Regret…
Have you ever wanted to ask someone if it was worth it?
Was what you gave up worth what you received?
Did your outcome match your expected outcome?
Would you do it all again if you have the opportunity to see the end before you began?
Dang… what an interesting set of questions and ideas. I’ve wanted to ask myself this set of questions for so long, yet I ran away from the questions in an attempt to avoid facing the answers. Circumstances of the present have forced me to look directly into these questions and face the answers I hope to gain great value from as I continue to move forward toward the unknowns of the future.
I will spare you the details of my personal circumstances and give you what I have learned in the process of growing forward, sometimes not thinking about the consequences of my choices while other times not knowing the long-term compounding effect my actions would bring.
The first step toward self-assessment is awareness. Finding out where you are today is a good place to begin so you can learn to look toward the future you wish to build.
Once you know where you are, you can begin to focus forward. When you know where to take your next step, you will have cleared the clutter of anxiety and overwhelm in your mind to know what direction to set your eyes as you begin to step forward into your future.
As you move forward, it will become apparent that challenges and adversities arise. There will always be something that stands in the way between where you are and where you want to go. To know this is not only common, but a basic necessity of life and growth, it becomes possible to change how we see adversity. Learning to have flexibility in time and approach will give us a huge advantage to changing how we see difficulties. We will spend less time worrying and more time working toward the goals we have set ahead.
In the process of growing forward, I wish for you to learn grace and understanding, with others as well as yourself. I spend most of my time with people working toward goals in business, fitness, and life and I have come to the conclusion that most people truly are doing the best they can with what they have. Yes, there are always exceptions to the rule, yet looking upon yourself and others with the grace to see what we are doing GOOD rather than continuing to focus on what we aren’t doing so good… will help us stay more positive. Positivity is infectious and it is more important than ever to take personal responsibility for our own positive thoughts, feelings, and actions so we can learn to be the positive counterforce during a time the world needs more positive love and attention.
I find often, in myself and others, we rush to the end and forget why we began in the first place. It has happened many times in my recent years that I begin moving forward and before I know it, momentum has grabbed ahold of me and I forget to look around for what is happening.
As 2021 begins and hopefully the dust begins to settle for you and your loved ones, I ask you to look up and enjoy the view every once in a while. Check in with yourself and realign your head, heart, and feet.
Are you moving forward in an intentional direction?… or did you somehow get distracted or side tracked with a fun little adventure along the way?
Here is a quick journal exercise to help find out:
Where are my feet, today?
Where is my head, today?
Where is my mouth, today?
Where is my heart, today?
Does where you are today and the vision you have tomorrow line up with the direction your feet are pointed?
If so, great! Keep moving forward and enjoy the ride!
It not, no problem. As least you are aware today so you can stop moving in the wrong direction and turn your head and feet toward a better direction.
The best place to start is where you are so you can work to where you want to go. Do the best you can with the information you have today. Progress is the goal, not perfection. We, you, I will all make mistakes, take wrong turns, and get distracted with stumbles and side steps. Pick yourself up and begin again with the step forward you wish to take toward the goals and dreams you deserve.
Always Forward,
Gary
garystotler.com 