You Deserve To Enjoy Your Journey!
“Happiness is in the journey, not in the outcome”
IT IS A CHOICE
“Happiness is a direction, not a place.” ~Sydney J Harris
I remember years ago I took my children to Disney World (by myself) on Spring Break for a once-in-a-lifetime trip for our family. I did my research on how to best navigate the parks, timelines, transportation, food, etc. I know my personality, so I had to be very intentional that I was not going to be stressed about what I did not know and the crazy details. It was tempting to stress, but I chose that for that week my mindset was going to be “enjoy this time with my children, no matter what!” And I did. Even though I put a lot of work into the planning, I still had to choose to enjoy the journey from planning to being on our vacation. On any journey there will be challenges, disappointments, “I did not see that coming” and personal obstacles. It is tempting to give up and hide in those moments.
You may not be skipping or doing cartwheels every day on the journey, but that’s not what it is about. It is more about appreciating what is in the moments, the opportunities, and the people along your journey. Be intentional. Sometimes it just starts with a thought or verbal acknowledgment of being grateful for a new day!
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away.” ― Maya Angelou
See The Uncommon In Your Common Day
One way to enjoy your journey is to be intentional about looking for the uncommon in your common spaces. What does that mean? For instance, have you ever arrived at work and honestly don’t remember much of the drive to work…..why? It is common…you know the route by heart and are not paying attention to the environment around you. If there is construction, a detour, or new construction taking place, it becomes uncommon and gets your attention.
*Instead of asking the common “how are you” question, shake it up and make it uncommon by asking “what is new in your life” and really hear them.
*I used to ask my children at the dinner table “how did you fail forward today” to create a teachable moment for them. That question never failed to get a weird look from them...shake it up.
*Do you talk to the same colleagues at the same meeting? Make it uncommon and strike up a conversation with someone you don’t know very well.
*Do you walk or run the same common route? Take a new route and be intentional about the landscape or the sounds around you. If you prefer the same route, then be intentional to see or hear the uncommon around you. Embracing the uncommon moments in your common spaces can add a special ingredient as you enjoy your journey.
They Did Not See The Famous Violinist
🎻In 2007, onetime child-prodigy violinist, Joshua Bell played his violin in a D.C. subway during a busy, early rush hour morning. Just two days before, he sold out a concert set at a Boston theater. Joshua played incognito in the metro station organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, and people’s priorities. For 43 minutes, he performed six classical pieces.
🎻Over 1,097 people passed by him and only seven actually stopped and listened. He wore a baseball cap, jeans, and a long-sleeved T-shirt positioned against a wall beside a trash can. He played his violin, handcrafted in 1713 by Antonio Stradivariwhich Bell, which Joshua bought for over $3 million. He was bringing the people his best that morning.
🎻The people were so used to their COMMON environment they did not realize that an UNCOMMON class act was happening right in front of them. Were they just too busy, too preoccupied, too uncurious, or just disinterested in the best that classical music had to offer them that early morning?
🎻This story is a friendly reminder for us to be open to the UNCOMMON in our COMMON day or environment. If you miss the UNCOMMON in your COMMON environment, you may miss an opportunity to speak to a key person set up for you, miss a network connection, miss an opportunity to gain experience, grow or help others or just miss the beauty and miracles around you.
❓How can you be intentional about recognizing the UNCOMMON in your COMMON day?
HOW TO ENJOY YOUR JOURNEY: Part 1
Don’t miss opportunities by being focused on the problem
Remember YOU are Uncommon
Look for the Uncommon in your Common space
Enjoy where you are today while you get to where you want to be
Absorb the blessings in your life
Trust (and enjoy) the process
Stay grounded in Gratitude
Remind yourself what you get:
o I get to go to work
o I get a paycheck
o I have a car to drive
o I have a home
o I have peace
o I have a savings account
o I am blessed
HOW TO ENJOY YOUR JOURNEY: Part 2
1. Don’t say “I will be happy when…”
2. Pay attention to your perspective and attitude
3. Stay present
4. Write down what is working
5. Be intentional to enjoy YOUR journey
6. Celebrate each step today
Don’t Put The Cart Before The Horse
When you’re working towards a goal, it’s normal to focus on the destination and what will happen once you get there. But if that’s all you focus on, life can get out of balance.
You May Think You Will Only Be Happy When You Reach Your Destination: Reaching goals and building milestones are a process …with a lot of mundane “common” things in between. Enjoy the FULL journey from planning to destination.
Be Nimble and Flexible: You can’t control what you don’t know or what you know. You will get to your destination, but it may not go the way you planned or it may look different when you get there…it is all good.
“Oops” Will Happen: If your focus is off, your decisions may take you down a different path. Don’t get caught up in the hypes or shortcuts to make the journey quicker or shorter.
Value Where You Are In The Journey: The saying “stop and smell the roses” means something Take time to enjoy the beauty around you on your journey.
THIS I KNOW…. Gratitude, Gratitude, and Gratitude. Find something every single day to be grateful for. Tell people how much you appreciate them AND tell yourself how proud you are of yourself. Be amazed at what you are learning and how far you have come. I have learned over the years that every phase of life has ups and downs and “growing” opportunities. Make the most of where you are today and enjoy YOUR journey because life is short. There are only so many tomorrows.
"We don't attract what we want. We attract what we are" ― Unknown
I want to encourage you to embrace today with all of its challenges, risks, and mistakes. Embrace YOU! Don’t give up when a door or window closes…thank it for closing because another one is opening. That is part of enjoying the journey. As you decide to be intentional to enjoy your journey, be intentional to have fun as you step into the unknown with eyes open, curiosity on alert, and a mindset to expect great and mighty things to cross your path and take you to the next level. You don’t have to have all of the answers now or even understand each step.
“The journey is the reward”
If you would like to receive notice of my BLOGs, click HERE
Learn more about Courageous Living Today!