In life we have to make so many decisions – some easy and some hard – but until we master the ability to distinguish between what we want from what others want from/for us we can never make our BEST decisions. We live in a world that is full of demands. There are demands placed on us from our jobs, homes, schools and church families, but I believe our greatest demands come from ourselves and the false ideas of who we should be and what we should be doing or what we should have accomplished by now, etc. There’s always that standard, person or certain reality we measure ourselves by that for some reason seems more important then the person we actually are. We get tricked into disbelieving our own worth and often, without thinking about it, belittle ourselves.

I’d like to encourage each of us to take several moments – hey we might need several weeks – to ask ourselves if we’ve been honest with ourselves about who we are, what we want, and what or how much we are willing to give in every instance of our lives. Are we at peace with our response to the demands and requests of others? Are we at peace with our career choices? Or financial decisions? Is there anything we are doing or participating in that we would not do or participate in if it wasn’t for that someone we feel would judge us differently if we had our own way? The good news is that for many of our day-to-day decisions and actions as well as relationships we can be free to make our own choices for the simple fact that we can choose.

Now I know that there are many times in life when we have to do things we don’t want to do; I’m not speaking specifically to these things. I’m speaking to the unnecessary, to the overwhelming, to the above and beyond type of requests we try to fulfill. I’m speaking to the lack of peace and the increase of stress that is caused because we don’t say, “No” or “Let me get back to you” or even “Please wait”.

This month will be one of recharging and refocusing. I have to take a few steps back and evaluate my why. I refuse to be consumed in the rat race of life. I refuse to allow an external force to dictate my purpose, actions or mood. My life is mine and God’s to control. I will live intentionally with vibrancy and joy. Sometimes you have to pause, step back and reevaluate your everyday life. Call it a checkup of sorts. That’s my job for the month of October and going forward. Will you join me?

Best wishes to each of you as you continue on our journey of life. And as I often say because I mean it… I’m rooting for you!

💜Missy