Have you ever wanted to just walk off the stage of your life and go so sit in the corner?
I have.
Have you ever been trying so hard to get something right, but it just isn’t working?
Yep. Me too.
Last July, after 26 weeks straight of posting a blog, doing a Facebook Live, creating a YouTube video, and posting a short version on LinkedIn, I stopped cold turkey. The content was excellent, the principles solid, and my output professional. My tagline was, “Good habits lead to a good life”.
Great, right?
Why did I stop?
Truth be told, I felt unheard, unworthy, and didn’t feel I was making a difference in anyone’s life. On top of that, these goals were self-imposed. No one was making me do these things and I was working hard to tick things off my list. It left me exhausted and discouraged.
My actions came from a desire to help others and I felt a tremendous amount of purpose. But I got tripped up. Because I wasn’t hearing glowing reports from my audience, I decided to just give up. I started to believe that the non-response of my audience meant my content was not valuable.
But it is.
I’m back
Whether you like it or not, I’m back to sharing my life lessons for your benefit. If no one responds, it’s OK. I’ve gone back many times and re-read what I’ve written and have been helped. (See my blog on The 5 Characteristic of Discernment and tell me this doesn’t help sort things out for you.) As I help myself, some of you will also benefit.
Oh, my goodness, Cathy. Aren’t you being a little uppity and too self-assured?
No, actually, I’m not. Everyone has a story and each of us is tripping through this life trying to get it right. My calling is to share share share. Love me or hate me, I’ll keep shouting from the mountaintops because I know there is at least one person who can save a few knee scrapes by coming along with me.
Here are a few things that will help you:
· Your life experiences are important.
· We were meant to be in community and learn from one another.
· We can keep improving. I am 63, and you won’t believe what has changed for me in the last decade.
· Life is beautiful.
· All you have is this moment.
· You get to choose how to spend your days.
And, the thing I will say over and over and over again.
You must be physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy to have a good life.
What will I do differently this time?
· Instead of pushing to put out consistent content, it will come when the Spirit moves me. Literally.
· When life lessons come, they will be shared in real time instead of me carefully curating them, trying to anticipate your needs and how you can be convinced of their benefits.
· Stories will be more spontaneous, instead of too carefully put together.
Do you notice all my bullet points and italics?
Yep, that’s me. Some of you will get it.
Be well, my friends, … be well.
PS - It’s super funny that this sits under the “So Now What?” section of my website. It’s for me just as much as you.