Opportunity or Distraction
A while back, I was offered an upper management position with a world renown corporation. I wanted this promotion so bad that for nearly 3 years I worked every holiday and every weekend putting in long hours. This promotion would not only secure my financial future but it would validate my sales and leadership abilities, as only a handful of women had been selected for this position. Yet, as I began to pack up my desk for the big promotion...something inside me was unsettled.
As reality set in, I began to ask myself a deeper question. Simply put, was this my fork in the road? My opportunity or my distraction?
You see, I was at a crossroads in my life. I could pursue this career path or I could pursue my passion in life. The thoughts running through my head were screaming, “Take it! You’ll never get another opportunity like this one again!” On the other hand, my emotions were pulling at my heart strings singing, “Don’t you do it! The price you'll pay will be too high."
Friday was approaching and the president of the company awaited my answer. Should I listen to common sense and take the job? Or should I follow my heart and if so, how could I say no?
I had to choose.
WHAT I LEARNED:
The heart feels. The heart gives rise to emotions such as anger, love, sadness or guilt. It is the center of your emotional well being. The heart is not designed to make decisions but rather to monitor your emotions. Do not follow your heart by making life changing decisions based purely upon emotion. Following your emotions alone can lead you into an addiction, a dysfunctional relationship, or a dead end career.
The mind thinks. The mind has nearly 60,000 thoughts per day. And if you are like me, many of those thoughts consist of meaningless chatter that are not healthy, true, or even intelligent. While the heart was not designed to make decisions, the mind was not designed to feel emotions. Rather, the mind creates thoughts. Some true. Some not so true! Making decisions based only upon your thoughts can lead you into a bad business deal, an unfulfilling career, or a meaningless relationship.
The Spirit discerns. The Spirit is that still small voice, that inner alarm that "ding dings" and whispers, “Don’t you do it.” or it's that strange sensation in your gut that compels you to move forward in a situation knowing, against the advice of the world, your gut says “Do it, Girlfriend. And don't you dare look back!” You are made up of a heart, a mind, and a spirit. And it is your Spirit that recognizes the feelings of your heart and hears the thoughts running through your mind and filters out the emotional drama of the heart and the meaningless chatter of the mind to discerns YOUR personal truth.
You were created to feel with your heart, to think with your mind and to discern with your Spirit. When you follow your gut, your heart and your head will not fight against one another. In the midst of chaos and confusion, when everyone else says, “Are you crazy? Have you lost your ever lovin' mind?” You will discover a personal peace. Follow that peace.
That Friday afternoon, I followed my peace and I resigned my sales position and stepped into a new life. The life I was meant to live.
This is the beginning of a new year for you. Live the life you were meant to live. Take a leap of faith, a step in the direction of your dreams. And if that's a little scary...you can tip toe till you get there!
Life is short. Follow your peace.
Marsha Johnson
Executive Director
Destiny Wellness Center