#8 Your Mighty Roar

I feel like a lot of times we talk about boldness like it’s something we have to get hyped up for. Like we need to really psych ourselves up to live life loud for the day. What I have found is actually just the opposite. The more I steady my mind and clear out the demons that clutter up my decision-making, the more I am naturally confident about how I choose to live my life. You don’t need to force yourself to dance in your room when it’s clean, it’s just a natural result of the process.

And let me say this: when I say bold, I don’t necessarily mean that you do anything ridiculous or dramatic. It might be bold for you to say “no” to a night out with your friends because you’d rather be at home reading a book.You may find yourself telling your dad that he was never there for you, or declaring to your old-time, opposite-sex friend that you have always found them extremely attractive. Boldness isn’t just about what others see, but the inner-workings behind it as well. For me, that has been breaking routine. I have been known to obsess over doing the same things day-in, day-out for weeks, months, and even years sometimes. I love my life steady and stable, and I’m happier when I can see what’s coming down the pipe.

With that being said, the way to let your light shine with its greatest brightest is to declutter, healing all the hurts and fears that weigh you down. The more you heal, the less your fears and insecurities will weigh you down, and the more you will find yourself naturally dancing and celebrating the life you have been given. If you focus on the process of living a healthier life, you will find yourself naturally stepping into better decisions. Maybe you will even find yourself doing some of the things that used to scare you! All because you have set your mind free from the shackles that bind it!

But this process will take work. You will have to be intentional about setting aside some time to grow. It may seem a bit difficult at first, so tinker with the process until you find something that works for you. For certain projects, I find a weekly schedule is best. For others, a little variety is needed. There are other things to think about like the hours that work best, the methods or programs, and many other things. But what you want to do is to explore some of the thoughts that are going on in your head. See what you’re really thinking and believing about life, others, and yourself. There are plenty of guides, suggestions, and even apps that help you get the ball rolling. Take some time to figure out what works best for you.

And although there may be times when you have to really pluck up the courage to do something big, those moments will be very few and far between. And making those decisions will get easier once you begin to develop your boldness. Sure, they may still stress you out a little, but it won’t be nearly as bad as if you had never done any improvement in the first place. Your everyday life will slowly grow from an acorn into a mighty oak tree. And if you keep cleaning your head and getting closure on all of your problems, you will eventually become a force of nature, tamed by none. 

But sometimes it may feel like things will never get any easier. Like the clutter and the mess in your head will never actually clear up. To that I say have faith! Keep going and don’t quit! Yes, it’s tough. Yes, there’s a lot to work on. But the harder you fight, the greater your reward! You’ll never get anywhere if you give up, so you may as well keep on trucking! Focus on the progress you have made and celebrate it! Rejoice that you have come this far, and let that rejoicing drive you forward into a greater future and a whole new you! I pray you find the courage, as well as the time, to find the healing you need. I pray that healing finds you where you are, that you embrace the Almighty Healer with open arms. 

Actually, before I go, I ought to talk about my source of healing: God. I know it sounds corny. It sounds a little wacky, but God has all but replaced my need for a shrink. I promised I’d never sound like “that guy,” but I guess here we are. Oh well, I don’t trust shrinks anyway, so maybe God is just letting me keep my contempt for now. 

He has been my guide for several years now, showing up in a variety of ways through my everyday life. All I have had to do is let go of the need to do things my way, and show up willing to do whatever work He gives me. And what does “His lead” look like? I’d say it’s something quite magical indeed! Sometimes, a situation shifts while I pray about it. Other times, I get a verse from the Bible that reminds me of something going on in my life. And other times, it’s an “aha!” moment from something I have seen online. And usually, it’s a combination of all of the above. Either way, I am a changed man because I have followed His lead, and I am grateful for His intervention in my life. 

Let me share a personal tale that happened recently in my own life. So there I was, reading my bible as I do every day (which, by the way, helps a lot to tune into the Big Man Upstairs,) and I found myself at psalm 1. In my particular version, it read “how happy is the man…who does not sit in the company of mockers.” I read those words and my mind instantly jumped to the group I was stationed with at work. They were a crass bunch, even by construction standards. 

I pondered this for a bit. How could I disassociate from the people I have to work with? Does this mean I can’t be happy for a while? As I pondered this over the next several days, something strange happened. I was actually asked to work with a different team on the construction site! At first I thought it was for a day or two, but it eventually became a permanent shift that has been in effect until the time of writing this. 

Sometimes, God yoinks me out of a bad spot. Other times, He uses it to pull a bunch of gunk out of my head. Either way, I’m ready to hear His call and for Him to tell me where He wants me. It has been a wild ride that I guarantee you can go on as well if you only look upward and tell Him you’re in. But you have to mean it. You have to give up doing things your way if He says so. It may seem like torture at times, but it all works out for something gooder and bigger. Just take the ride and see! There you go, I’ve given my two-minute sermon. I pray this message has spoken to you, and that you are ushered into a deeper paradise, one that guarantees greater freedom and liberation!

Until next time

May Peace be your Guide.