Stop Waiting To See How You Feel
I have been reminded several times this week that, while we may not always get to choose our circumstances, we always get to choose our attitudes and reactions to those circumstances. Too often we let our emotions choose us, but if we are intentional we can make better choices.
For example, the week started off with some very frustrating news. You might remember, back in January, that I was in the process of finalizing the sale of my house in Indiana (read the story here: "The Middle"). At that point, I thought the "check was in the mail." But setback after setback (none that were of any fault or choosing of my own) have followed that post and I'm still waiting for this thing to be finalized. Our closing date was last Friday, but on Monday morning I learned of yet another setback.
After getting the news, the more I thought about it the more frustrated I became. By the time Randy came home for lunch I was in tears. After letting me vent for the necessary few minutes, Randy, Jovi, and I packed up and went for a hike. Why? Because I realized that dwelling on the problem wasn't fixing it. It was only making me feel worse. So the best thing to do was to go out and do something I love and get my mind off of it.
And it worked! We had a great time on a gorgeous day and I felt so much freer afterward. I'm so glad I didn't waste any more energy than I did on that frustration. And by "changing my mind" quickly, that root of frustration didn't settle into my thoughts. I've been able to get through the rest of the week without getting caught up in those emotions and trust that I'll have the patience to get through this, and the wisdom to know when to say when.
On Wednesday, I was reminded again that we get to choose. We had made plans with our friends James and Amy to get together for dinner and drinks at our local brewery. An hour before our get together Amy started to not feel well. There is nothing like feeling sick to ruin your mood! But Amy was a trooper. She chose not to let how she felt affect our plans. She came out and we still had a great time together.
Of course there are times when you will have to set aside your plans because you unexpectedly get sick. But how often do we dwell on how we feel long after it is necessary? How often, when considering making plans, do we say "I'll wait and see how I feel"? Let's stop waiting to see how we feel and start choosing the life we want to live!
Finally, we know two women who are currently walking the Camino de Santiago across Spain. Yesterday they sent us an email with a picture of them in their rain ponchos with the flooded path behind them. Their email said that the abundance of rain was affecting many pilgrims, some who had stopped walking and many more who were walking the highways instead of the pilgrims path. "But that's not our style," they wrote. And we could feel their smiles in their words. Because while many people saw the rain as an inconvenience, they saw it as all part of the adventure. That is a true pilgrim's spirit!
As Pastor Steven Furtick says, "Most of us overestimate how much control we have and underestimate how much choice we have. The truth is you never really have control, but you always have a choice."
For example, the week started off with some very frustrating news. You might remember, back in January, that I was in the process of finalizing the sale of my house in Indiana (read the story here: "The Middle"). At that point, I thought the "check was in the mail." But setback after setback (none that were of any fault or choosing of my own) have followed that post and I'm still waiting for this thing to be finalized. Our closing date was last Friday, but on Monday morning I learned of yet another setback.
After getting the news, the more I thought about it the more frustrated I became. By the time Randy came home for lunch I was in tears. After letting me vent for the necessary few minutes, Randy, Jovi, and I packed up and went for a hike. Why? Because I realized that dwelling on the problem wasn't fixing it. It was only making me feel worse. So the best thing to do was to go out and do something I love and get my mind off of it.
And it worked! We had a great time on a gorgeous day and I felt so much freer afterward. I'm so glad I didn't waste any more energy than I did on that frustration. And by "changing my mind" quickly, that root of frustration didn't settle into my thoughts. I've been able to get through the rest of the week without getting caught up in those emotions and trust that I'll have the patience to get through this, and the wisdom to know when to say when.
On Wednesday, I was reminded again that we get to choose. We had made plans with our friends James and Amy to get together for dinner and drinks at our local brewery. An hour before our get together Amy started to not feel well. There is nothing like feeling sick to ruin your mood! But Amy was a trooper. She chose not to let how she felt affect our plans. She came out and we still had a great time together.
Of course there are times when you will have to set aside your plans because you unexpectedly get sick. But how often do we dwell on how we feel long after it is necessary? How often, when considering making plans, do we say "I'll wait and see how I feel"? Let's stop waiting to see how we feel and start choosing the life we want to live!
Finally, we know two women who are currently walking the Camino de Santiago across Spain. Yesterday they sent us an email with a picture of them in their rain ponchos with the flooded path behind them. Their email said that the abundance of rain was affecting many pilgrims, some who had stopped walking and many more who were walking the highways instead of the pilgrims path. "But that's not our style," they wrote. And we could feel their smiles in their words. Because while many people saw the rain as an inconvenience, they saw it as all part of the adventure. That is a true pilgrim's spirit!
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| Me, two years ago, on a rainy day |
As Pastor Steven Furtick says, "Most of us overestimate how much control we have and underestimate how much choice we have. The truth is you never really have control, but you always have a choice."
From our health to the weather, we can't always control our circumstances, but we can intentionally choose how we will respond to what life throws our way.
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