A lesson in having faith

Today I left the mall and walked to my car. An ordinary, everyday activity. But as I was walking, this mundane activity suddenly took on a good deal of meaning for me. Even though my car was hidden behind other cars, I knew it was there. I knew I was going down the right aisle, and I knew if I just kept going, I would find it. 

And I realized that life is the same way. If we feel in our hearts that we are on the right track, we have to trust that we will find our destination eventually, even though we can’t see it yet. We just have to trust and have faith. This is easier said than done, especially if we’re not sure if we’re on the right track. But your heart knows. Your soul knows. Learn to listen to them, and they will steer you well. You mind will try to talk you out of what your heart feels it wants and what your soul knows is best for you. But don’t let it.

Follow the path that leads you to your greatest joy, and you will find happiness and success there. You just need to have faith.

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Say Yes! to new experiences

We all have times when we find ourselves getting into a rut. Withdrawing inside ourselves. Saying “no” to new experiences, to offers to go out, to be with friends, and so on. And sometimes, it’s okay to say no, because that’s what we need just then. I call it “cocooning.” We just need to spend time with ourselves, contemplate, ruminate, regroup. It’s a time for self-reflection, for figuring things out, and that’s all good and necessary. But when we’ve already done that, and now we’re just in “stuck” mode, we need to break out of that mold and start saying Yes! to what life brings our way.

We need to open our eyes and look to the future. We need to take each day and the experiences it brings us and appreciate the good we find there. Not all of what we find each day will be good. But if we concentrate on the good, more good will follow. If we concentrate on the bad, we will be stuck in a rut.

I recently had the “glass half full or glass half empty” conversation with my 12-year-old son. As I suspected, he’s a “glass half empty” kind of person. He takes after his mom. I don’t know if I’m internally programmed that way or if it’s because I was brought up that way, but I’ve been fighting being that way my entire life, because I know it’s not the best way to be. And now I have to teach my son to fight that inclination. Hopefully he will not have to fight his way to optimism each and every day, as I do. If you’re like me, optimism is a struggle, but it’s a battle worth waging, even if it’s fought every day. Life is a struggle, and sometimes I tell myself it just shouldn’t be that hard. After all, it seems much easier for so many other people. But…we get what we get in life, and we have to make the best of it. And one thing I’ve always had is that glimmer of hope deep down inside, the hope that there is always the chance that things will get better. 

Part of that hope means saying Yes! to life, Yes! to new experiences, Yes! to taking chances, Yes! to taking the bull by the horns and attacking life head on. Some people believe we only get one shot at life, so we should make the most of it. Others believe we keep coming back over and over until we learn the lessons we need to. Either way, we should enjoy the life we’ve been given to the extent that we can. There is no time for pessimism, hesitation, or fear. Life is happening NOW, and it won’t slow down, and it won’t wait for you. So grab it, hold onto it, and LIVE it to the fullest while you’re here.

What have we got to lose by saying Yes?

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