Be Who You Were Created to Be. Part 2: Embrace who you are, not who the world says you should be.

In the fall of 2010, I started to get the itch to write again. (You’ll remember from last week’s post that I attempted to write a book at the age of 10ish and it didn’t turn out so well. Shocking, I know.😉)

This time, however, I had the benefit of the internet. Everything I researched said to write what you know, and since running was my thing at the time, I decided to dedicate a blog to running. So, NebraskaRunnerGirl.blogspot.com was born.

I was so excited! For a few months, I wrote about all things running and I loved it. It was fun, I was invested, and I had the time. (These were pre-kid days, friend).

But it wasn’t long before I started to feel burned out on writing just about running, so I started adding a few more topics. Eventually, my blog became more about healthy living than just running, so I decided to change the name.

To be honest, I don’t even remember what I changed the name of the blog to because it didn’t last long either. The truth is, I was only 80% invested into “healthy living.” The other 20% had just discovered The Pioneer Woman and wanted to post about her quadruple layer chocolate cake. (I mean, YUM.)

When I realized I was struggling to find just one thing to write about, I decided to give up on blogging. After all, everything I researched said to pick a niche, then be an expert in that niche. If I couldn’t pick a specific topic, how was I ever going to make this whole blog thing work?

Well, I’m here to tell you that after years and years of writing and blogging, and shutting down one site only to start another one a couple years later because I just can’t seem to stay away that the internet can speak very loudly about what we should and shouldn’t be doing. And if we listen, we can end up quitting on the journey God created for each of us individually. That’s what happened to me on my first blog. I believed the lie that it wasn’t for me instead of listening to my gut and the tugging on my heart that God had a plan for me.

Full disclosure: I still look back on those years and wonder where I’d be if I would have just keep going instead of giving up.

So, please hear me when I say: Sometimes the world will tell you to zig, but you’ll need to zag in order to stay true to yourself and what God has asked of you.

I feel like last week was the fun week. We got to uncover some new things and maybe shoot for some new ambitions in life. Maybe you (like me) have decided to pivot a bit and start aiming your life in a different direction. First, YAY for you! How exciting!

BUT (you had to know there would be a “but,” right?), taking action and getting over the hurdles life can throw at you can be the hardest part of chasing new hopes/passions/ambitions. I’m a living example of this. I let the noise get too loud and I quit the very thing I was passionate about when I started blogging all those years ago.

Now we need to figure out how to get you from where you are to where you need to go. How will you learn to tune out the noise and the lies so you can keep moving forward? Here are a few things that have helped me in recent years: 

Clear the Clutter. (AKA: It’s time to quit.)

I’m a “yes person” so this point makes me cringe. I want to go and do and see and help and be all the things to all the people. In years past this led me to live on the edge of burnout.

What I’ve learned, though, about chasing new dreams or big goals, is that it requires focus. Which means that inevitably, we’ll have to give some stuff up to get where we want to go.

Please don’t let this scare you! It doesn’t have to be all bad! Sometimes giving something up just means delegating it. Sometimes it simply means cutting back your time on things that aren’t getting you where you need to go. (Neftlix binges, anyone?🙋‍♀️)

I’m currently reading Bob Goff’s book Dream Big (HIGHLY recommend btw!) and he writes that he quits something every Thursday. I love this concept. Maybe giving something up once a week is a bit overwhelming, but what about once a month? It doesn’t have to be anything big and it can be something personal that doesn’t affect others, but perhaps getting in the habit of quitting is exactly what we need to move forward in the direction of our goals and dreams.

Personally, I’ve had to cut waaaaay back on TV watching. To the point where it only comes on about 1-2 nights per week after the kids go to bed. I’ve also had to give up staying up late because I’ve found I operate best in the early morning hours (and turns out sleep is kind of important).

So if you’ve got a new dream/goal/aspiration you’d like to work toward, what’s something you can give up today that will help you get where you want to go?

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

I wish I could tell you that once you’ve decided to move forward in a new and exciting direction, everything worked out perfectly and you never met any resistance. I wish I could say that deciding to be who you were created to be was an easy decision and didn’t have any bumps in the road.

But I think we already know the truth: This process of really uncovering who you are and who you were created to be may be uncomfortable at times. Don’t get me wrong, it will be fun, too! And SO worth it if you’re wanting to live a fulfilled and meaningful life – the one God created you for.

However, there will probably be moments when you’ll wonder why you thought this was a good idea. At one point or another along your journey, you’ll have to choose whether or not to follow the crowd and blend in, or take the road less travelled (because that road is leading you to the person you were really called to be).

Please know that I don’t say this to bring you down! I say it because I want to be honest and up front with you. You may have a great idea, a new dream to chase, or you’ve uncovered a long lost ambition that you want to start pursuing. This is great news! But chances are, you’ll also have to face fear and limiting beliefs along the way.

The important thing is that you find a way to keep going anyway. Keep dreaming. Keep chasing. Keep checking in with God to make sure you’re going where you need to go. Keep following your heart and Jesus. Here’s another point that should help you along your journey:

Consider your why.

So, you’ve got a new ambition you’re aiming for. You’re excited and ready to start making some small changes to get you to where you believe God wants you to be. And then you hit a roadblock. You know you can give some things up to make a change in your life, and you know that there will be uncomfortable moments, but what happens when you’ve done all that and you still feel stuck?

This is when you have to dig down deep and focus on your “why.”

What do I mean by this?

Well, if I had to guess, I’d say that any new ambition you’re aiming for comes with a reason. What’s the reason? Is it to make you happier? Is it to make life better for you and your family? Is it to leave a new and lasting legacy? Is it to enjoy a new, fulfilling career or make a difference in the world with a non-profit? (Spoiler alert: There are no wrong answers here!)

Whatever reason you have for starting a new dream or goal, you’ll need to harness it to keep moving forward when things get tough. Without a solid reason why you’re doing what you’re doing, chances are you’ll fizzle out and feel depleted instead fulfilled.

So it’s important right now to build in some quiet time to dig into why you want to pursue the ambitions that you’re chasing. Here’s a few questions to get you started:

• Why do you want what you want?
• Why do you feel this is an area that deserves focus?
• Who will benefit if you keep going?
• Who will miss out if you give up?

Again, there are no wrong answers here. Your “why” is specific to YOU.

Wrapping Up.

It was just over 10 years ago when I began my first blog. (HOW?🤯) Sometimes it feels like I’m taking the slow and unconventional route. I’ve written while working full-time, starting a family, and raising said family. BUT I also have this feeling that I’m right where I’m supposed to be, even though it may not look it to the outside world.

I sincerely hope you keep forging ahead and tuning out what the world says you should be doing, too. I believe God puts each one of us on this earth for a reason and the world needs you. So please stay focused on your journey. Don’t give up!

OVER TO YOU: Feeling stuck? Which one of these points resonated with you the most? Or is there something else you do to keep yourself going? Share your thoughts in the comments below! ❤️