I have found as I have aged that my calling is to help others with transformation. There are many aspects of transformation and… there are many areas of life that can be transformed. But in truth, I love seeing others embrace the challenge and art of becoming the person they want, desire and dream of being. I liken it to the metamorphosis –
“The process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages.”
Caterpillar to butterfly.
As we have started the new year, one of the steps of transformation is something I like to call ‘pause and reflect’. And yes, just like in the days of old when the Bible speaks of having a ‘day of rest’, the same holds true for us. Not just from work but resting mentally from the stresses that occur in our daily lives. So, let’s start off with the idea of ‘pausing’. For some of you, it’s just a state of being, but if you are like me, you’ve learned over time, that the most common version of ‘pausing’ usually ends up in front of the TV, eating. Not the best way to ‘pause’ or ‘reflect’. That is more like ‘delay and get sick’! The idea behind this discipline is to ‘stop’ the wheels and get off the train for a period of time and just ‘pause’ the spinning issues of life.
Remember not long ago, we talked about making sure we understand where we come from so we can better chart our course forward? Well, that understanding where we come from has a lot to do with the time we spend with this action of pausing.
I find for myself it’s as simple as getting up early in the morning and spending time in prayer and meditation. I find a quiet place to stop and look out a window and watch the wind gently wraps itself around a tree, dancing the limbs like a partner as it moves on its stealthy march around the globe.
But the main point is to stop, and I need to be transparent here… I have a hard time these days stopping, much like an old rusty bus with bad, weak brakes. Lots of momentum combined with brakes that are worn out means there is a lot of squealing, lots of drama but not a lot of stopping power.
I don’t know if this rings true or resonates with you, but after college, in my first career, when I left work and went home I had nothing to do. I built models. We didn’t have a dime to our names. We didn’t ‘joy ride’ much and we certainly didn’t go out to eat much. We went home, we would watch a few reruns on ‘VHS tape’ of something, read, walk and oh yea, we rented an old farmhouse on 10 acres and I only had a push mower for the first two years; I spent a number of hours each week push mowing those acres. But life was slow.
These days, I am up early, breakfast, out the door, drop the kid off at school, work work work, run to pick up the kid, get home, run to the gym, get back home for dinner and have a couple of hours before the wheel turns again. Weekends are too precious and too few but it’s life right now. But nonetheless, taking the time to ‘pause’ really makes a difference.
The second aspect of this discipline is the ‘reflecting’ part. One of the issues I find is the longer I go without reflection the easier it is to get jaded and think what I am facing, feeling and dealing with is much worse than it actually is.
Søren Kierkegaard said
“Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards.”
I also like what Charles Dickens said:
“Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
The idea of reflection is to find perspective and finding that perspective isn’t always easy in the hustle and bustle of life. Our willingness and courage to look and take stock of our lives, the meaning of our lives and what we are really doing, ‘intentionally’ and ‘unintentionally’ add up. As we all age, we realize that one month became two then 12 and one years became two years, 4 years and now you’re a decade down the road and you have no idea how you got where you are at.
Pause and reflect not only helps with those answers but gives you the ability to see the ‘grace’, mercy and love you’ve been shown and you have shown. We get one life and learning the skill of ‘pausing’ and ‘reflecting’ can encourage a deeper sense of meaning as you walk through this life.
It’s a joy to live this life. Let’s live it together and in all things be thankful for the blessings we have and start the process of transformation.
Peace on your Journey this week.
Kennon Solutions
(984) 444-2172
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-kennon-5975958/
