Is it just me or is another year just flying by?
Here we are at the end of another week, the 48th of the year, Christmas is just 27 days away and we are closing in on the approach of a new month.
Today is also the 600th conversation we’ve shared here. So let’s take a look in the mirror. Not only at ourselves but also at some previous discussions to see how it can continue our forward focus of “Becoming Today”
During the past nearly two years we had a discussion on how to Free Yourself.
We spoke about finding freedom, from burdens, limitations, false beliefs and freeing ourselves to be “Becoming”.
Finding the freedom to renew, rejuvenate and revitalize yourself begins with an understanding of all that being free entails
Here is an abbreviated version of my 8 Steps to Freedom:
- Check and Protect your Self Esteem:
Your self-worth has everything to do with the ability to free yourself. Challenge your negative thinking. Then make sure you are not getting involved in patterns of self delusion or accepting falsehoods as the truth
- Live Authentically and Expectantly
Always be expecting, and expecting nothing less than the best. Earlier I shared the results of a 16-day contemplation, I did for determining the authenticity of the life I am living. You can find it in the archives from January 11th, 20/20 + 1. For now, here are some highlights:
- Let go of habits, routines and people that no longer serve you.
- Speak your truth.
- Learn to trust your intuition.
- Celebrate Life. Live it. Feel it. Be it. Honor yourself by living every day to the fullest.
- Empower Yourself
Dive into your strength. You were intended to be joyful, successful and confident. You’re only limited by your own thoughts. Create a shift in your thinking; empower yourself to live the life you want. Ask for ( and receive) the support of your higher power. Can we get another Amen! Here? I ask ceaselessly and it is granted.
- Practice Forgiveness
You can not create a state of “Becoming”, if you aren’t willing to let the former or current realities go.This is a vital part of “becoming”. Not only forgiving others for perceived wrongs, and asking for forgiveness from those you may have hurt but also forgiving yourself.
- Be Grateful
See the good in everything and everyone. Cherish beauty, kindness, love, and joy. I believe everyday should be Thanksgiving. I am constantly giving gratitude for all things including the lessons we sometimes don’t want or think we need.
- Realize Reactions Resonate
As one of my favorite quotes from Chuck Swindoll reminds us, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
So begin by accepting the fact that you are co-Creator. You are more than capable of choosing the right actions when pushed, promised or promoted. Accept Personal Responsibility. In order to fully accept your reality, you must take ownership of any role you may have played, good or bad, in leading you to where you are. When you do, then you can work on decisions for the next steps.
- Love Thy Self
Be free to love yourself. When you do, then you are free to love others. Be vulnerable. Opening yourself to growth. To me it seems the best way to heal is by learning a lesson from the situation, then using it to be “Becoming”. Channel your thoughts, intentions, desires and energies into focusing on growth and building that momentum that moves both forward and upward.
- Always Be “Becoming”
Another of our shared steps along the path led us towards Understanding Forbearance.
Forbearance is patient self-control, restraint and tolerance. I need that.
Wonder if that’s why in quiet contemplation this word adhered to me and would not let go?
Patience is something I have always struggled with, especially being patient with myself.
I have to remind myself, I am human. I have faults. I will and do make mistakes and that’s all okay. That’s when I need to practice positive self-talk the most. Because if I don’t I get mad.
I mean really mad. Anger is something I am continually working on releasing.
By that I no longer mean suppressing it until the anger exceeds mad and becomes pent up frustration which festers into explosive rage. I’ve been there, done that, have the scars to prove it and do not intend to go back there.
Psychotherapists will tell you anger acts as an emotional alarm for our brains. Any sense of an overwhelming negative feeling like disappointment, fear, guilt, shame or rejection can be a trigger for anger.
While for some anger can be an early warning sign that they’re feeling something that they don’t want to be feeling, for me it has seemingly always proven to be destructive.
It can and has negatively impacted my physical health and mental well-being. While we have been taught to keep it all inside. Hat is not a lasting answer. Sure there are times we need to temper our temper and not escalate situations, especially ones where an outburst can put us in a place of physical danger, but instead we need to embrace it.
Much like our shadow sides, anger exists, We need to acknowledge it, and rather than just try to dismiss it, accept the responsibility for releasing it, overcoming it and returning ourselves to a state of “Becoming”.
Self-control, restraint, tolerance they all come easier when we are able to move beyond anger and be more patient.
Forbearance encompasses many parts of our “Becoming”.
Patience. Trust. Faith. Humility. Meekness.
By the way, have you heard meekness is the new bold?
Too ofen the world uses meek focusing on being submissive and equating that to being weak. However that couldn’t be further from the Truth. Yes Truth – with a capital “T”.
In the Scriptures we learn about the strengths of being meek, and the rewards we can be expectant of for our obedience.
In Matthew 5:5, you can read, “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth”.
Taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, this verse is one of the Beatitudes. Simply defined beatitude as an extreme form of happiness. “The noun beatitude refers to a state of great joy. Being blessed, or at least feeling blessed, is often linked to beatitude.”
Beatitude comes to us from the Latin word beatus, defined as being both “happy” and “blessed.” In the Bible, the Beatitudes are a series of eight blessings.” Some sources indicate that in the late 1950’s writer Jack Kerouac came up with the nickname “The Beat Generation” because he felt its members, referred to as “Beatniks” , were individuals seeking beatitude.
Jesus used the term meekness in the Beatitudes, as a description of those who were blessed, not those who were timid, weak or push overs. His use of the word was in line with the term-gentleness, and used as an impetus for trusting God to win the battle instead of taking extremes into our own hands to attempt to win on our own terms.
The concept of being meek is often described as “strength under control”.
Having the ability to temper our emotions, remain patient, steadfast in our faith and trust. Now that’s extremely bold behavior given some of the tests we face on a daily basis.
That’s why I’m willing to declare that Meek is the new Bold.
Bold does not have to be loud, obnoxious or in their face. Bold can be realized, renewed, revitalized as being an active proponent of right. “Becoming” one who is willing to firmly stand their ground, with resolve, empowering the courage of conviction as our strength, supported by faithfulness and trust.
Our next step involved us boldly accepting You Have the Answers.
To start “Becoming”, you need to bypass your mind. Detach from those lingering thoughts , worries, and distractions. Find that peaceful place and in solitude to make the decision to take action for yourself.
Make the decision to follow your heart and take action on what you know for yourself, what you want to achieve and the Truth. Just make a decision to listen to your heart and heed your intuition. Your heart is programmed by God. Your mind by other people. Choose love and the path revealed will lead you to your true purpose, your destiny, the life you were intended to live.
The power to do it. The power to achieve it all is within.
Listen to it.
Follow it
Expect it.
Grow with it, then you are “Becoming”.
Then that led us to Graceful Timing.
Just as I began today with my calculations of the weeks, months and seasons, this week I have been thinking a lot about timing.
The decisions, choices and options we have related to when things will occur and trusting that the timing is right on schedule.
This is another of life’s lessons pointing to my belief that those of us on this shared adventure of “Becoming Today”, need to trust the timing.
Time and time again, I gave testimony to things working out at the very moment I needed it the most. More often than not, circumstances have improved, beyond what I had limited myself to expecting, or at times even hoping for.
After a while I could no longer be in denial of it. Despite a battle of impatience, if I continue in faith and trust, at the very least my needs, hopes and dreams are delivered – often exceeded beyond what I had prayed for.
Then suddenly quickly, when the timing is right, in God’s judgement and with his wisdom soon is transformed into now. Which will prove itself to be the absolute, unequivocable, without a doubt, right, perfect, just in time moment.
Do not let naysayers or well intentioned, but less “Becoming” individuals in your circles dissuade you. Do not deny the Truth, by listening to their fears or lack of understanding. Do not allow their emotional responses to rule your heart, mind and soul. Be obedient. Be Faithful. Trust God’s Timing. Believe. Then gracefully acknowledge it all.
Becoming Today with Rochelle Jeanette 