Revelation for Business:

So, something came to me this morning and it hit so strongly that I felt I had to do something with it, to create something from it and to invite others in.  So, here is a bit of revelation for you.  Do you ever get stuck feeling like you are never where your hopes and dreams are for your business?  Like you are always behind, always failing, never measuring up?  I know I can be super successful with some bits and pieces of my business and yet feel as if I am failing all at the same time, because I always want more for myself.  There is a piece of this driven heart and driven spirit that I believe is good, as it continues to drive me forward in achieving new things, however, it is also incredibly detrimental to my mental health and well-being, never being good enough for myself.  It all came to me this morning as I read through Psalm 78.  

Psalm 78: God Never Being Enough for You: 

Vs. 15-16" He split the rocks in the dessert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like the rivers" 

vs. 17-18 "But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the dessert against the Most High.  They willfully put God to the test, by demanding the food they craved". 

vs. 20 "When he struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly.  But can he also give us food?  Can he supply meat for his people?

This entire chapter really hit home for me today.  How many times has God supplied exactly what I needed for the day, and yet I continue to whine, complain and look down on my circumstances, because I am not getting the food that I am craving, I am not accomplishing the dreams I have for the future right now?  God is good and gracious, and yet how many times do I essentially tell God that He is not good enough for me, that He is not providing me with enough or helping me in the ways I want Him to, like a genie in a bottle?  I am so guilty of this, and as a result, my business suffers because I continually look at the negative aspects or the what-ifs instead of the thank you and have happened for today.  Are you ever with me in this?  Anyone else have water gushing out before them, and yet continually seem to focus on the cravings they are lacking?  What is it with our culture today that we are so caught up in the future and dreams that we forget to be grateful in the here and the now?  Don't get me wrong, dreams are amazing and essential.  They are needed in business and life in general, but they should not suck the joy out of the present and blind us from the incredible moments happening daily.  

From Inadequate to Grateful: 

So, what I have decided, an action step I am going to begin taking is to begin to write down my successes in my business each day.  To praise the little things, to be grateful for each step along the way.  For that is truly important in and of itself, is it not?  Being grateful in the small things allows us to remain humble in the big things.  And as I hope that my dreams are fully accomplished and then some, it would all truly be a failure if I get there and yet have an ungrateful, prideful heart once I am there.  That is not the life I am wishing to live.  I must correct my attitude, my way of thinking now, while I am small in order to have any hope of maintaining joy as I grow.  

#GratefulHeartInBus

So, practically how am I going to accomplish this?  I have decided that I am simply going to start a hashtag #gratefulheartinbus .  This will be a place that I am committing to posting to once a week in order to keep me accountable to remaining grateful in the small things and acknowledging the small accomplishments as well as the large.   I would love for you to take part if you would like as to create a community of fellow business entrepreneurs all rejoicing and remaining grateful in the platforms we have been placed in.  You can be a photographer, a designer, a florist, a massage therapist, a personal trainer.  You name it.  Let's create a space to be encouraged by one another and continually able to see the small gains of each other and rejoice and uplift each other.  

Changed Minds Change Character

I truly believe that as we change our mindsets, our character changes as well.  The outpouring of our hearts change and we can truly be able to live within the hope and freedom we were created for.  I don't want to be stuck in the bondage of failure any longer.  We each have a very specific and unique purpose, and there is enough business in the world for everyone, so let's strive to walk away from comparison and negative self talk about our own businesses and walk in the freedom to hope and dream, being grateful for one small task at a time, one person at a time, one gift at a time.  I truly believe that as we take that next right step, like I talked about in my last post that we will be on our way to greatness.  It may look like a lot of tiny failures even, but I know that as we look back we will see the mountains we have climbed.  Cheering you guys on!! Cannot wait to see your successes tiny and small alike as well! 

To read more about just doing the next best thing, check out my previous post: When you Feel Like you Don't Know the Way

And, don't forget to start tagging some images #GratefulHeartInBus to share some of your successes each week!!  (Or more! ;) Post as often as you would like!) 

~Let's do this together friends, 

     Laura