Can you believe that it is June 15th already? We are half way through the year and already half way through this month! And although it seems like time was at a halt a couple months ago, looking back I can't seem to find where all that "extra" time went.
Half of 2020 is already gone and we have another 6 months to go. And as counties are reopening and our new normal is rolling out, I can't help but wonder what the next right step is? What should our plan of action be? What does the rest of the most promising year turned true disappointment going to hold? We simply don't know. 2020 has been the most uncertain, confusing, emotionally driven year yet.
And if this year has taught us anything, it is that we never truly know what the future holds no matter how much we plan or dream up. It has taught us that our trust should not be placed on the things we have, do , wear, say or want. And that anything, literally anything, can happen whether we are ready for it or not.
So again, what is the next right step?
The answer: ask yourself what YOUR next right step is.
You see, in an achievement driven, instagram worthy, selfie taking world, we think that every step should be a leap. We see others taking huge strides and we believe that our steps should match. But you see, a step is not a leap and a leap is not a step. A step can be small or it can be big. The length of it all depends on the legs of the stepper.
Some of us are tall and can easily stride forward effortlessly, and some of us (like myself) are on the shorter end and have learned to walk a little faster to keep up with said taller folk. A great example of this is my husband and I. And since his natural step and mine are not the same distance, and never will be, I should never expect our "next right steps" to be the same. I should never compare our steps because they can never match. I can't grow longer legs, so why in the world would I try and match his strides?
All this feet illustration is trying to tell you is that you, my friend, should not be measuring your step to the person next to you. Or even how big your steps have been in the past. Rather, you should reevaluate where you are now, where you want to go, how you want to get there, and who you want to become while the steps are taking place.
Take this time not to reset a resolution like it's January 1st, but to reflect and redirect. I believe this quarantine has shown you exactly who you are. I know it has for me. I now know the good, the bad, and the ugly of how I cope with uncertainty, pressure, fear, stillness, and growth. I've been forced to. We have been forced to. And that reality may or may not sit well with you.
So I invite you to reflect on that. See what you liked and didn't like about the last 6 months (or 3). What you're proud of, what you wish you hadn't picked back up, and how you want to react the next time you're put in a similar situation. Reflect on your coping mechanisms, how you talked to others, and how you dealt with this pandemic. Use this time, as we all move forward into our new normal, to truly do a mental check, a body scan, and a soul exam.
A step is an action. An action that gives you progress no matter how big or small. So I'm not encouraging you to replan your life. I'm here to spur you to reflect, reset, refocus and know that no matter how big your step is, it should be one you want to make. One that leads you to the best version of you because of the wisdom you've gained from 2020 so far. One that, even if it leads you on a different path, that you'll know you can pivot and take another step towards progress and not perfection.
January 1st is promising date, and so is June 1st. But those dates have come and gone and any day with breath in your lungs is a day to celebrate and move forward.
Remember that your step is unique, your "right" is not your neighbor's right, and your shoes look different because they belong to you. Your next right step may be teeny tiny, but over time it will flourish into that thing you've always dreamed of. Or to becoming the person you were created to be. Even teeny tiny steps are forward motion. Teeny tiny steps actually allow those inevitable pivots to not be so drastic and more manageable in the moment.
Call to action: Sit, think, reflect, pray, and reevaluate.
What is your next right step, right now?
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