Go Forward

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles...by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.” – Mark Twain

To go forward you must be able to stand firm enough, to not go backwards. Identically, there are several actions that will take you forward and only one way to stand still. If you are in a comfort zone, letting life pass you by, afraid of failure, or afraid to venture out; then, now is the time for you to go forward. Step out on faith and let the change begin. Anything is possible. You owe it to yourself to make your time here on earth count. Have fun, dream big, and dig deep. Know, though, that anything worth accomplishing seldom comes easily. Persist! Troubles can fill your every thought and make you forget about the goals in your heart. Do not get wrapped up in the obstacles or even the despair they cause. Soar above the troubles life brings. For, they are only temporary.

Often times you may have found yourself in a state of mind where it was hard to grasp any understanding of your situation. In this case, not only did you not understand your season but you could not eat, you could not sleep, and it possibly frightened you. If so, that was only the enemy attempting to keep you bound in a dark place. Surely life’s daily little irritations, disappointing tribulations, and “bad breaks” can get overwhelming at times. As an alternative, “if things go wrong, don’t go with them.” – Roger Babson.

It will not be comfortable because your heart will be heavy; still you have to follow through. I know; I’ve been there. To illustrate, when you find your self in a dark place, trouble may seem to be coming from every direction. You may feel alone, your smile may be gone, and the pain can feel hard to bear. Yet, if you can endure, it will pass. You have to know that whatever happens to you, it will pass away. Your job is to acknowledge the situation, experience it, and let it go. God knows best. Life will test you often, many times with suffering and with sorrow. These tests do not come to punish you. Instead, the tests of life come to help you and to give you a better tomorrow. Your spirit is made strong through the testing and trying of your faith. Therefore, do not panic or complain when trouble comes. Do your best to remain calm and know that sunshine always follows the rain. Life is full of a series of changes. Accept life as it comes and let life flow naturally forward without resistance. Develop an attitude of gratitude and always count your blessings and not your losses. There is no need to worry because as it states in the bible, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” – Romans 8:6.

Along with worry, fear is also an enemy. When the storms of life come, you do not have to run for cover. Stand strong and face your fears with your head lifted high. For, just like an eagle, the higher you soar, the brighter and tranquil your skies will become. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7. Do not be afraid of sudden fear; and have the courage and confidence to know that you already have the victory. Because of this, times will come when you want to quit. Don’t quit! “Quitters never win and winners never quit.” The only way to truly fail is to never try. Furthermore, one fails forward toward success. It is a known fact; most successful people fail a number of times before they achieve success. If you are determined and are equipped with the right tools you can accomplish great things. Hard work, faith, commitment, and persistence really do pay off to your greatest benefit. “Successful people look at mistakes as outcomes or results, not as failure. Unsuccessful people look at mistakes as personal and permanent.” – Author unknown. Some of the greatest fears people have include, failing, being shamed, being rejected, being criticized, being humiliated, feeling powerless, feeling disrespected, being ridiculed, contempt or other harsh treatment at the hands of others, and a loss of stature or image. At the end of the day, the only opinion of you that matters is your own. No one can make you feel anyway about yourself that you do not agree with. In other words, “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt. Do not be afraid to fail, and then you will not be afraid to try. Success takes guts.

All things considered, “Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency.” – Natalie Goldberg. It is a serious health threat; and there are many causes for the stress you face. Strained relationships, family responsibilities, lack of finances, driving in traffic, and work are some of the most common causes of stress. When stress becomes an enemy it eventually damages important body organs. Again, stress is a significant health threat and should be managed. True, in itself, not all stress is bad. Clearly some stresses actually gear you up to meet a challenge. For instance, in life threatening situations, your body goes into a fight-or-flight mode. This red-alert stress response enables you to perform feats that you never would have believed you were capable of. The harm, however, is done when your body is constantly in a red-alert stress response. For one thing, the signs of stress are anxiety, muscle tension, increased blood pressure, and disturbed digestion. When the body fails to relax it becomes hazardous to your health and well-being. This unrelenting stress is a menacing enemy. If your body is constantly revved up to take out-of-the-ordinary action your muscles remain tense; your blood pressure and pulse rate stay high; and elevated levels of hormones, sugars, fats, cholesterol, and other chemicals linger in the blood. Eventually the consequences will be chronic stress, which causes headaches, neck pain, back pain, muscle spasms, ulcers, and heart disease. This prolonged stress (chronic stress) in the body then becomes even more critical and can ultimately lead to stroke, heart attack, kidney-failure, cardiovascular problems, and diabetes. To say the least, stress must be kept under control. In comparison, it is easier to put out a small fire than it is to extinguish a raging inferno. It is crucial to your health that stress management becomes a priority in your life. Some helpful ways to reduce stress include setting appropriate priorities, not expecting perfection from yourself or others, exercising regularly, eating healthy, getting sufficient rest, and spending time alone on a regular basis to clear your mind. Spend a moment in loving thankfulness on a regular basis. Peacefully let go of worry, fear, doubt, disappointment and resentment. Move onward, move upward, and move forward.

“The way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything.” – Ralph Marston

Peace and Blessings,

Kai