This is the time of year we see it in our lives the most. We start the year off with internal pep talks and New Year’s Resolutions (or goals, depending on your perspectives) and when we start to slide backwards after our progress, we look hard on ourselves. We doubt we’ve really made any progress, especially when we’ve struggled to overcome challenges and life throws us another curve ball that knocks us back off our feet.
The journey of life is not always easy, and sometimes we carry forward our battle scars of wounds to our mind, body and spirit. Often we work hard at “getting ahead” and find the road difficult and long. We persevere with all our strength through the struggle. Those steps back can get us discouraged and we wonder “what’s the point when you’re always knocked back down?”.
The One Step Forward….
Those are the moments we need to see that one step. The one step we still moved forward. You are more than you were before those three steps. That one step is part of who you are now with what you’ve seen. You are one step higher than you were and you need to see that success now more than ever before. It didn’t come without effort from you.
The Two Steps Back….
They hold their own value. They contain insights you could not have been given by any other way. Experience is a powerful teacher if we’re willing to really look at the lesson it has for you. You’ve seen what doesn’t work – are you willing to open up to new possibilities of what could? Sometimes the answers lie outside the box.
Reflection is a lens that, when colored by compassion for ourselves, can show us the opening of another path. Can you give that to yourself? The more we give it to ourselves, the more we are able to give it to others.
Where You Are….
We’ve still gained that one step forward and with it we’ve gained experience in the other two. So don’t sit down and give up…. You’re further ahead than you give yourself credit for. Look inside and see what you’ve learned from the challenges. That’s where your personal growth is. It’s where the seeds of wisdom are planted, and if carefully cultivated, can serve others.
You matter more than you know.
Written by Melody Belliveau
The Social-Commentary.Com 