Life had thrown me a huge curveball, and I was taking out my frustration on an innocent bystander. It was not fair of me to do so, and it was certainly not the way I seek to treat others.
The embarrassment set in as I became aware that I was not being the best version of myself.
The pace of change in life is daunting. With that pace of change comes more unforeseen circumstances. As a self-admitted control freak, changes are not my favorite. As I reflect, I remember seasons of my life when I was really good at navigating through changes with peace and joy. I can also admit to seasons when fear got the best of me as I experienced change.
I can pinpoint one variable that either creates peace or creates fear. That variable is whether I'm reacting or responding to the changes!
Reaction happens to all of us. When life throws us lemons, it is easiest to react, but the effects of doing so usually lack peace. What takes more effort is to respond to the lemons thrown at us. Being responsive as opposed to reactive takes a lot of mindfulness and practice, but it reaps great reward.
So how do I choose to respond rather than to react?
The recipe for the responsive life is comprised of three main ingredients: self-awareness, long-term perspective, and empathy.
All three are important to fully bake responsiveness, but self-awareness is the finest ingredient.
Self-awareness is the result of introspection.
Introspection is a lost art. Our society is pounding messages at us and they have power over our mindset. It takes great effort and intentionality to be introspective.
We find that introspection is the key to gaining success. Most Americans wish they could have a job create success for them. But without introspection about what true success is uniquely to you, the chances of you finding success in your career is minimal.
The fact is: we are not trained to be introspective. That is why over 80% of people do not love their work. It's why most Americans jump from job to job quickly hoping they will find peace at one of them. What ends up happening is that they hate work, lack peace, and are confused about their purpose.
There is a better way. By prioritizing introspection, you can respond to the work you were designed for as opposed to reacting to your career circumstances. Practicing introspection allows you to gain the self-awareness you need to find the work you love. Introspection gives you the ability to respond to changes in your career, not react to them.
Today, consider:
- What are you reacting to in your life right now?
- How can you gain greater power to be responsive in life instead of reacting?
- Do you have the self-awareness to find work you love?
If you’re wondering how to instill more awareness of your purpose amidst the inevitable curveballs thrown at you, buy The Purpose Promise book and workbook. They will help you define key areas in your life so you can become more responsive and less reactive. Doing so will set you up for a more purposeful life and a career of purpose!
The Purpose Promise process provided much-needed clarity in terms of what I wanted from my life. First and foremost, about how my job and career would help me or allow me to reach that goal.