I spent some time on the phone with a dear friend of mine this morning. We were discussing our roads we were each on, both going through some difficult times. As we both commiserated how hard it is to find hope on the roads we are each on, I began to share how far I had come in my journey…I just couldn’t see it from where I am currently standing.
It’s a lot like when I am out hiking in the mountains. When I start at the base of the mountain, I can’t see the complete path to the top. There are very few trails that go straight up the side of the mountain (and for good reason!). Most often I can only see a few feet in front of me and a few feet behind me. That makes it challenging to know how far I am from the top, or looking back how far I’ve come. Honestly, at times it can actually be a bit depressing, not unlike where I currently am in my journey.
And so, I’ve learned over these years of hiking up mountains to embrace the moment. To enjoy where I am. To soak in what I am seeing and experiencing. To not be so consumed with the end result. To put one step in front of the other. I think I need to embrace that same skill in my daily life as well. How about you? Are you at a place where it is hard to see the end and you are looking for hope?
- Do you feel like you are in dead-end job? Or lack of a job? Having a hard time seeing how you will find fulfillment or find a job?
- Are you struggling in a relationship? Not sure how you will get out of it or endure it?
- Does your dream still feel like that, just a dream? Ready to throw in the towel?
Three things help us when we can’t see the end and are looking for hope on our journey:
- Remember how far you’ve come from. Chances are you haven’t just been sitting there. Recount the steps you have taken. Remind yourself of the wins you have already had.
- Enlist a friend to help. When we share about our challenges and frustrations, our friends, our true friends, can be a source of encouragement.
- One step at a time. Some days it is simply taking one step. And then one more step. And then more step.
I got off the phone feeling a bit better about how far I had come. I had made progress, I just needed a friend to highlight that. I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’m going to take it one step at a time…embrace the moment…and feel that exhilaration when I hit the end!