When I emailed the director of Hekab Be Biblioteca in Akumal, Mexico and told her that I wanted to bring a group of 10 retreat guests to her school for an afternoon with the kids, she laughed. She thought it odd that an afternoon with kids between the ages of 3 and 13 was a high priority for a group of professional women who were on a journey of healing and rediscovery. I explained to her how it was the perfect "intermission" in our relatively heavy week and that it would be exactly what the women needed. She booked us in.

She wasn't the only one who thought I was crazy. Several of the women who were guests at the retreat were a little unsure themselves as they were moms and had come several thousand miles to get away from their kids for a week. So, an afternoon with children who spoke very little English seemed a bit of a stretch. I asked them to trust me. We hopped in our van with suitcases full of books, notebooks, backpacks, candy, and pencil crayons that we had collected from friends and family at home and headed to the small school for impoverished children.

As I predicted, it turned out to be a highlight of the trip and one of the most outstanding memories and lessons for us all.

The kids were overjoyed when we arrived and the ladies loved helping them pick out and open their gifts. Language no longer a barrier, the room became a noisy hotbed of attempts to communicate, hugs topped with giggles, and wild nods of the head. Love was all they (the women and the children) needed to create a perfectly fulfilling experience.

On the way back in the van the conversation quickly changed from the heat to the shift in perspective. We stayed on that topic for the next 30 minutes as we drove back to our luxurious retreat space and our two private chefs.

Our conclusion - "There is nothing we cannot overcome with love."

When we are in discomfort and feel completely absorbed in our own suffering, the loving act of selfless giving shifts our attention off of our own needs and preoccupation with ourselves and onto the needs of others. Without diminishing our own human experience, we are able to see that others, even in their suffering, are able to find moments of joy and gratitude. We are not alone. It's ideal evidence for possibility.

When we are overrun with feelings of unhappiness or overwhelm the best antidote is to support someone else in their pain or time of need . To see joy and gratitude on the face of another, even if just for a moment, can quickly flip our internal dialogue from "Why me?" to "I've got this."

Contribution is one of the most powerful pillars of leadership, and one of the most effective ways to end our own suffering.

Feeling pulled to hit reset on your life so you can give more abundantly in your life work? Contact me to learn more about my upcoming Executive Leadership Programs and Retreats at marlo@rosegoldleadership.com

Marlo Ellis, Rose Gold Leadership