Peace & Good Things
A new season of peace and what I'm learning from it
The past few weeks have been oddly peaceful to me. I’m not mad about it, I’m actually enjoying it. However, I have found myself wondering about things that I know I shouldn’t. It’s not that I’m craving any drama – I’m not – but it’s almost been feeling like I’ve been wanting that type of excitement every blue moon. It’s hard to explain. I feel like something is missing but this is the peace I’ve been wanting for a while.
During the sermon at church this week my Pastor talked about how God wants Freedom for us, and we should want it too. We should walk toward that freedom by changing the things around us, our perspective, the people we hang around, and the things we carry with us - like our past and things we constantly think about that are holding us back from that freedom. At some point, he gently reminded us of Proverbs 26.11 which says Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.
He shared so many other scriptures that went along with the message he was giving, and he was being a little funny when he shared with one, but it stuck with me. It made me think about what my thought process has been over the last few weeks and how it was strange that I felt like I wanted mess in my life again . . just because life has been oddly peaceful to me. I don’t want to think that way. I want to keep on the path of all the peace I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.
With all this new peace, I’ve had much time to reflect, plan, and build new habits and a routine. It’s been great and I’m really proud of myself!
I have been going to the gym every day. I’m not doing any excessive exercising, just light cardio. I’m trying to get 10k steps a day and get some fat off of me. I’m not the best at the whole fitness thing. I realize I have been bulking unknowingly, so once I figured that out, I decided to get more focused on it. Cut back on the weight-lifting, more cardio, and figuring out what calorie deficit I should be in and count them. It’s not been easy. I don’t like the idea of dieting or anything that could cause me to start obsessing over my body image to cause further problems. I don’t want to hate myself. My goal is to feel comfortable in my skin at any size. So, it’s been hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I do have to track some things to get to my goal weight.
Anyway, I’m proud of myself because I haven’t quit! I read somewhere the other day that people usually give up on their New Year’s resolutions by day nine, and I honestly found it shocking. I don’t know if that’s a true statistic or not; I should look it up. If that is true, I made it past that, so it’s a win for me! I’ve also found some fun new healthy snacks for myself. It’s often hard for me to do this because I’m a picky eater. So, with me being picky, I start losing out on nutrients that I need to help me with weight loss. But now, I think I finally got my life together here!
I’ve been sticking to my reading, daily prayer, and devotional time with God. This has been a habit that isn’t super new to me as I really started to focus and lean on God more back in 2023. It’s so helpful to me. I feel like I’m missing something if I miss too much time with God now. I’m not at all legalistic about it though. The same goes for my other new-healthy habits.
If you’re too hard on yourself about your progress you’re just going to discourage yourself and then it all starts to feel like a chore. Then, that’s when you fall off. The key is that you keep showing up and just be consistent. So what you had a day you didn’t have it all together, it’s fine. Just keep going.
This time of peace has really been a time of no distractions that I've needed for a long time. I can honestly say that because I don’t have any other distractions; anything else that isn’t getting done is just me getting in my own way. Rather it’s laziness or procrastination – I know now that I am the issue in some other areas of my life. I think this is going to be my battle of the year. I want to conquer getting over the procrastination and doing what I say I’m going to do. I have so much I want to do and sometimes it’s overwhelming.
For one, I want to get my life coaching business back up and running by February -but I have a lot of work to do. Not a whole lot but, I need to focus. I think I’m scared in all honesty. Scared of failure. Sacred that I won’t be successful and that I’ll fail in being able to help someone. Impostor syndrome is no joke. I know my fear mostly comes from the possible judgment of people just because of who I am. I don’t have a terrible past, I'm not a bad person but I’m flawed and I don’t know everything. Also, I’m still pretty young so the title Life Coach feels like I’m supposed to have some life behind me. I do! And for my specific target population too, so I can do it, I just doubt myself and have a fear of criticism I might get. This is the one area I have been avoiding more than I should for almost 2 years, and again, I know it’s out of fear.
NO MORE!
It’s time to buckle down while I have the time and God is granting me the peace to sit and take my time to execute it all.
Life does not have to be chaotic for it to feel like I’m living. I am living and I’m living with peace. I love it. I want it to stay. I know that won’t always be the case, but I want to learn to lean into it when life is rough. You know; even on the hard days have a sense of peace?
Sometime last year, I started having my son list off five good things in his life and then two at least I’m not, statements while we are in route to take him to school. I’m pretty sure it was after listening to a Christy Wright podcast. I’m sure you hear some advice and think “Oh that’s great, I should do that”, and then never do it. This is one that stuck for me. I want to encourage my son even in the days that feel and seem mundane. However, I never do it for myself. I just ask him and keep it moving ha!
My days have been mundane but again there isn’t anything wrong with that and I want to get used to it and feel good about it. So I’m going to start listing my five good things and two at least I’m nots weekly!
Five Good Things:
1. A book project I’m a part of comes out in 2 weeks!
2. I start leading a life group at my church this week for the first time in 3 years.
3. I got new tires over the weekend (I’m just a girl and you would judge me if you saw them)
4. I have a lot of peace in my life right now.
5. My parents and son are coming to my book launch with me in D.C!
Two At Least I’m Nots:
1. At least I’m not dealing with a blown-out tire on the side of the road due to my own negligence.
2. At least I’m not sick with the flu (heard a lot of people have been getting it)
(Honorable mention) At least I’m not mentally dealing with any extra and unnecessary drama that drains me.
Lesson In Short: Living does not mean chaos has to be happening within your life. A peaceful, quiet, and boring routine life, is still enjoyable. You do not have to keep going back to mess in your past. There is nothing there for you. It’s time to move on and live a more freeing life! Think about all the good things you have going on and reflect on the things you’re grateful you’re not dealing with.