Journey Among Pines
We are like the Pine tree. We overcome difficulties, have a strong will to survive, and reveal new beginnings.
FACING THE OBSTACLES
We all do it, right?
I found it has become easy for us to accept making mistakes. How many times have you heard, or even said, “I’m only human”? It’s as if we dismiss our mistakes because we understand the circumstances behind our mistakes. We are overloaded with work, too many things on our minds, miscalculated a number (easy mistake, right?), slight laps of judgement, the list can go on. The point is, we understand why we make mistakes and because of that we can accept them more easily.
Maybe I am only speaking for myself here. I know I make mistakes. I try to learn from them so I don’t repeat them, but some mistakes are harder to learn from than others. And those are the ones that beat me up when I see them happen over and over again. It may look as if I am not trying. Sometimes it feels as if I am not trying, especially when I am faced with the obstacle back to back and fail each time. It becomes almost too easy to say, “I am only human”.
Give yourself credit!
I am convinced we all have a major obstacle in our life. It can be anything from trusting others, balancing a budget, drug or alcohol addictions, lack of motivation, fear of change, insecurities, even perfectionism. Your obstacle may not be listed or may there are more than one obstacle in your life. Each one of us will face a stumbling block repeatedly reminding us of our mistakes. It happens so often we become nonchalant about it. But, if you are like me, it never leaves your mind. You want better for yourself. You want to put an end to the life-long (or long enough) monkey wrench.
The important thing to remember is, we still get up every day and try. We may fail every day, but we don’t give up. It may seem as if we are accepting our mistakes without thought. However, there is serious pressure put on us daily to overcome our obstacles. Give yourself a break. We can be so hard on us when we see our failures, but we need to give ourselves the same forgiveness we give others.
Make time to think over your obstacle.
This week, take time to really dive into the obstacle you want to overcome. Many people say listen to your heart, but I find that dangerous. Listening to our hearts often leads us to the feelings of disappointment. Figuratively, our hearts hold all our emotions. It can take us all over the map and off path.
I suggest instead to concentrate on the obstacle itself.
- How do you see it interfering in your life.
- What does it cost you emotionally? Physically?
- Does it interfere with relationships?
- Does it prevent you from experiencing life?
- Does it hurt others? Yourself?
- What are the layers of the obstacle?
When you ask yourself these questions, consider one thing you can be conscious about this week. Have you seen What About Bob? That movie was spot on with baby steps. It takes baby steps to make changes in areas of our lives that have been with us long-term.
- Think positively. You are strong, you will prevail. If you can do this for 1 minute you can do anything. (1 day, 1 hour – put the time you need to start with and go down from there.) Say it over and over.
- Research your obstacle. Learning from others who have overcome it or learned how to manage it in their lives provides tools to do the same. If you haven’t done any research on your obstacle, this may be a great baby step for you.
- Recognize when you are faced with the obstacle. Being aware of it will help you take a step back, think before acting or speaking, and give you time to evaluate the circumstances. It may just start with you being able to recognize it without any action. That is perfectly fine. Being able to recognize it is the first step to being able to get the upper hand over it. Be conscious about it, the rest will follow.
- Develop a plan. Your obstacle may require a plan. It’s okay to have a long-term plan but focus on the short-term plan first. Whether it be a daily plan or a weekly plan. Deeply consider the actions needed to help you rise above this hindrance.
- Speak to someone. Finding a professional or a trusted friend and speaking to them will help you process the feelings you have. Having others know your obstacles helps you be accountable to yourself. That accountability motivates you to not accept anything less for yourself.
- Write it out. If you are not comfortable talking to someone else, writing it out may be the avenue for you. Learning to say what is stumbling you helps you understand it. You are able to recognize trigger points, deeper griefs you tucked away, and possibly the reasons you have this obstacle.
I am no psychiatrist. Pretty sure you all know this. However, I have lived a life full of many obstacles I have or are in the process of overcoming. I have allowed myself to see my mistakes are more than “I’m just human” and really recognize I am able to take control. I see I have potential to overcome. It has given me the confidence I am worth it, and I can achieve it. It may not happen tomorrow, but I know it will happen.
I am happy with each baby step, awareness, thought, action, and habit. I also know I couldn’t have done it without God. God may not be part of your life, but for me He is the center of it. Without being able to know I can give my burdens to Him, and know the love and hope He has for us, I may have chosen a life of resentment.
I pray for my readers. If you have an obstacle you want prayer over, leave me a comment or send me a message, I’d love to pray over and with you!
