Hello Me

Lesson Learned: ‘Put your oxygen mask on first before assisting others’. An important life lesson I choose to continue to embrace as I enter this new year. It’s nothing new but it has kept me from imploding time and time again. This is not the chronicle of the self-indulged, self-absorbed narcissist. One may say it’s the wisdom acquired from the error of trying to be all things to everyone while running on empty. If you’ve ever found yourself mentally or emotionally overwhelmed, you are familiar with that need to breathe. That need to step aside to check on the inner self. Ever so often, I’ve found it necessary to sit face to face with me. Times to have those conversations- even the uncomfortable ones. I’ll share two things I’ve had to check on periodically.

Sometimes we need to ask ourselves the hard questions. Reflect on our ‘whys’ and check our motives. Censor those actions that are impelled by the need to be ‘men pleasers’. Those behaviors that drain us to the core. I find we are all driven by something or someone. These forces either inspire us to be better or sap our energy. It’s important to do frequent check-ins on our ‘whys’. Occasionally we may have to do some recalibrations and adjustments to make sure we are still operating from a healthy place. Nothing kills our passion for life like pursuing that impossible task of trying to please everyone. Here’s a question that has served as a compass for me: “Am I now trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please people?…..” (Galatians 1:10). This has freed me in so many ways. With God’s grace, my aim is to please Him. I find those that truly have a place in my story will somehow get why I do what I do. I’m at peace with those who don’t.

Secondly, we can easily commit spiritual and emotional suicide when we refuse to release people and things. Unforgiveness, grudges, resentment, hard-heartedness, spitefulness, vindictiveness, and even coldness are all different sides of the same coin. It doesn’t matter how we explain it or seek to justify it – it spells poison. There has to be a moment when we seek to come clean. Have that honest conversation about the little foxes we’ve been harboring. Lying to ourselves is counterproductive. As we journey on to freedom, we must first admit and confess those pockets of toxins hidden in our hearts. This is how we begin to breathe again, unencumbered from the burden of a tainted heart. Release is such a beautiful thing. It benefits us so much more than the prisoners we’ve held captive. Let it go!

So while we seek to make better health choices for the new year [as is common for us all], let’s not overlook those things that can potentially suck the life out of us. Let’s heed the advice of scriptures: ” ..Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that easily entangles us and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).” Take a minute to check those vitals. Take care of that hidden part that often no one sees but God. That part that provides fuel for the fire we so need to remain lit in this sometimes dark world. We need each other’s ‘shine’ – let’s aim not to show up on empty this year. We serve best when it is done from an overflow.

A moment of silence
Just with me
Checking the pulse
Asking the whys
Peeling back the layers
Quieting the lies
Opening those door
Barred shut for so long
Giving the wounds air
Stopping the bleeding
Breathe in
Breathe out
She rises
Comes alive
Hello me
Hello world