Shift from Worry to Action
Recently, my spirit became restless. I sensed that it was time to examine my future, or more specifically, examine what I was doing about my future. Too bad I don’t own a crystal ball or a genie in a bottle! No, instead, I had to do it the regular way. It’s easy to get focused solely on the stuff that seems wrong, and, indeed, I did take some time to jot those things down that were really bugging me. The challenge has been to take those negatives and turn them around. Maya Angelou once said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
As I’ve looked at the bigger picture of my life’s journey, I’ve asked myself, “Where am I, and where the heck am I going?” I have some vague long-term goals in mind – some ideas about what lies ahead – but the question is about what I am doing now to set that long-term future into motion.
Step one was to was ask myself about why this and that was bugging me. Then I became still as I listened for the answers. Those answers always come if you really sit quietly and listen for them. Get ready for the truth, though, because it will come at you loud and clear. Like always, it worked – I got some clear, honest answers.
After the Q&A session, I noted the things on my list that I could change. Next I brainstormed with my support system – my friends, my hubby and my sister. I got some great ideas for my list of action items out of those conversations. I discovered that I am traveling the right path and that the restlessness is just a message saying I need to get on with it – that it’s no longer acceptable to be complacent.
Well, I’m now enacting some practical changes as well as some changes in my attitude. I’m also doing some necessary supplemental activities, such as reading a few suggested motivational books, signing up for a workshop, and looking into volunteering.
Below is a terrific piece about focusing, shifting from worry to action and working toward your future. It was sent out by my wonderful friend, Jan. I’m excited about passing it along. Talk about timing!
from Fall In Love With Your Future, by Ron and Mary Beshear
What sets apart those who have an exciting future from those who are hardly getting by? Men and women who’ve fallen love with their future have discovered a profound principle. It’s simply to choose a good plan and focus on it.
Ever watch a cat jump from a sitting position to a surface 15 times his height above him? He begins by looking around for a spot that interests him and then focusing on where he wants to go.
Race car drivers tell us the way they get through a tight line of cars and seldom hit anything is that they focus on where they want to go. They train themselves not to look at the wall or any obstacle they want to avoid, but to focus on the open space they want to fill.
What’s the open space you want to fill? If it’s legal, moral, and honorable, focus on it. Too often, we spend our energy on the things we’d like to avoid, rather than the things we want to accomplish. Shifting our focus from worry to action frees us to soar.
Look for an opportunity that fits your unique gifts, one that offers excellence and quality. Then focus on it and advance confidently in the direction of your goal.
