When you think back over your life, what is one of the happiest days of your life?
And why is it one of the happiest days of your life?
Maybe it was the day you accomplished something significant like a graduation or you got married or your child was born or watched your child graduate or get married.
But whatever it was, I am quite sure it was a day you were feeling really good about YOU because the reality is we are often coloring our experiences in life through how we feel about ourselves. You can be at the most beautiful occasion and still feel lonely or sad because you are not feeling great internally.
Now as you know, I am all about how to make this world better, but I really do believe it’s not a sustainable effort if you are not feeling good about you.
In my Live Your Vision class this past week, there were many tears as beautiful and talented women who serve so many shared openly how learning to appreciate and enjoy who God made them to be has been so hard and yet so life changing (as one woman shared ‘an elephant lifted off her’). That may sound odd to you, but it is more common than you think in high-achieving women. That inner critic rages for years unchecked and the consequences are significant. The vulnerability and tenderness each woman shared with their classmates was priceless and what beautiful new views of themselves are appearing.
One of my goals in this group is to help each woman see how wonderfully they are made and embrace that so they can realize the value they inherently have. For I know that if each woman understands what a unique treasure they really are and the responsibility that comes with that, this world will be helped.
I have personally found that the happiest days of my life have been when I am completely comfortable in my own skin (aka loving and really liking who God made me to be) as that allows me to be totally unencumbered by self and able to be totally present for others. It is definitely a sweet spot.
33 years ago today, I married my high school sweetheart. ❤️
It truly was one of the happiest days of my life. I remember feeling so good, so free to connect with others, so comfortable in my own skin, so loved and in love. So unencumbered by self. That is magic for me.
What is your sweet spot? Sometimes it starts with remembering one of your happiest days and thinking through what elements made it that way for YOU. I invite you to do that this weekend. Spend some time reflecting on the happiest days of your life and asking yourself, “What about YOU made it that way at that time?”
I have been amazed at how much time I have wasted in my life waiting for the stars to align for my own personal happiness to show up. But the revelation that has come to me as I have traveled across the country with very few belongings and now reflecting on this beautiful anniversary of my marriage to Joel is that I must take responsibility for my own happiness. NO ONE (human) can make me happy. And when I realize how wonderfully and specifically God (Psalm 139) has made me and that He has given me everything I need for life and godliness (2 Peter), that sweet spot returns, and the days are once again happy.
How about you?
What have been your happiest days?
Why?
How did you feel about yourself then?
Why did you feel that way?
What do you need to do to understand how wonderfully you have been made?
If any of these questions seem unanswerable, please get some outside perspective. You know we are here to help. Please just reach out. We need you to be your best. And God really has made you wonderfully. Here’s to you really seeing that.
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