Blessed Wednesday, y'all. It's been a minute in a half since I've published a personal post, and I could come up with a million excuses why, but I'll spare you.
Lately, I've been doing a lot of running - and not because I'm training for my first marathon either. For the last several months, I've found myself running from thoughts and feelings that often left me confused, overwhelmed and even doubtful. As a result, I've conjured scenarios (and even uttered some aloud) that seem like viable solutions, but are in fact concrete avoidance to the problems I haven't wanted to face for a very long time.
[*cue "Running"*]
I know what you're probably thinking: "Chas, but you're always so positive about all of the things. You couldn't possibly have an ounce of doubt in your system!"
Well friend, I'm flattered that you think so much of me, but even the most positive people on Earth have moments when they have no idea WTF is going on.
But once I stopped running, dried my tears, took a few deep breaths and truly assessed the situation, I discovered that what I'm currently experiencing is a transitional shift. Transition from one chapter of your life to the next is one thing, but the idea of moving and growing simultaneously can make your head spin. It's uncomfortable, raw, emotional and has required me to be brutally honest with myself at times. (Can I get a witness, anybody?) From the goals I want to accomplish professionally in the next year, to the type of personal relationships I want in my space, to how I'm spending my time and energy on a daily basis, this season of transition has truly been one of infinite growth.
tran·si·tion: the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.
shift: a slight change in position, direction, or tendency.
Maybe it's because I'm a millennial, but I've noticed that a number of us are points in our journeys where we're being required to stretch further, hustle harder and flex that faith muscle like never before. Our desires are becoming more apparent, our strengths are showing themselves more boldly and we're recognizing that we have to let go of old ways in order to level up properly.
And you know what we need to do, y'all? Trust the hell out of it.
Because I love y'all and want you to flourish, here are the four things that I've found helpful during this transition process:
- Journaling. Writing has always been my release, but as of late, I've become a lot more intentional with it. Since August 1st, I've made it my mission to jot down my thoughts at least once a day (preferably in the morning) as a way to set the tone for my day. Many thanks to Ashley Coleman's #WritersWriteWLD challenge, I've also been able to deliberately reflect on moments in which I've felt the most broken and to those that have positively contributed to my growth. Writing is a form of healing, and I highly suggest picking up the pen whenever you get the chance.
- Talking about it. With my family, friends and other trusted advisers, vocalizing these thoughts and feelings has allowed for me to paint a picture that is much more positive than negative. If you know me personally, then you know that I have a tendency to kick off my shoes and relax my feet in my head - and it sometimes isn't the hippest be place to be. During this time, I've had to literally push myself to acknowledge my feelings, accept them and figure out the necessary steps I can take to owning my healing process. There won't always be an immediate solution to the tough questions you may ask yourself, and that's okay! Progress is a process, so I've had to be patient. Which leads me to my next point...
- Extending grace + mercy -- to myself. I am my own worst critic. I put the most pressure on myself and sometimes set the bar a little bit too high. But here's the thing - even when I feel like I'm not good enough, I remember that God will never, ever give me more than I can handle. Yes, mistakes, disappointments and failure happen, but that doesn't mean we resort to throwing the most lit pity party of the century. We humans are fragile creatures, and aren't build to always have our sh*t together. As much as I want to be superwoman 24/7/365, sometimes I just need a moment to relax, relate and release. We don't have to chase what's God sent, so take give yourself a break and enjoy the ride.
- Being still. Silence isn't golden for nothing. Taking a moment just to quiet the loud thoughts in my mind and center myself on a daily has been a huge help. I get anxious and tend to stress out about little things, which in turn causes me to want to move (both literally and figuratively.) Enter prayer and meditation. We live in a society that is constantly on the go, and usually to nowhere important. When you make the time to seek peace and quiet, you'll find that clarity arrives much quicker than you could ever imagine.
My dear friend, it's time that we stop running from ourselves and trust the direction in which we're going. Everything we need to create the lives we've always wanted is already inside of us - we just need to tune into it. Silence the noise, faith your fear, and trust the shift that's happening in your life right now.
I believe in you,
Chasity
P.S. Last night's #WhoRunTheWorld Twitter chat with the phenomenal creator of the #blkcreatives Network Melissa Kimble touched on this very topic. Click here for a recap of the conversation and be sure to share a gem you thought was helpful!