I just experienced a March to remember…
Not only was March 2018 THE most challenging seasons I have experienced in some time, it was also the most life giving. Let me explain…
My 9-5 can be very demanding and sometimes chaotic. The building industry can be both extremely rewarding and extremely frustrating with shifting deadlines, massive indecision and creative minds collaborating complex challenges. This month, it seems that all the floodgates opened at the same time and a select few were tasked to manage the flow in a short period of time. And yes…I was one of the few (yay me!).
If you have been following me for any amount of time, you may have noticed that I cherish my peace, ease and flow in my life. Atmospheres that encourage or promote confusion, chaos and aggression are not the norm for me. I do my best to remove myself from those situations at all costs…but, there are times when that process is out of my control for a season.
Like…when it’s your job!
So, what do you do?
I will be very transparent with you…I failed in the beginning. I allowed my emotions to wrap me up in a web of pity, blame and anger.
Feeling pressured on all sides.
Feeling like time was running out.
Feeling unsupported and unheard.
This is a RECIPE for a breakdown! And I was VERY close to the edge…
But then, I remembered my tools. I remembered that I had the power to chose peace in this very moment of anger, fear and desperation.
Yeah, I got pissed off and snapped at a few people (which is VERY rare for me!)
Guess what I did next?
I stopped, took 5 deep breaths, apologized to them (whether they were in front of me or not) and then forgave myself for surrendering my peace. I then focused on a few things in my current environment that made me smile (that’s why I encourage filling your environment with images and items that energize you). And finally, I changed the way I thought about the situation intentionally. My intention is always to freedom. I refuse to be bound by anything or anyone in life – including impending deadlines!
I had to repeat this process EVERY DAY for over 2 weeks…TWO WEEKS!!!
Now, for some of you, that’s totally ridiculous and you have already rolled your eyes at the thought. Trust me, I get it! After the second day of the repeated pressure, ignorance and lack of empathy, I was ready to quit my job – LITERALLY. But I quickly realized that my emotions were in control and not Spirit and I needed to shift. The only way I was able to recognize what was happening around me was because I trained myself through my daily, intentional actions of meditation, prayer and self check-ins. Let me say something very important…
Overcoming the challenges of everyday life cannot been accomplished ‘winging it’. Figuring out what to do WHILE you are experiencing the challenge is too late. Having a set of proven tools and strategies to guide you back onto the path of peace is essential and I am so happy and grateful I had mine established!
So, here are 3 things I learned during my March to Remember that I will leave you with:
Revelation 1: Authenticity is a part of the peace and prosperity journey
I did not want to ask for help during this season. I did not want to appear weak in the eyes of my co-workers, clients or friends. In the loving words of my powerful Life coach, “That is just foolery!” Listen, we need each other to create impact on this earth. So, that means you may need to ask for help, support or assistance…and that’s ok! I received miraculous blessings within 24 hours of asking for help! Be authentic with where you are on your journey in life and just BE!
Revelation 2: Never surrender your peace to the challenges of life
The times I felt overwhelmed by external circumstances consistently led me to react with my emotions. It doesn’t matter what you are seeing through your physical eyes…your PEACE should never be surrendered. There will always been opportunities for you to surrender your inner peace in order to REACT to the world around you. Do not surrender! You always have a choice…always!
Revelation 3: When in an atmosphere of chaos and confusion, choose to remain at peace moment by moment, day by day until peace reigns.
Before March, I use to believe I needed to take challenges “day by day”. Well, this month taught me that ‘moment by moment’ is the only way to remain at peace. With each step of my day, I chose to ‘breathe deep and just BE’. With each frustrating conversation, I decided not to respond in anger and just breathed. These decisions happened constantly within a 10-minute window and I realized something major – if I wanted to win the day, I need to regain control of my MOMENTS!
Have you ever experienced a ‘March to Remember” in your life? I would LOVE to hear how you regained control of your moments and secured your peace.
Until next time,
Peace and Love to you all!