Stay the Course

 

“You know in your heart when you’re doing the right thing and when you’re not. And you just have to do everything you can to stay the course.” ~ Emily Giffin

This week, one of my favourite podcasts was celebrating its 100th episode. This month marked the launch of a friend’s podcast, and another was celebrating their one month on the air. The most common question for people celebrating milestones is ‘how did you stay the course?’ We all want to know the secret to their consistency and tenacity. But is there really a secret?

When I started this blog in January of this year, I made a commitment to show up with a new article every Friday. It has been 10 months and 43 blog posts later and some days it’s been fun but others a struggle. But I gave my word and I value my word so show up I must. And that is one way to stay the course. That is one secret to tenacity – integrity.

At the beginning of the year, I wanted to give my fasting practice a revamp and decided instead of doing the usual 2 long fasts at the beginning and middle of the year, I would do a weekly fast every quarter of the year instead. The last three went by fine but when this quarter rolled by, I found myself resisting. A quick review of my annual goals reminded me that I had a pending item and the nagging voice of my conscience was quick to ask me if I wanted to live with the guilt of breaking my word to myself. I can report I kept my word and I’ve never felt better – physically, emotionally, spiritually. Do what you said you’d do and it will be easier to live with yourself knowing you have been honest with yourself.

Les Brown likes to finish his motivational speeches with the phrase: “You have something special; you have greatness in you.” If you’re still here after the upheaval of the last 20 months, surely you must have been left behind for a purpose and a reason. As the year winds down, what could you achieve in the remaining 70 days of the year if you just stayed the course on a particular goal?

Would you catch up to your reading goal for the year? Could you learn a new skill you’ve been putting off?  Is there a project that’s been begging to be completed? A place you’ve been planning to visit and have yet to get off the couch?

Remember we are only guaranteed today, in fact now, this minute in which you are breathing – not tomorrow. So, “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” ~ Pablo Picasso.

And if you have come this far but feel like it’s been hopeless, don’t give up or throw in the towel. The night always feels darkest just before the dawn. Stay the course; you will be grateful you did when the sun comes up. And it always rises.

“Without hope, I wouldn’t even try. Hope lifts me to consider new possibilities so I can stay the course of my desire, no matter what.” ~ Sharon Weil

Comments

  1. Kevin OderoOctober 22, 2021 at 8:23 AM

    Honesty with self. I think if we can be honest with self we'll find that we'll be honest with others and even God.

    ReplyDelete

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