Don't Lose Your Way
We have all been there….that confused feeling where you look into the road and you take in a full 180 degree view of what’s around you, and you have no idea where you are. How did I get here and how do I get back on track? Luckily, navigation helps minimize most of these lost situations. But even with navigation, you can still get lost because we input the wrong address, we lose service, or the GPS wants to play games with us and sends us on a tour of the backwoods. And we’re all screaming at the GPS, “I did NOT sign up for this…lol.” Some of us may have too much pride to roll down the window and ask for help, others may stop at the gas station and ask a local for support on directions, and a few may decide to wait it out in hopes for improved service. Although, we have experiences where we may feel lost, the work to get back on track is a decision away.
Since I moved to St. Louis (now going on four years), I have experienced the challenge of redefining and adjusting my career goals, working on making new friends, and accepting my new reality that I wasn’t going to be able to jump in the car for loved ones birthday parties, special events, and impromptu gatherings. I had never moved away from home and let alone 13 hours away in an area that’s vastly different than the DC metropolitan area. But, the last few months I hit a climactic/ life altering experience that interrupted my overall focus level on my career, goals, and in general — my directed way. This life experience could be likened to a flat tire, a shut down engine, or even a bad car accident. It’s one of those situations that requires you to call triple A, possibly tow the car away, and if it’s really bad, you may have to invest in a new car…lol. But getting back to serious mode, these car/ life situations will occur and how you proceed in life is dependent on how you respond and react.
Another good visual that resonates with a person pursuing their passion/ calling and unexpectedly losing their way is a tightrope walker. He or she has decided to be courageous to step on a thin rope that’s suspended over hundreds of feet to successfully walk towards a solid platform that’s 50-100 feet away. We can all agree that this activity requires diligent attention to stay on the rope. And similar to life, there will be circumstances out of one’s control that will shake your rope and aim to sway you, promote disbelief or fear. Another reality is that a walk is directed from one end to another. And sometimes when you get to the center, you may realize that you have pulled off a major feat. So, you may start dancing in the middle of the rope, forgetting that you need to get to the end, and you may not realize that you have a window of time to get from one side to the other end. This is the ultimate self sabotage that you want to avoid. Don’t forget who you are trying to be, what you stand for, and we all have windows of opportunity to claim. Those doors/ windows may close — no different than a major athlete who will not be able to play professionally his whole life or a politician who can only serve a maximum of two terms.
Now, the reality is that some of you may be asking yourself, “What is my walk? I don’t even know?” Well, your walk is made up of your goals, your standards, your non-negotiables, what you believe you deserve out of life, and what God has planned for you. When you mix all of these variables you have your walk. And so that you can stay on your glorious path, you want to ensure that you are around people that respect your walk, celebrate your goals, and although they may not understand it —- they know it’s connected to your purpose, and that alone is enough for them to cheer you on.
You want to make sure that you are making daily choices that keep you balanced on that rope. These are all of the small decisions you make on a daily basis. Are you checking tasks off that allow you to stay on your walk? Are you engaging in activities that impede you to successfully stay on your walk? Are you continuously asking God for his blessing and that you submit to his plan? The truth is that we may want to push in a particular direction, but if it’s not in alignment with God’s will — it won’t happen.
Soooo, I finish with my canned title, “Don’t Lose Your |Way.” You have had your dream, your beliefs about who you want to be or what you want to do. Live it out! Pursue it and get to your destination. Don’t let another person’s cloudy goggles serve as the guide for your life and don’t allow yourself to be derailed by the temporary distractions of content, negative media, and the desire for life’s pleasures. Accept that you will have curve balls and life-altering experiences that will require strength, unwavering commitment, and a heart of gratitude for the lessons that they bear. No satisfaction will compare to the ultimate love affair that you stayed focused and wobbled your way through that tightrope walk. Because trust me, wobbling is a part of the walk.
Wishing you a fabulous Friday, lots of love, and a fun-filled weekend!
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