Wow, it's August. The past couple of months have gone by so fast. During them, I have been driven- going after my goals one by one. Writing a book and getting it published, starting my own business, and much more. I am proud of what I have accomplished, but I keep feeling like something is missing. I try to name what it is, but the more I try to find what it is- the more I wonder what I am really looking for.
Every time I find something that I think will fill that gap, I find that it is not the answer that I was looking for. It gets so frustrating- I get so excited about finding the "answer," but then feel so disappointed when it doesn't work. The ups and downs of the emotions are so tough- getting your hopes up and then falling into disappointment. So this past week, it hit me- maybe there is a reason that I haven't found exactly what I am looking for yet.
Lindsay Titus of Define Youniversity addressed this feeling on her most recent podcast as she shared all about affirmations. If I didn't know better, I would have thought this episode was made for me. In the beginning of her episode, she shares this affirmation from Affirmators:
Follow your heart. I am always rewarded when I follow my heart. I trust that the GPS in my heart knows all the best routes and when it seems like it’s taking too long to get where I want, I know that’s because there’s some cool weird stuff to see along the way.
As I listened, something struck me- If no matter how hard I have been searching for that something , I couldn't find it out there, maybe that's because "there's some cool weird stuff " that I need to see along the way. I can not control what others around me do or say, but I can control me and I can choose to follow my heart. As I get my year started, how I can shift my focus to trusting that and empowering myself to discover that cool weird stuff along the way? The question keeps coming into my head. I know I need to trust my heart- I know what I want, but that also means trusting that the GPS in my heart knows the best routes. Things happen for a reason and I need to focus differently right now- on the long game versus my short term goals, while also enjoying the present and any cool weird stuff that might come my way. I think about all of the mindset shifts I have gone through so far. In the past seven months, I have shifted to enjoy strength training, enjoy running again and more. So if I can do those "hard" things, I can do this too.
So if you are in a similar situation where you have been searching for something that you just can't seem to find, or it seems like it is taking longer than you expected. Pause and consider this- sometimes the universe leads you to where you are supposed to be and when the signs all point to the same thing, maybe it's time for us to listen.
So that's what I am doing- listening to the signs. The signs are leading me to shift my focus to being open to all possibilities and opportunities, even in places where I might not have looked before. As my friend and fellow Teach Better ambassador often shares, "Every interaction is an opportunity." My goal this month is to shift my mindset in this way. How can I make even things that I might not have loved in the past and change my point of view about it- look at it as an opportunity?
When you put something in writing, it makes you accountable. So by writing this blog post, that is what I am doing. For my blogging audience, this is my call to action for you to hold me accountable.
Remind me of my goal to shift that mindset if I falter as remind me to trust my heart.
Celebrate along with me as I succeed. I don't promise to be perfect but at least 1% better each day.
Where do you need to shift your mindset? Take a few minutes to reflect and I wish all of you an amazing August!
