A while back, I woke up to this:
Physically it was foggy outside but I wonder how many of us have woken up to a day that was physically clear yet internally we were foggy? Our vision for the life we aspire and the person we long to be is blurry and yet your vision for what you don’t want (to be) is so ridiculously clear. See, the thing with fog is we just never know when it will go away. All we do know is that eventually…it does.
What do I want to do?
What is my purpose in life?
What is the purpose of life?
What am I doing with my life?
Fog is natural. It often shows up when we least expect it. One day everything is crystal clear and the next day, we can barely see our hand in front of us.
As Drew and I drove to the train station that day, we could barely see the car in front of us. Have you ever felt like the only thing you know/can do is take the next step…whatever that is?
The negative committee in your head a.k.a. the devil (who is the author of all lies) wants you to focus on what you can’t do. He wants you to get so obsessed with your current circumstances that you begin to treat a “for now” moment as forever. His response to the questions above would sound something like this:
What do I want to do?
You: {insert the things you LOVE to do and are really good at doing}
Negative committee/the devil: not possible. It is so far out of reach that there’s really no use in trying. You might as well stay at your minimum-wage, passionless job. It’s really the best that you’re ever going to get. It pays your bills, you have food on your table, what else do you want?
What is my purpose in life?
Nothing. You are good for nothing. You are not as talented, creative, smart, wise, popular, [insert additional adjectives] enough. No body is going to hire you. No body is going to love you. No body is going to take you seriously.
What is the purpose of life?
Get rich. Be famous. Live the “good life.”*
“The devil wants you to desire things that will destroy you.”-@RealJohnGray
*The devil fails to show you the umpteen millionnaires and billionnaires who had “everything” that money could buy and yet ended up broke(n). E.g., Darryl Strawberry, These Wealthy Families, and These Former Billionnaires,
**This is not to say having lots of money is bad. It’s what we DO with our money and how we let it define us that can ruin us.
“Money is a great servant but a bad master.”-Francis Bacon
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.“-Matthew 6:24
What am I doing with my life?
Not as much as all your friends on fakebook or instaspam. They are way further along in life than you are. You are an imposter. They have better jobs, have more money, have better marriages, more children, travel to more exotic locations, have more fun, blah, blah, blah.
*This is a trap to take our eyes off of what we do have and can do and instead focus on what we don’t have and can’t do. Read what this Stanford Grad had to say about it in her paper “Tell the Negative Committee to Shut Up!”. His hope is that you will try and focus on everything at once that you won’t be able to see or do anything. Analysis Paralysis.
When visibility is low, it’s an invitation to SLOW DOWN.
The truth is, regardless if it is foggy or completely clear outside, life is about taking the next step. And the fact is, fog rarely lasts. One minute it is here and the next moment it is gone. The trick: take a deep breath (or more), slow down, and take the next step (do what you CAN). Before you know it, the fog will be gone and you will be further along than where you started.
Need more? Consider checking out these fascinating few:
If you’re in need of an extra dose of motivation, here are 10 Must-Watch Inspirational Videos
If you’re facing fogginess in finding your purpose, consider answering these 7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose
If your happiness changes with your circumstances, read How Your Eyes Trick Your Mind
And if you just need a smile, spend a moment or two here.
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