In this world where it seems as if our worth is defined by how busy we are, we can sometimes feel the pressure to “keep going” and “continue pushing” without stopping – especially nowadays where we have immediate access to digital devices that bring the world to our fingerprints. We can send emails from bed, reply to texts during our morning commute to work, and scroll through the endless updates and photos on social media.
I don’t know about you but sometimes it seems like stopping for a moment is the adversary to achieving our dreams. I hear many people talk about hustling harder and working harder but is it crazy to stop every now and then to evaluate our lives?
So you know I’m going to ask you – when was the last time that you stopped and evaluated where you currently are in your life?
Of course you can keep going and going and giving more and more effort to your desires, but what I want you to do is ask yourself is this , “Is what I am giving worth what I am getting back in return?” You do not need me to tell you that we are natural givers as women; we give so much of ourselves to others and tend to put ourselves at the very bottom of the list.
Sometimes in life, we have to pause for a moment and take a real good look at our lives current state. If all is fine then continue your show, but if there are things that you see that you do not like, then make it your business to change it.
I believe in pursuing quiet time with God just to listen to Him and my spirit. If I’m not in tune with myself, my soul and my spirit then everything else in my life will probably be a hot mess. Today, I took time to sit alone in a coffee shop and reevaluate not only where I am but also where I want to go. We can get so caught up in the day-to-day of our lives that we lose ourselves in the process.
Take a moment to examine your daily life and see what you give most of your time and effort towards. Is what you are giving worth what it is that you are getting in return? Is the job you are currently at worth all the stress? Is the relationship you are currently in, worth all the tears you’ve cried? Is the constant online shopping worth the debt? Where are you getting the most return on your investments? Or are you even getting any returns at all? Sometimes what we are giving has more value than what we are getting back.
You may be giving our time (which is the most precious gift that we have), our money, our attention, our energy, our talents, our gifts or our influence and we should take the time to assess what we are receiving in return. If your job (or the money) is not worth the constant frustration that you are experiencing then it may be time to pursue a new job. If spending too much time looking at social media every day is making you feel insecure about your life, then it’s time to get off Facebook and make the necessary changes. If volunteering your home to host the weekly church meetings is becoming too hectic for your schedule, then stop volunteering your home.
I know it may not always be that simple, but I’m learning that it most cases it is. Change is not an event but a process that starts with a decision. A decision is followed by a journey and that decision is yours to make.
Please take the time to evaluate where you are, what you are giving and what you are getting in return, you’re worth it!
XOXO,
Maria I. Melendez
@embraceherlegacy