My Hands Can't Hold It

The other day, I was reflecting on a certain situation (as I often do) that suggested I hadn’t achieved much in my life and therefore wasn’t really successful.  I really mulled over it and sadly, almost believed it. But then I also thought, “Well once I get that, then what?” Will I look for something else to make me feel like I’ve “made” it?  That’s when I stopped and realized…what someone tried to tell me didn’t equate to success, I actually…already…have it.

I say this because things…people…places…are tangible and don’t get me wrong…enjoyable!  However, all of these things can change, disappear, or even be destroyed.  But what I can’t see that applies to my life, can’t change, be destroyed or taken…unless I allow it.  Tangible things can be altered by others; the intangible can only be affected by me.

So, what am I saying?

Sitting and reflecting the other day provided me, in Oprah’s words, an “aha” moment.

My success are the lessons I’ve learned in life so far, that has produced the person that I am today.  What I can’t see also can’t be held…

Heartbreak, disappointment, misunderstanding, abuse, mistreatment, loss, dark times, absence…these things taught me, but the lessons from each one is actually what makes me successful!

How?

What I’ve learned from each one of these added a layer of the “created” me on top of the foundation of who I am.  These things are what causes me to navigate life in a mature way…in a way that I have empathy for others who just may be experiencing where I’ve been.  You see, each of those things I mentioned are places I’ve already visited. You can always remember when you were in a particular place and it wasn’t good, right? 

Is it more important that you just remember or that you learned from it?  Let me tell you…the latter will always change your life for the better…no matter how bad it was!  Do you kind of see what I’m saying now?

Lessons you learn…can’t be held.  They’re felt. They’re lived.

When you live from what you’ve learned, that makes you successful!  How many people have you come across and you look at them and say, “Did they not learn their lesson from____?”  You’d be surprised at how many people carry bitterness from what happened instead of learning from it and making it work for them.  But…the other question is how many times have you not learned the lesson?

I encourage you today to take the time to reflect on the intangible and ask the question: Am I going to continue to be mad about certain situations or am I going to become more of who I need to be?

That my friend, is success.

It can’t be taken or destroyed…unless you act as if you didn’t learn the lesson. What I’ve learned and lived through is not something I can hold in my hands…it’s in my heart…it’s what comes out of me.  It guides my decision making…it confirms my discernment…it navigates me through situations that were meant to trip me up.

I ask again: are you staying mad or becoming more?

Please know that when you decide to become more, success is inevitable. The “successful you” can’t be held…your hands don’t know what to do with it.  It is only the result of success that can be held or touched…the dream home, car, job, salary, the place on your “bucket list” to visit, etc.  And…I want you to experience it ALL!

However, being able to touch or hold something you’ve always wanted without becoming who you were meant to be, is the same as the person that’s the picture of health on the outside, but their internal organs are shutting down. What is on the inside of them, is controlling their real quality of life. 

Do you understand? Your internal organs must be inside and not outside of you…if your heart was in your hands, you wouldn’t know it, because you’d be deceased! There’s no way for you to literally hold your heart in your hands and do it on your own.  Am I making sense?  What makes you function and LIVE, has to be…inside.

And what’s inside can never be taken away from you.  

Why do you think organ donors are so vital?  What comes from the inside of them can be put on the inside of another person to help them…live. I think you see my point now.

Knowledge, empathy, compassion, education, love, kindness, patience, gentleness, faith, hope, encouragement…. all of these come from within.  You cannot hold these things in your hand!!! They can’t be destroyed…the only way they’re not given, is if YOU don’t give them.  And you can’t give them if you don’t possess them.

All I’m saying is, learn the lesson…become more…and be the kind of success that lives long after you stop breathing.

Have you had time to reflect now?  Are you successful?

I’ll bet you are…and didn’t…even…know it.