Deposits or Withdrawals
Do you ever get the feeling that you’re not getting anything done? That no matter WHAT you do there is always more? Life can begin to feel redundant, like you’re just going through the motions. This is a dangerous place to be because our words and actions can begin to feel …pointless. If our words and actions do not matter in our minds eye then we begin to make decisions more and more flippantly. We tend to think, “What is the big deal?” On the other hand, we can become passive, thinking no word or action is better than saying or doing anything at all. That way no one will get hurt. If I do nothing then there will be no consequence.
In both situations there is an aimlessness. There is no direction. In the first example it is like driving a car down a highway and taking the first exit you see, regardless if it is your exit or not. The second is like driving a car without having your hands on the steering wheel at all. In either instance you will end up somewhere, time stops for no one. In either instance it will unlikely be the destination you intended.
What is your intention? Where do you want to be? What is the desire of your heart? The answer to these questions is where our lives begin to take form: when we begin to create a vision, a purpose. Call it what you will, but once you have it your thoughts, feelings and actions all move toward it. No longer are your decisions meaningless. They carry a weight. They now have the capacity to bring you closer or further from your vision. Each day and the opportunities therein are each brushstrokes, investments, and deposits toward that end goal, the big picture. You have the capacity to change your life one day at a time.
Allow me to add a disclaimer:
No matter what you decide, passively or intentionally, there will be consequences. Regardless of what we do or do not do we will end up “somewhere.” We cannot avoid it. So, be honest, would you rather reap the consequences that came from following your heart, trusting your gut and pursuing your dreams or the consequences of living in fear and indecision?
What direction are you headed? As always, the choice is only yours.
Ashlee Secord is a Marriage and Family Therapist in Burnsville, MN. She provides counseling to individuals, couples and families seeking to improve relationships and communication.