W12 Reflection

This week we studied self-reliance, as it pertains to social innovations. Micro-financing is a tool that was developed by Dr. Muhammad Yunus to enable underprivileged people to move toward financial self-reliance. He compares poor people to bonsai trees: essentially a bonsai tree is created from the same tree that grows to reach full height. When that seed is planted in a small pot that limits the root growth it keeps the tree small, unable to reach it's full potential. Similarly, the poor are given the same makeup as anyone else, but their potential is limited by their surroundings. 

As I was reading about self-reliance on the Churches website, Catching the Vision of Self-Reliance, I came across the following quote by president Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

“Our Heavenly Father asks only that we do the best we can—that we work according to our full capacity, however great or small that may be.”

 

This struck me, as someone who is constantly striving to improve, to the point where I can get quite self-critical. It was a gentle reminder for me that doing my best is all that is asked of me. It can be hard to know sometimes what my "full capacity" is, but it's comforting to know that trying (really trying) is enough. 

• Reflect on your own personal development in regards to self-reliance.
• I consider myself to be a very independent person, and have been accused of being too independent. I have often reflected on self-reliance and what I can do to be more so. But I also need to find a balance with asking for and receiving help. The thing I'm trying to learn is that inter-dependence is as important as independence.