If you’re anything like me, you need reminding that life is not an algebraic equation.
I didn’t even like algebra, yet for years my thinking went something like this:
If I could just achieve this, THEN I would feel confident.
When I finally had that, THEN I would feel safe.
When everything fell into place, THEN I could enjoy my life.
But sometimes you reach the other side of the equation and the THEN moment arrives. You find yourself wondering: Is this all there is? Why don’t I feel happier, more confident or more secure?
Perhaps we’re asking the destination to give us something we can only develop along the way.
The earlier we recognise that the journey is part of the prize, the sooner we can stop treating the life we’re living as something to endure until the good part begins.
There will be struggle. Some experiences will stretch us and build the strength and resilience we need for the next stage. Others will show us where we need support, rest or a different direction.
Struggling does not automatically mean we have failed. Learning does not mean we are inadequate.
There is confidence to be found in recognising that we are in a process. We can be growing and still be worthy of love, joy and belonging right now.
I’m learning to approach my life with more curiosity. What am I discovering about myself? What am I capable of? What am I ready to try?
I don’t want to spend my life in constant “fix myself” mode. I want to discover more of who I was created to be.
Think of yourself as a traveller. You can keep your passport tucked away, waiting for the perfect time to leave home. Or you can take the journeys available to you, collecting experiences and passport stamps that change how you see yourself and the world.
Some journeys will take you far. Others will begin with one step into unfamiliar territory.
You don’t need to be constantly moving to be growing. Even a pause can help you notice how far you’ve come and decide where you want to go next.
The more willing we are to participate in our own lives, the more opportunities we have to discover what we love, what matters to us and who we are becoming.
We can stop waiting for THE moment and recognise the value of THIS one.
There are still things I want to achieve. But I don’t want to miss the life I have while working towards the life I hope for.
Ease up on yourself. Make room for joy along the way.
The journey is the gift and the prize.
#LiveFearless
