the chickens did.
One day he saw an eagle flying gracefully and majestically high above him. He asked a chicken friend, ‘What is that beautiful bird?’
The chicken said, ‘That is an eagle. He is a glorious bird. But you can’t fly like him because you are just a chicken.’
So the eagle never gave a second thought to it. He lived and died as a chicken.” Randy Pottenger
Truly, this is a very sad story. It may be a fable, but it is exactly what can happen to each of us if we aren’t careful.
How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself as the Creator sees you, fearfully and wonderfully made, and thought out with a purpose in mind?
Did you know that success is born out of love. To live a healthy life, to achieve the goals and dreams you desire deep in your heart, and to live your best life begins with you seeing your own value and loving yourself. If you don’t see your self-worth, you will never reach your fullest potential. Your story will end like the eagle’s story and how sad that will be.
The great news is you can DECIDE to be who you were born to be. You can see yourself as you are; beautiful, wonderful, delightful – glorious! Love yourself enough to be the best you can absolutely be. Fall in love with the glorious person you were created to be. This includes all your faults, mistakes, shortcomings, and all the issues life has thrown your way.
Randy Pottenger rewrote the Eagle story with a better ending. This is what he wrote:
Once there was a man who found an eagle’s egg and put it into the nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All of his life, the eagle, thinking he was a prairie chicken, did what prairie chickens do. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. He clucked and cackled. He flew in a brief thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers, no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that’s how prairie chickens were supposed to fly.
The years passed. The eagle grew very old.
Then one day, he saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky. It was flying with a graceful majesty on the wind currents, and with scarcely a beat of its strong, golden wings.
“What a glorious bird,” said the eagle to his neighbor. “What is it?” “That’s an eagle, the chief of birds,” the neighbor clucked. “But don’t give it a second thought. You could never be like him.”
Yet, something happened! For the first time, he saw who he really was, and the only thing keeping him in the chicken coop was himself. So, he decided to try.
He spread his wings and rose like an eagle does. As he did, he left behind the place he had been stuck all his life.
Soon he experienced a kindred closeness with other eagles, who shared his same hopes and dreams. Finding them gave him a new courage when life was hard. Walking closely with them helped him to not give up thinking like an eagle, no matter what it would take to do that, and no matter how discouraging life could still be, at times.
There were still hardships to press through. That didn’t change. But they were worth it all, because now he was free to be who he was always meant to be.
Being free was scary at times. Yet, he knew that he would never go back to the confines of the chicken coop. He had felt lost most of his life. Now, he felt like he had come back home to where he belonged.
Sometimes, he did look back at where he used to live. During those moments, it grieved him that it took him so long to leave that place where he felt so empty and alone. But then, in the next breath, the sadness became a stunning burst of life, as he celebrated that he didn’t live there anymore.
What can we learn from the eagle is to be who we were born to be?
- They fly with their own kind. They don’t hang around chickens. Be careful the company you keep. If an eagle can think he is a chicken, what would happen to you.
- They focus. An eagle can spot a mouse in the field from way up in the sky. With laser focus, you can accomplish even the biggest goals you have!
- An eagle recognizes his worth. He soars high in the sky, higher than any other bird. He only eats fresh prey, never something already dead.
- The eagle taps into resources. It uses the wind to help him fly higher and help him rest when he gets tired.
Like the eagle is a glorious bird, you are glorious as well. Walk in this truth, and the sky is the limit for you!
Cheers to making this New Year the best so far!
Article Written By:
Kim Martin, Founder of I’ve Decided, INC.
