Recently, I have realized that my life revolves around goals. Lots and lots of goals.
To have lesson plans and create meaningful dance pieces.
To read and journal most days {because I know everyday is a false promise}, to grow in my relationship with The Lord and walk along the path He’s created for me.
Exercise, eating healthy, getting enough sleep {false #2}.
Get all my work done, maybe even have some time left over to get ahead {false #3}.
And with all of that left over time {sense my sarcasm} I want to pour into everyone I love. I have to make time for that.
The only problem when setting goals is that if we don’t measure up we feel disappointed in our performance or we feel like we are falling short of expectations. At least I do, because I am a perfectionist. Or I try to be.
There’s another problem too, sometimes I miss out on filling up my own cup and end up drinking myself dry.
I’ve noticed that many, or most, areas of my life require me to be actively present. Actively searching, pursuing, working, engaging, developing towards others. I think I am missing a piece to this puzzle where I get to show up as I am…not having to worry about the impression I make or how much happy-go-lucky persona I exert.
In reality, we will never measure up, there will be different phases of life, and it’s impossible to be “on” all the time. You may not meet every goal. You may have days that are smooth sailing or you might have days that every other minute you are getting hit with another bullet. We get tired, worn out, we over exert ourselves because it’s part of the process of working hard. The beautiful truth in this is that those heavy and weighted expectations that we put on ourselves aren’t required of us. You are already free from all of that. You set your own limits, make sure that they are healthily challenging.
Giving up isn’t an option…the way we work towards our goals and how we look into the endless pool of grace is how we never quit.
Be extremely thankful for the people who take you in your slippers and sweats, drink coffee with you, and talk about the great and not so great that life is. The ones who hold you accountable, encourage you, but don’t see you as one wasted minute are the ones pouring into you.
Drink up.
The Celeste Elizabeth 