2018 Reflections, 2019 Projections
“I don’t want to just fly, I want to learn how to SOAR.”
In the process of working on some reflections for 2018 for my 2019 projection, I thought it would be helpful to look through my photos on social media that I posted in 2018 to “see” what my year looked like from the audiences perspective, (the lens I allowed you to see). To be honest I did this to truly see what went well last year as it became very apparent to me, that I couldn’t think of things that had actually had gone well.
Sometimes I struggle so badly looking at the storm that rages or the negative that has happened, I forget the good that occurred, the positive impacts that were made, and the hope that was shown. So I scrolled through and my findings were so interesting.
My viewpoint of “things that went well” in 2018 had everything to do with things that brought me joy or felt like an accomplishment for myself or family. Hmm. That’s an interesting mindset. It’s really a fixed mindset though, that says things are only good when the result is positive. That’s so limiting, and I know that. (Head slap).
A growth mindset looks at things much differently.
It looks at any situation, as an opportunity to improve, to grow, and learn, regardless if the outcome was good or bad. A fixed mindset looks at a goal that was reached, (but only short lived), or wasn’t reached, as a failure. But the growth mindset looks at that same situation as an opportunity to improve, a learning opportunity that will continue to help me one step in front of the next.
This is me, my struggle. I have time wasters, not enough margin in my day/week/month, to keep my priorities straight. I get paralyzed with analyzing often and look like a hamster on a wheel, (go go go, but getting nowhere). When stress rises up (daily/hourly), I look at the storm around me, not on how far I have already traveled.
Wowza. There you have it.
It’s real and transparent. But here’s where my mindset shifts, my “AHHH” moment. I looked through my social media posts through 2018 to see all the things that went well, but I decided to not stop there. I continued on, through those photos, through years of my journey, and immediately thought “wow, look at all the growth I have and get to experience.” Look at all I’ve learned, look at the changes. Yes, some days, months, years, the journey isn’t it pretty. But that’s not the whole story. That’s not the entire picture. The entire picture isn’t finished yet, my journey is far from over, and even if the journey doesn’t go as planned, or has some rough spots along the way, I’m still growing, still moving, still fighting hell to push through.
Yes, just like the rest of you, I have goals, I have action steps I need to take to make them happen, and I have hopes for the future. My oh my the list is so very long. I don’t have to have it all figured out right now, because it’s MY JOURNEY, my process, and I am focusing on where I need to be at this exact moment.
As I was praying through what 2019 focus would be for me, and the things I need to refocus on, maybe change, and dig a little deeper on I closed my eyes and had a word very clearly pop in my head.
SOAR
- Rise swiftly, to feel the wind slipping below you as you ride it higher and higher. Flying is just moving through the air, to soar suggests exhilaration, even joy. To maintain height in the air without flapping wings or using engine power.
- To soar we must leave anything that weighs us down.
- Soaring high in the direction of our dreams
- Refusing to be average, let your heart soar as high as it will.
- Soaring doesn’t mean that it will be easy or that you’ll coast through things. The wind picks up and can throw you around. The challenge comes by being able to continue your “flight” journey, continuing to rise above the turbulence life throws your way.
This year, I’m working on my authenticity. I don’t want anyone in this world to think life is, make a goal, and it just happens. Or get focused and there’s zero pit stops along the way. If your along for my journey, hang on. I want to be more real, more honest, about all aspects of life, even the struggle. Maybe just maybe, it will help someone along the way.
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