Counting Down
This year is fast closing in on us - less than 100 days left and we are counting down. Cooler weather, football games and nachos overflowing with melted cheese, leaves falling into piles of brown ground cover, spooks and goblins arising to collect their tricks or treats, all giving way to the holidays with all their merriment and excitement. ‘Tis such a glorious time of the year.
Look back over the year. What was your year like? What did you accomplish? Did you fulfill any of your dreams? Did you even have any dreams? What about the purpose for your life? What have you left undone that really needs to be completed? What New Year’s resolution did you give up on two weeks after the new year began?
Often life whizzes by in a whirlwind of activity that may keep us gasping for breath at times. We get so caught up in the busyness of living that we seldom take the time to even think about anything other than tomorrow’s schedule and whether or not we can get everything done. But it’s not too late! There is still time before the year ends to get started or even complete those unfinished thoughts, dreams, or promises.
Procrastination becomes a way of life for far too many people. “I’ll do it next week” or “I’ll wait until I have more free time” or “I’ll have to learn more before I attempt that.” This is simply the fear popping up to stop you, for procrastination is an expression of fear – putting off to tomorrow what should be done today.
The world is chaotic and unraveling at its seams it appears, yet now is the perfect time to set in motion those dreams and desires. How do you do this?
The first thing is to take some time to sit quiet and just be. Don’t have time you say? There lies the key to your problem. You must get quiet so you can hear what you are being guided to do. Sometimes people hear their guidance but push it away due to doubts, time constraints, too much stress, panic, worry and financial pressures. When this happens they are trying their best to control their life as they think it should be. But God and the universe might have a different plan for you which if you are resisting and trying to do your own thing your own way, often makes you feel as if you’re paddling upstream against the current and losing ground.
We’ve discussed that you must stop and be quiet to hear your guidance. But once you’ve heard what is important for your life, then you have to surrender the entire process. If you don’t surrender it you’ll feel overwhelmed, unprepared and probably doubt you can do what you are being guided to do. Surrendering means to get out of the way and leave the details to God, a hard path to take for many. You’ve most likely been taught you have to make things happen in this world and work hard to get anywhere. Actually, that is partially true, but the key here is to allow God and the universe to open the doors for you, which then allows you to run through them and work conscientiously to follow your dream. Most people get it backwards. They are taught to work hard to force, manipulate and push the doors open, then continue to work in overwork and overwhelm to get the job done. That’s stress in a nutshell and may get you through some doors, but it’s the hard way.
Now that you’ve stopped and listened and are envisioning your dreams and desires, and have surrendered all the details of the process, you are ready for action. When the door opens, run through it with a burst of energy and excitement. It’s time to step into action, working efficiently to complete your dream. Here’s where it gets tough. As stumbling blocks fall onto their path it seems too hard and many people quit. Human beings, by their nature, wish to avoid the rocks on their path. It’s too difficult so they simply turn around and go back to where it’s easier and familiar. Anything new takes courage, determination and perseverance. Uncharted territory always feels scary and perhaps difficult because it is new and uncharted. But those who are weak and afraid won’t plunge forward and persevere. Such was the dilemma of all pioneers as they stepped into uncharted territory, but thank God they persevered.
Some people are up for the challenge and willing to do whatever it takes to complete the journey. They simply figure out how to walk over the rock and continue their journey into their dream. In my own life I finally understood that perseverance is always necessary if you want to get where you are going. Dreams don’t usually manifest into reality quickly; they always require baby steps and the allowance for divine timing to come into reality, and the perseverance to climb over the rocks.
Time is running out for this year as we count down the remaining days. What do you need to complete or perhaps even begin? What have you ignored in the past months that is tugging at your heart strings? If you feel as if you haven’t done anything during the year, why not have some quiet time so your guidance can come through. It’s vital to make every hour, day, week, month and year count toward your purpose for being on this earth, so I hope you make the decision right now, right this very moment, to move forward and make a difference in our world. Your entire life will change for the better and you will feel fulfilled and happy because you allowed your dream to manifest. Make your year count!
