“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
I am constantly changing and becoming the best version of myself.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word Evolution? If your schoolhouse journeys were anything like mine then you might be thinking about the Big Bang Theory and all the theories about how man came to be on this planet. Don’t worry, we won’t be tackling anything like that today. I want you to instead think about a second definition to the word. “The gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form.” Similar words: development, advancement, growth, progress. That last word. Progress. Are you giving yourself credit for your progress? Or are you being hard on yourself for not being where you thought you would be…
As people we are constantly comparing ourselves to everyone around us. Sometimes it’s our competitive nature to rise above the rest, but other times we’re trying to keep up with the Joneses and we run ourselves through the ringer trying to do it. To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with wanting better for ourselves or with pushing ourselves to be our best. The problem comes in when we lose sight of what’s important and beat ourselves up for not meeting unrealistic expectations. What I like about evolution is the gradualness of it all. By design, evolution is a process that happens little by little, day by day, experience by experience. And it’s time we start embracing that. So how do you get out of your head and move towards your best version. Let’s affirm!
Affirmation 1: Every day breeds growth. One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite stories comes from a self help book the character was reading: every day in every way, I am becoming a new and better me. The character had been dealt a rough hand but found something he was passionate about that required him to make personal changes. He recognized that process was difficult because it required him to relearn all the things he’d been bread to do his entire life. But with each day he could move the needle a little bit closer to his goal, and so can you! Just give yourself a little credit.
Affirmation 2: True change takes time. When you remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, that breaking a habit takes at least 21 days, and nobody gets it perfect every time then you can give yourself some grace for the mistakes you’re going to make along the way. The key word in this affirmation is TIME. Stop expecting things to just get better right away. Stop thinking you can double up on the effort and finish the evolution in half the time. Doesn’t work that way, and let’s face it… it’s better that way. Isn’t an oven cooked meal better than a microwaveable one?
Affirmation 3: The journey is just as good as the destination. The lessons that you learn along the way will help your development just as much as getting to the final result. And if you’re in a constant state of evolution (come on, we’re going from simple to complex beings out here) then you’ll never actually arrive. You’ll just keep getting better with time.
My loves, as we start our exit from summer and prepare to enter the fall, let’s take the time to embrace evolution and keep getting better. Let’s become better friends, better parents, better spouses, better lovers, better people. Let’s keep enjoying the journey and who we’re constantly growing to be. It’s a much better experience. Remember friends, I love you and I’m always rooting for you. Keep conquering daily!
EMBRACING EMOTION: THE BLOG 