To Be the Best You || Pursuing Passions and Dreams

I honestly have been super lazy about posting on the blog. Mainly because I don't feel like I make that much of difference. But that's negative thoughts from the devil. So I just want to stop for a moment to tell you that you are special, and to encourage you to pursue passion. 

To be the best you, you have to let go. I have a problem with not doing this. I echo negative opinions from people over and over in my mind, thinking back, regretting... I wonder what I could have done to avoid those comments. And to be honest, most of the time I come to the conclusion that I did the best that I could. God never intends for us to dwell on all the negative. What's happened has happened, and sometimes you have to just let go... 

But gosh, it's hard. I will be the first to let you know bitterness is easy. It's so simple to taste, to savor. It's something that we hang onto, something we don't easily let go of. Why? Because somehow we think that being bitter will hurt the person that hurt us. But it doesn't, does it? There's a quote that says: "Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to get hurt from it." 

Most people tell you to climb the mountain. But today, I want to tell you to scale down the mountain. 

Purpose and passion is finding out how hard you fall, and finding out how you get back up. 

Gear Up {Finding Passions}

It's hard. What do you want to dedicate your life to? What makes you happy? What wakes you up in the mornings? Mine is the passion for the people... That's broad. But I love my job, I love making people smile and taking care of them. I love the patients I work with, even when they're difficult. And it keeps me going. Gear up. Find what you love, what drives you. Pursue and never stop pursuing new things. Does art make you happy? Does history thrill you? What about sports? Find what keeps that metaphorical heart inside you beating. Find what keeps you ALIVE. 

Taking the First Leap {Pursing the Passion}

Have you found what makes you live life to the fullest? Have you found what keeps you going? Good. I hope so. Now is the time to take the first leap off the mountain that is so stationary. That mountain that is keep you in one place. Take a leap. It's time to hit climb down and to start working towards your dreams. Dreams and passions are something God gives us so we can pursue His will with joy. Take a moment to let yourself get deeper. Take a moment to let out a deep breath and to surrender to the climb down. 

It's not going to be easy. But at the end, it will be worth it. You will go through hard days. You will go through times that make you question your path. Is it worth getting off the mountain? Is it worth climbing down? You have to decide to be healthy physically, spiritually and mentally. Do you want to stay in one place the rest of your life? No one can make these decisions for you -- only you can. Pray, seek, find, and leap. 

Fear of Heights {Fear of Failure}

"But what if I fail?" You will. There will be times where you slip, rocks sliding under your feet and the drop down is very long. There will be times where you feel stuck, like there's not foot or hand hold and you stay there on the side of the mountain, not trusting the gear to hold you. You will experience fear, you will experience set backs, you will experience hardships and loss. But then you have to decided if you want to give back up and climb the mountain because it's easier, or to continue on what you started. 

There are times where you figure out you're on the path. If you feel the need to turn back, examine why you started in the first place. If you still think that you don't belong on that specific climb down, then you decide to change directions and you do it with just as much gusto as when you first started. 

Reaching the End {Time to Jump}

Now you've reached the end. You can see the ground just below your feet. The surreal feeling that is inside you may make you question how far you've come. Sit for a moment and take it in. What's below you? A college degree? A published book? A white coat and an oath? An art gallery? Perhaps a white dress, or a tux with an "I do". Whatever it is, take it in. Take moment to see how far you've come. You scaled down the mountain that you were just standing on. Now you have the whole earth to roam, the whole universe to explore and a passion filled heart. Pursue your dreams. Take the jump. Plant your feet on the heard, firm ground and take off running. 

~

Pursue, no matter how long it takes. Some passions will take mere months, others might take decades to succeed. The hardest part is the wait. The weariness that will follow will be real. You will get exhausted, take time to be YOU. Take time to refresh often. It's important to be the best you that God created you to be.