Letting Go Of The “Woulda Coulda Shouldas”

Have you ever experienced those thoughts in your head, the ones when you wonder what would have happened if you had made a different decision, chosen a different path? I call them the “Would Coulda Shouldas” and what I have finally determined is that they do not usually do you justice. They do not help you feel better with where you are at or what you are experiencing in the present moment.

The “Woulda Coulda Shouldas” are a reflection of events after they have happened. They are completely capable of sending you off to swim in a pool of guilt or wishful thinking. They are usually drenched in the wonderings of what might have been if you had chosen the other option.

Usually “Woulda Coulda Shouldas” is the distinction between what is reality and what you think could have happened if you had made a different choice. Everyone does this at times, but to be in a constant state of second guessing is no way to live. It only leads to inviting in the feelings of frustration and disappointment. We limit ourselves from living full out in a place of acceptance and joy.

An important thing to remember is that there are no mistakes. Everything happens in divine timing when you hold trust and faith close to your heart. It serves you to live in the now and be present to who and what is around you. Never take anything or anyone for granted, rather make it a daily habit to look through the eyes of gratitude for what is.

So for our Week Two Wellness Challenge I ask you to leave the “Woulda Coulda Shouldas” at the door and allow yourself to live fully in the present moment. For one week release yourself from the grips of the past and allow yourself the gift of being here now, as the fully expressive, beautiful person that you are. Do not hold back your laughter, love, and light. Realize that your past experiences are what have shaped you into the amazing human being that you are today. Enjoy.

The One Week Challenge: Know Self And Get Healthy Now!

Knowing oneself… sure seems to be a lot of talk about this lately. To know oneself or not know oneself… that is surely the question of this century. I actually think that knowing oneself is a journey and luckily one that many more people are choosing to take. Along with knowing oneself comes the knowledge on what works for you and what doesn’t. If we block out the media and the opinions of others, we find that there is an inherent intuitiveness about oneself inside. This intuition was there when we were born and will always be there. Even when we go through life and “stuff” happens, such as health concerns and financial distraught, this knowingness is still there. It certainly may not feel like it has piled up layers of stress on top, but it truly is something that we can never lose. Yes, we can lose touch with it, but it is forever there to tap into once again.

I say TUNE IN! Listen to what is being said in the quietness of you, inside. Learn to navigate by this compass so that you can derail unneeded, no-fun events before they happen, including poor health. Trust yourself to know what is good for you. Once you understand the value of you, then others will follow suit. You put out into the world the magnificent self that you are and guess what you get in return? You get love, opportunity, optimism, strength, forgiveness, health, and wealth. You attract your reflection.

Even though you may be reading this and truly understanding it, sometimes it is hard to know where to start. I say let’s take it one step at a time and start with your health, for really without your health, what do you have? It amazes me when I hear that people are striving for the next promotion at work or the coolest new car, but yet they are moving through life at a lethargic pace, barely able to fully focus for their body is not working at an optimal level. That is one reason why it is so important to put your health first. When you get your health in balance, the other parts of your life will follow suit and you will have a much more enjoyable time getting there.

So this is what I am going to ask of you. I am going to ask you to pick one thing, now don’t get overwhelmed and think it has to be something crazy like lose 100 pounds tomorrow, just one simple thing that you can start putting into action today. I challenge you to make a special effort to do this one thing on a consistent basis for one week. Are you going to make sure you are hydrating daily? Or perhaps you are going to make sure to get eight hours of sleep a night? Or, start your day off with a balanced breakfast? Whatever you choose I want you to stay consistent and committed for one week. The bottom line? You are your own best friend. If you are not going to take care of yourself enough to allow your natural beauty to shine, who will?

~A New Perspective

So I’m watching this video in my small group tonight, and it’s all about community and being there for one another. I mean, the host of the movie even talks about that verse that discusses the group who sold all of their belongings and lived in a state of “what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine.”

And I found myself desperately trying to hold back tears.

Quite honestly, I was at first embarrassed by my emotions at such a random time. And this wasn’t the first time this has happened.

A few weeks ago I attended a conference where Steven Curtis Chapman’s wife discussed the death of their daughter. I was completely choked up.

Last night, I heard the news of a young boy who was killed in a tragic racing accident, and I have been distraught over this ever since. And I’ve never even met the kid, or heard of him until his death, yet I’m laying in my bed crying. What has gotten to me?

I say all of this because I have come to one vital conclusion. I needn’t be embarrassed by these revelations for this reason: what plagues me plagues God too.

Remember that song “Hosanna” where the bridge goes “Break my heart for what breaks yours?” I do. It has been a frequent prayer of mine in the past few months. I want God to reveal to me what affects Him, what breaks His heart, what brings Him joy.

In their book Captivating, John and Stasi Eldredge discuss the feminine soul and heart. One thing they say is that God is revealed through women. They challenge the reader with this: the next time you are with a woman, ask yourself, ‘what does she teach me about God?’

Ever since I read that challenge, it has stuck in my head. Some people might call what I have described above as overemotional, but what if it’s not? What if it’s a reflection of the heart of the Lord?

What if the reason a sad story about someone you’ve never met affects you so much because God is revealing Himself to you?

What if what the world calls overemotional is actually just being in touch with the Spirit of the Lord?

So I want to take John and Stasi’s challenge further: the next time you feel your heart plagued by someone or something or some story, instead of brushing off the feelings as craziness, ask God if this is His way of revealing His heart to you.

You might just be surprised by the answer.