Cue 'Motivational Theme Music" Now!
Growth is a process + no matter what, it's something to be proud of! Whether you are Rocky Balboa training for a fight, or Wonder Woman growing up into the warrior you are meant to be. Do not be ashamed of the "in between"! Ah Ha! Yes, for it is in the "in between" where the theme music plays!
I went to a baseball game the other day, + I loved hearing all the music as the batters went up to hit! Some had crazy rap, others had Christian hopeful + others rock n roll. Made me wonder what my music might be? It also made me question if this is their song now, or if it was their motivation all along? You see, they made it to the game, now it's their time to perform! No one saw them in practice all week, the fans didn't wake up early to watch them doing drills. In fact, these famous players were "nobody's" in high school or college. Now, after years of hard work, effort + dedication, they get to step up to the plate while we all hope they can hit a home run. Even so, a home run doesn't happen as often as you "think it should."
As a person, in my process of growth, now in a new season of learning + maturing... I find it is difficult to be vulnerable in the times of practice, the mistakes or the mess ups. But while looking at my mess ups of today, I realize they are greater than my accomplishments of yesterday. Example, in high school when I was in basketball, my coach would tell me if I wasn't challenging myself or wasn't messing up during the drills, I wasn't pushing myself to the next level.
To be honest, most of us find "our thing" or "who we are" + we stay with that. We know how to do it, we are confident + we are secure in "our place". Then, we get that feeling, yep you know it, that whisper, "I wonder if there's more or I am supposed to be more?" That dream you have at night + (for some of us) during the day, the thing you think about until you close your eyes at night, or the thing you would do if "money" wasn't preventing you. Yep, our fears + "what ifs" keep us settled. Plus, if we were to try something new, grow, or push ourselves, we might just fail... + that would be embarrassing right? Wrong.
"Failure is proof that you tried. Now go try again!"
Coming from someone who failed miserably in front of people, a platform, my family, my friends, my followers + so many more... yes, messing up + disappointing people is a difficult place to recover from. No, falling in front of everyone is not ideal; not for a pro athlete or an average Jane like myself. BUT THIS I KNOW: in order for me to get to the "major league" in life I had to get rid of my bad "game" habits. (Even if they got me pretty far in life, they wouldn't get me any further) Example: If I were a baseball player, I had coaches telling me I could hit it farther, more often + more confident if I was able + willing to retrain myself properly. The process of abandoning my old way of doing things + little tricks I used to cope has been humbling, a bit derailing + at times, humiliating! (The growth process can be embarrassing when people are watching) but overall, in the long run, will create a more solid foundation of who I am + will be able to hold the weight of the dreams that are ahead!
If I could take back the "failure" would I?
Overall I would like to take back the hurt, pain, sin + disappointment I caused for sure!
If I had to take back the growth or the process of learning would I? Absolutely not!
The pain, embarrassment + trials I have faced are truly making me better! I have grown more in these last two years than the 26 before! Being brave is not easy, the difficult road to recovery is not for the faint of heart, the process is not quick, but slowly I am beginning to see the light... I am starting to get my new rhythm of my new swing. (Baseball analogy again) The more you seek answers, grow + better yourself - the more challenges, obstacles + adversities you will overcome!
Whenever I get discouraged, all I do is close my eyes, + remember this is not the end, this is my theme/motivational music montage. Yes! Sometimes I LITERALLY put on my headphones! What about you? What's yours? Do you feel the challenge to get to your next level? What in your life will you have to change? Grow? Practice more in? What do you need to get honest with yourself + others about? Well you can do it! Never forget, the truth will set you free!
What is better? To lie or pretend you are something/someone to be loved for who you aren't or to be real about your process, who you are + from there slowly become the person you've always dreamt about? (regardless of who "likes" you or your posts)
Never forget this, I believe in you!
**Another thing I want to mention about your process to the major league or the end goal is the amount of criticism + critique you will receive. A coach will give advice, coaching + assistance to get better, but a fan is only there to just point out how you do or don't measure up. In this personal growth season, learn how to tell the difference! The encouragement may feel nice, the praise will give you adrenaline but the judgement you need to let go. For the season of training, my advise is to focus on the coaches not the critics! Xoxo
Remember,