I have mentioned the online fitness program that I use – Energy Up. Last week, the weekly team coaching call was about doing a self-assessment about your progress to goals and “Earning Your Awesome”. Additionally, one of the daily positive videos was about focusing on the 3 feet in front of you.
We belong to Civil Air Patrol, and one component of the program is youth oriented – Cadet Programs. Cadets at encampment learn some extraordinary leadership skills. One of the things that I really enjoy is asking a cadet “How are you?” Their answer is a hearty, firm “Outstanding, Ma’am”. There is no doubt, no hesitation, and they don’t look like they are in pain when they answer. When I hear that answer, I find myself smiling and feeling a little more positive. I think their attitude is contagious.
While I listened to the coaching call recording, I couldn’t help but think about the cadets “Outstanding” response. It could be a case of “fake it til you make it” – keep telling yourself you are outstanding until you really believe it. Is it possible to really live it and believe it most of the time?
I decided to try some of the ideas I listened to. I know that focusing on “now” – this very moment – is very effective in decreasing stress related to “what ifs” and “what might have beens”. The past couple weeks, I have been paying attention to, and working on what steps (even baby steps) I could take to move myself up the ladder toward my goals. I did a self-assessment (after a good workout) to determine what needed attention. I want to be able to answer “awesome” when asked how things are going – and I want to earn that answer every day.
I began an experiment – trying the little steps that would lead me to the next rung of my ladder of success, focusing on the next “3 feet”, and working on the attitude – the things I figured it would take to earn my awesome for the day. Starting the day with exercise (sometimes painful just to think about until I got started), being mindful of what I eat and drink, and making a concentrated effort to ditch negative thinking – as I expected – this made a huge difference. So I continued with the effort. Lest I lead you to believe that it is all sunshine and lollipops, it was and continues to be a challenge. The hardest part for me is the exercise part early in the day. By doing it first thing, it gets done. Putting it off risks not getting it done at all. Giving in to negative thinking is another challenge for me.
What I did notice; and continue to see happening is the way things “fall in to place”, and the way others respond. When I am earning “awesome”, I see the world differently. The world responds differently. I see and believe in possibility. I thought it was pretty cool, after trying this for a couple days, to find a t-shirt that washed up on the beach “Free To Be Awesome”! Kind of like permission/encouragement from God? Along with some pretty cool sunglasses!
I am getting closer to my 1200 mile goal (about 15 miles away), I have logged at least 10k steps from 219 days in a row, and am about 2 ½ months away from logging at least a mile a day for a year. Little steps to help me earn my awesome. Big steps in helping me learn more about myself! Participating in events that bring a smile to my heart and soul – more steps toward awesome.
Think about yourself. What do you want to change to be able to earn your awesome? If you’re already earning it – what does it take to maintain it? How about reaching out and helping someone else find their awesome?
Grace Lesson: God created unique, wonderful you to be nothing less than AWESOME!!! Honor Him by fulfilling that mission!
Lert's Lessons in Grace 