I don’t know about you...but the last year has left me in a whirlwind of craziness and at times...it feels as though I'm just navigating through the fog. From juggling all of my duties (Work, Church, School, Volunteer Activities) to trying to manage my self (Relationships, time with God, me time, Physical/Mental/Emotional Well being, sleep…) life seems to have just been a bit much. Not to add on the fact that we are still in the middle of a Pandemic oh and let’s just sprinkle some Natural Disasters in the mix as well!
I’m sure if you are anything like me, you can relate! You may not have school on your plate but family probably fills in that gap. Or you may not be working but I couldn’t imagine being a overnight homeschool/distance learning teacher/teachers aid!
This week, I found myself intensely frustrated and slightly angry. Not at anyone but myself. I looked at the goals I set for myself and began to wonder...how did I get here? How did I get to the place where I am having to start over in some areas of my life? How did I get to the place where balance has become a struggle? How did I get to this place! Through frustration, I started to look for something or someone to blame...ever been there?
And then it hit me like a ton of bricks...The only person to blame is ME! Yes, I’m to blame for not balancing correctly. I’m to blame for the current state of my being. There is no one who I could push this off on...It’s all on me. So in this instance, since I’m to blame...I’m the person to hold responsible.
And while I try to get me together...it feels like I’m trudging through mud. You know...moving forward but not really.
I know...you probably have it all together but hey...this blogger is a work in progress!
Well...there are a few ways to approach this…So let me tell you where I ended up and hopefully it can help you out a little bit!
Take in Account the Times
Not creating excuses but allow yourself to realize that we are in a time no one has ever been in before. We are encountering death and destruction on a daily basis. Imagine internalizing all of this. When you do, you encounter depression, frustration, anxiety and more! You may even be fighting the feeling of being lonely or isolated. Does this make you crazy? Absolutely not! Allow yourself to feel...yes FEEL...
HOW these times have impacted you.
WHY these feelings are coming up.
WHAT approach have you taken to work through them?
Answering these questions for yourself will allow you the space needed to reflect, recognize and release. Something as simple as a journal entry and a prayer can do the trick. Or you may need help sorting through all of those feelings. I encourage you to speak to your spiritual advisors, counselors or therapists as needed. The free access to speak to a professional right now is amazing!
Hold Yourself Accountable
The person who you look at in the mirror is the one who will reap the consequences of your decisions. And if your decisions from today forward created the person in the mirror...what would you look like? A lot of the time, I find that people don’t like to be held accountable. They don’t want to be called out on the carpet for their stuff. Oftentimes when this does happen, the person being held accountable pushes back in some way. We’ve all been there...yes even me. What happens when you begin to hold yourself accountable for your actions. Keeping the promises you make to God and yourself. Ease doesn’t grow us up. The valleys in our life require maintenance. They require areas to be weeded, trimmed and the upkeep to be sustained. But that's not really the hard work is it? It's the mountain side, the struggle, the grit and grind. That’s how we find out who we really are and what we're made of. Hold yourself accountable to making it to the top of your mountain. Hold yourself accountable to maintain what you have already achieved. Anything less is a slap in the face to you...to God...to everyone who has been on this journey with you.
Don’t Accept Defeat
At the beginning of the year, I began saying “I refuse to be defeated by something I can control”. This is my declaration for the year. Why? There are so many things out of our control! Whether its health, family issues, occupation...at some point, we will lose control of something and the only thing we can do at that point is allow God to do his work. I know I have mentioned this in prior articles but it’s super important that we realize that we as individuals must take control of the things we can. To sit in defeat is detrimental! To our Mental, Physical, Emotional and Spiritual health. So I can’t sit in it. I can’t accept it. And I won’t be defeated. Not to the things I can control...Grab your mustard seed and get moving honey!
Open Your Eyes to Beauty
There’s enough ugly in this would. When we stop and open our eyes to the beauty of it, we open our eyes to God...to opportunity...to life. I am a pretty optimistic person. I couldn’t imagine seeing the negative in everything all the time. It has to be depressing. What I’m not saying is shut out everything else. One thing I am is very aware of what is going on around me. I am aware and I acknowledge and I act. What I am saying is don’t let that drown out how you look at beautiful things. I love looking at people and finding out about them, their history, their talents. I find that beautiful! Because God created it, he created us. He knew us before we even knew ourselves. So to that fact, I know that he makes all things beautiful. We just have to open our eyes and look for it.
Finally I would say to you, just keep pushing. You may feel like you’re trudging through mud but at least you’re moving forward. Just because you don’t see your goal yet, doesn’t mean it’s not there. See it anyways. Envision yourself in your next chapter. Praise along the way. Prepare yourself for it! Keep going because one day, you will be able to look back and tell of how you overcame! Remember that he gives beauty for ashes!
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61: 1-3
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