In the past three months you could say that my life has been a learner driver’s obstacle course. A lot has happened! There have been unexpected pot holes, choices to consider whilst under pressure and decisions to make with hopeful precision. Both practically and emotionally there has not been a quiet moment. Having never been in this position before I feel very much like a learner driver behind a steering wheel for the first time!
An experienced driver would navigate an obstacle course a lot quicker with better control. Experience is not something I possess in this particular obstacle course I am travelling on. In other words this road is foreign to me. I guess this is what happens when you hit a new season in your life. It is all about the unknowns.
When life is making sense moving forward comes without effort. It’s as though everything is aligned. Your emotions are content, circumstances are as they should be and it is much easier to step into each day motivated and driven. You are familiar with the scenery which makes it easier to keep driving comfortably through life.
Life is like that though; you never know what you may need to walk through or in my case ‘moon boot’ through. None of this was planned. It has been a little like taking a step forward and then a step back. It may not look like much progress yet the reality is I am moving forward each and every day.
All of this moving forward has been with a sore foot and sore emotions.
When circumstances are not the ideal it is all too easy to get stuck in the problem. Believe me, I know!
It is also tempting to get stuck on social media such as face book and get wrapped up in envy as you see how great everyone else’s lives are looking compared to yours. Don’t we all just want a life that is smooth sailing and happy? I know that is all I have ever wanted. Life has proven to me that it is not smooth sailing and happy all the time. Most of my recent blogs are all about my current storm.
Storms come and storms go!
In the storm it is hard to see too far ahead. In the same way as ships use the navigation system to keep heading in the right direction, I mostly have to use my head knowledge to get through this storm. It is about using common sense. It is about keeping to my values and convictions. The values I own help me keep focused in the midst of this storm. If I keep my eyes on what I believe to be true then I have assurance that I will get to the right destination. One that is safe and secure.
It has taken me many years to learn and understand that if something or someone goes against my values and beliefs then I need to consider what is going on. When you compromise your values you get into trouble and eventually you won’t be happy with where you are headed. Your life becomes conflicted. You know what is right on the inside yet for whatever reason or for a person you have chosen to let things slide for too long just to keep peace.
When you are content with your convictions and values they can become your navigation through the storm. For too long my values and convictions were almost turned off. One day I realised that I was not being true to myself. It resulted in a lot of confusion and questions.
As a young person I was all too easily swayed with keeping everyone happy at the expense of my own happiness. By that I mean I compromised what my heart was telling me and allowed others to hurt me. The truth is people will hurt you which is where forgiveness is necessary. However if the hurting continues it becomes damaging. That is when you need to remind yourself of your convictions and values. These convictions and values may require you to take a stand. It is only when you are living to your convictions that you will be truly content.
When we are physically or emotionally hurt it takes time to heal. It may seem that the progress is going too slow. Just like my foot it has taken four weeks with several more weeks to go. The fracture is not visible to me so naturally I can’t see the healing taking place. Some days my foot doesn’t ache and other days it does. As I continue doing what the doctor told me I can rest assured knowing that eventually my foot will mend and I can kick the ‘moon boot’ off and enjoy wearing my own shoes.
In the same way my emotions are fractured, they are better some days and not well on others days. This doesn’t mean that progress has stopped. We can be healing on days when our heart is aching. While I do believe in miracles, I’m aware that usually progress takes time. Moving forward can be slow yet steady.
Whatever it is that you may be ‘inching’ forward in at the moment remember to stick to your values and convictions.
Don’t throw away common sense, keep your head on.
♥
The Change that changes you 