Everything we do begins in our mind. Whether we like it or not. The mind is a powerful instrument and it can derail us if we let it. Have you ever had that same ole embarrassing scene playing in your head like a broken record?
Your office has an offsite event and everyone is showing up, to include all the managers. It’s going to be at Epcot, one of those cultural restaurants exotic cuisine. You put on your best attire, as you want to impress. You have on your wing tipped black shoes, your charcoal suite and a deep blue dress shirt. Of course it’s between 85-90 degrees outside but you go with it.
As you take the elevator down to the lobby and step out of the sliding doors, you feel good about yourself, but then you notice everyone is dressed in shorts, hats, sunglasses, even though the sun is going down, and some are even sporting Hawaiian shirts. You think to go and change because you are one of the few that live in Florida and have a wardrobe that fits quite well – the Hawaiian shirt, the Khaki shorts, your Birkenstocks, but it’s too late. Everyone coming out of the hotel are piling onto the buses to go to Epcot.
Of course you feel out of place and there’s nothing to be done but to try your best to enjoy the evening. As you step onto the bus and sit down next to your colleague, you get a strange look. You know it’s how you dressed but you try and keep your composure, but then fall into the trap of making excuses. “I thought we were supposed to dress up since it’s a dinner with the managers.” But none of the managers are dressed up. They’ve got ball caps on, t-shirts, shorts and look very comfortable.
After the dinner is over you go back to your hotel room, get undressed as quickly as possible to try distance yourself from the embarrassment of being overly dressed but it doesn’t go away. So for now on you play that same ole scene over and over again, ridiculing yourself. It’s this broken record that at times runs on and on without us even knowing. You’ll catch yourself playing it though you probably will not stop it, you’ll just go along with it.
It’s these thoughts that cripple us. Over and over we play the same scenes, the ones were we messed up, the ones where we made a fool of ourselves or the ones where we hurt someone else’s feelings. These thoughts keep you from growing and will keep you from Living Out Your Story – LOYS. You may think that last part is over-the-top. Think about it. Is it really?
I’m on a journey. Today I’ve put all those negative thoughts on hold so I can focus on Living Out My Story – LOYS. I’m writing an epic science fiction called Tokus Numas. I plan to blog about my journey, to share with you how I’m learning to Live Out My Story. I hope this helps you to see who I am, to connect, and to maybe draw inspiration for your own story.
My journey is this – to write my book Tokus Numas. Each day I must fend off negative thought. Each day I must remind myself to carry forward. Each day I must visualize and realize the path that lay ahead. Each day I must take action towards my goal. Each day I will focus my energy while trying to keep balance in my daily life. Each day I will thank God.
Sincerely,
D.W. Rigsby
Image Credit: Corona of the Sun during a Solar Eclipse by Smithsonian Institution
Copyright ©2015 DW Rigsby All Rights Reserved.