EYES ON THE PRIZE PRT.II
“Authenticity will pave the way...”
After the last post, eyes on the prize
( If you haven't read, I strongly suggest going back),
I really took a step back and asked myself those questions from the takeaway. As much as I write to encourage y'all, the messages are also mirrors for me. Reflection points to ensure I practice what I preach. Reality check points that help me stay aligned especially as life gets hazy, situations arise, things knock you back a step... The distractions that keep you down.
I’m going repeat this quote again,
"People miss out on working in purpose not because they don't have vision but because they have lost their focus".
Fixed focus at that; aiming at a target and moving towards it, IN SPITE of the winds of distractions that WILL BLOW. Your vision must be clear but your focus needs to be sharp.
Reality check:
Every journey you embark on will have trials, will have testing points, some that seem utterly uncalled for or unfair, others that are fruits of cycles, others that are just a part of getting to the other side. These moments, as difficult, heart wrenching and frustrating they may be, are meant to either to teach you, remind you and/or strengthen you. There are other distractions though, that simply require awareness and discipline and that side of the spectrum is the focus of today.
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Distractions are like the wind, we feel its impact, it sends chills down our spine, it shifts our focus because naturally we will look toward the direction of the wind. It is real. Let me say it again, distractions are real.
The upside?
Distractions are meant to be temporary. Wind is an entity whose main characteristic is its ability to move, it is not meant to be stationary. The problem becomes when we start chasing the wind aka distraction and move away from our target. As a result, we change our course and find ourselves further from the goal.
A person ready to step out of the boat knows the winds are real and feels the winds but chooses to keep looking ahead.
There is an exhaustive list of distractions that are specific to the individual, but I want to share 3 that hit close to home at certain points in my life.
COMPARISON,
but more so the seed of comparison, which is the feeling of being INADEQUATE. This heavily tied to my imposter syndrome; the feeling of not measuring up in comparison to others and not necessarily out of a jealous nature but out of feeling I was missing out or I was delayed. Yes, I was the one who had the life plan all typed up and ready to go, research done, files created, I just needed to accomplish them in that specific order and at that specific time ( God was probably doing the deepest eye rolls I swear lool). Then I would hit a step back and watch someone else reach the goal and begin to question why I was not there, or why I wasn't going fast enough or putting myself down. As you can see my eyes would drift from my goals onto someone else's that was specifically designed for them, leaving my own dry and untended. The problem with comparison aside from desiring something that isn't meant for you or going off the track, is that comparison cheapens your own goals and purpose. You devalue the very thing that is meant to establish and propel you, to play roles and positions you were not either meant for or prepared for which in the long run leaves you more frustrated, empty and exhausted. Which goes back to my earlier message of owning the call. Embracing what is yours because no one else can do you like you; walk into those rooms, design, build or love like you can. There is so much oil in being authentically you.
UNFORGIVENESS,
Yeh, very unexpected distraction in relation to walking in purpose but such a lethal element that has a lot of us trapped. You see unforgiveness is a problem because it mixes our motives in our "why's", it dilutes the potency of impact because it is laced in wanting to prove something instead of just doing what you are called to do. It shifts our focus and our energy to demonstrate to whomever on the other side that you are worth it. Unknowingly, you now tie your effectiveness and worth to their approval or notice, not realizing it is a detriment to your own growth and your reach. To be honest, it just gets exhausting especially when they don't react the way you hope in order to feel vindicated. Instead you have quite frankly wasted your time. The greatest thing you can do is to release yourself from the shackles of justifying who you are and simply just be. Recognizing it is not easy to let go but knowing holding onto unforgiveness is poison for your own soul that will only cripple you and not them. You are too valued to disintegrate into a pool of unforgiveness.
LACK OF SOLITUDE,
Too much noise, not enough reflection. We are constantly bombarded with the opinions of others, self doubts, societal pressures, social media, just to name a few. Just a lot of clutter for the membrane; over stimulated. Solitude restores our sense of direction; it is a moment to be still, to slow down even for just a second, to just listen, tap into the core of who you are and of course, The Source. I know this is often said but more times then not, the voice of God comes in a small whisper, gentle but firm. Those light bulb moments happen in a flash when you are in tune enough to receive it. Recognizing the season you are in and tapping into it effectively only happens when you spend time in solitude. There are so many distractions, so much on our plate, so much in our schedule sometimes we just get lost "doing" and the worst thing is to be busy and not fulfilling purpose. Filling up your calendar with to do's, but dry and empty on the inside. Solitude is also not about being distant, ghost or antisocial, it is intentionally spending time with yourself for yourself to recharge, re-center and re-focus. To stop and look at where you are going and why! For some it may come in the form of quiet time or a fast, driving to work with worship music on, for others meditation, journaling, a soothing bath, a walk around the neighbourhood, a solo trip, curling up to a bomb playlist and reading. Whatever form it takes on, it is essential that in those moments you connect to the Father and stay connected to who you are, so that quite frankly, you can keep going.
The walk to purpose is a life long journey, it takes guts, perseverance, patience, trial and error, vision and a whole lot of focus even within the winds of distraction. You will make it through,
JUST KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE!
XOXO
