My dream is the prize I want from life, but my obstacles are the master class for what I need in life in order to thrive.”
Teri Mirikitani
How is January going for you? I’ve been curious about how my fellow life-enthusiasts are doing with our fresh new beginning, and it has me asking if you’ve hit any snags like I have?
Experiencing familiar roadblocks, like old friends we’ve gotten to know oh so well through the years?
We don’t need to overthink, overanalyze or over-examine any delay, dawdling with trying to figure out why our plans are stalling or abandoned. Without a doubt, we already know what our biggest weakness is that’s getting in the way of our desired results. Is it the inability to wake early to work out, or is it losing track of time and not making the necessary transition needed, which results in us rushing, and fumbling, and leaves us frustrated at our seeming ineptness to reach our goals?
Is it a lack of emotional restraint needed to maintain a healthy relationship, or the lack of emotional connection needed to foster and grow more love, and kindness, and meaning with others?
Is it our lack of self-control for choosing healthy food, exercise, or refraining from overuse of drug or alcohol?
There is an endless list of roadblocks it could be, that we know all too well. They’re a nuisance that interrupt our progress. They’re the enemy of making our dreams a reality and if only we didn’t have them, then everything would be just fine. Yes, everything would be amazing!
Well, from experience, I’ve learned to respect the obstacles. They’re in my path for my higher good. My dream is the prize I want from life, but my obstacles are the master class for what I need in life.
Now, I know many believe that’s a line of BS, and maybe I seem ignorant or delusional, desperate to find solid footing or having a false grip on reality, but the truth is it’s brought me peace. For me, I’ll take this feeling of peace over helplessness or grumbling any day.
The obstacles are what I’m lacking in skills, or perspective, or choices. If I take some time to look at my track record, certain “fails” have been repeated, often!
So, if we’re already aware of our repeat offenders that derail our progress, how do we fix this?
- Don’t beat up on ourselves.
This is negative and counterproductive because it creates shame and hampers confidence. Nothing will change with negativity clinging to us like wet clothes. It’s heavy and uncomfortable and takes too much energy to perform with favorable results.
What we can do is accept this obstacle is something that obviously doesn’t come naturally to us. LOL. I mean really, if it did, we wouldn’t have an issue. Let’s give ourselves a break, lighten up and be determined to overcome it.
- Welcome the lesson.
We need to see this recurring obstacle as a lesson we have yet to learn. There will be an eventual tipping point that happens when we can no longer ignore the lesson and we’re propelled by “having” to make the changes instead of “wanting” to make the changes.
At that time, we’ll have to dig in deep, face the beast that’s in our way and be determined to not only find a solution that suits our life, but then be committed to the ups and downs as we practice new attitudes and actions. We all face the music eventually. We may as well learn how to dance.
- Be consistent.
Don’t stop. People want to see immediate results and when it doesn’t happen in what they consider to be a reasonable amount of time, they feel like a failure, lose confidence, and grow impatient. Make a promise to yourself to make tiny steps towards change everyday. Tiny steps. It’s progress, and we’ll get to the finish line eventually.
If we give up, we’ll never get the results we want. If we give in and say we’ll start over another time, we’ll continue to waste time and energy beginning from square one, again.
Let’s look at it this way. A gardener doesn’t dig up the seeds he’s planted to see if they’re taking root.
That’s counterproductive. So is rushing human growth! Here is where we need to practice patience, and for many of us that are salivating to bite into the fruits of our labor, it’s extremely challenging to be patient. Oh, and difficult. Oh, and frustrating, dissatisfying, disappointing and by-all-means, discouraging.
We’re programmed to want results now, and then we’ll have the proof we need to continue our pursuit. Well success, which is the proof of our growth, is at times like a shy flower that blooms when the time is right and it’s ready.
But take heart my fellow gardeners who have planted fresh, glorious seeds this new year, there is much magic going on beneath the soil. If we practice patience, soon enough, little signs of evidence will break through the barrier of resistance and provide a preview of the beautiful fruit that we’re close to harvesting.
And the fruit is so darn good! So worth the wait.
Keep it Simple,
Just Teri
jtjustteri.wordpress.com 