I get into the biggest kind of trouble when I forget who I am.
I mean the whole reason I took the time to develop a personal vision and mission statement was to ensure that I would remain true to myself.
Lately I’ve been meandering a bit.
You know…chasing rabbits down their little rabbit holes.
My wings have caught flight on whichever winds were blowing by and I’ve been sitting on the raft and floating around on random currents.
On Saturday, I had a good heart-to-heart with a friend…
and she told me she’s been worried about me.
She said I’ve been living too much in my head;
going to deep within myself – withdrawing.
Second guessing everything too much.
And she’s right.
When I’m living and making decisions based on who I am, it might not always work out, but I am never disappointed in ‘staying the course’ of who I am and pursuing what I’m meant to pursue.
It only seems to take a second of insecurity, a moment of doubt to set me off in the wrong direction.
HELLO!!
…that’s exactly when I should be falling back on the vision and mission statements I took the time to discover and made the effort to write out!
On a good day our basic instincts, drives, purpose – whatever you want to call it – result in success.
On our worst days, they can dig a hole, hit us over the head with a shovel and bury us so deep in darkness and fear we become blind and paralyzed.
Building community, to me, means building human relationships, hearing all sides, recognizing the gifts of others, encouraging them to take a leap of faith to follow their dreams.
But what happens when their mission conflicts with mine?
I’ll tell you what sometimes happens when I’m not paying attention:
I acquiesce on my mission.
I turn my back on my vision.
This always results in a loss of passion and purpose for me.
Don’t misread me on this. I’m not saying I’m right and they’re wrong.
What I’m saying is that there is a disconnect; a misalignment of purpose, so to speak.
Both visions could very well have value and at the same time not be compatible with each other.
This is when my personal vision and mission statement, if I’m staying on top of what’s going on, should bring me back to the truth of who I am.
And likely, this is when it is time to agree to disagree, wish someone well in their mission and get back on track with mine.
I’m most content when I live from a place of authenticity and act from a place of passion and integrity.
I define integrity as staying true to who you are and consistently acting from this place of truth
In this definition, we don’t all have the same truths.
We don’t all have the same vision or mission.
But that’s ok. Differences are what make people so interesting.
And who knows maybe our differences build a complete, larger picture of all that is meant to be.
The truth is I can pursue my dreams with joy and I can joyfully wish you well in following yours.
It takes wisdom to realize when something is not a fit for you.
And it takes courage to then step away from it, even if it’s not the popular thing to do.
Today, I choose again, to remember who I am; to speak, act and unabashedly go where I am meant to go.
Because when I remember who I am and act on it, I am giving my best to my community and we all (collectively) should expect nothing less.
~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~
I’m grateful for good friends and for the heart-to-heart I had on Saturday.
What or who keeps you on course?
How do you ensure that you remain true?
For me, 2013 has been a year of endings and beginnings. A time of reflection, reconnection and dreaming.
