Are you awake?
Are you awake? No, I don’t mean the kind of awake after you have had your 5th cup of morning coffee, I mean the kind of awake that allows you to be fully aware of your life, it’s beauty, it’s direction and it’s purpose…YOUR PURPOSE. This was one of those questions that rocked my world when I was in college. It was a question that was asked of me when it appeared that my life was just one big hectic ball of stress (because it was). My answer at the time? “Of course I am awake, I am busy! I am doing things with my life! I am happy!” But was I really? Or was I just filling up space to avoid myself entirely?
At the time, I was going to school, working 3 jobs, a college athlete….I thought being awake meant filling every second of every day with something. I was ambitious! I couldn’t sit around and do nothing…I had goals! I was wrong.
When we fill our days to the maximum we miss out on something incredibly important, our thoughts and our true selves. As much we think our sports, hobbies, careers and family roles define us, they do not. Think about it…are you the same person as a parent as you are out with your friends? How about at work? Are you 100% yourself at work? What about in front of a stranger? You might not be incredibly different at each of these, but most people “tweak” their personality for each of situation, which is normal and appropriate.
These are all simply hats that we wear, they are not the true souls that are deep within us, they only scratch the surface. Sadly, most of us do not even know our true selves very well because we are too busy keeping up with these roles that consume us. But if we spend time with ourselves, listen to our thoughts, become aware of our feelings…we become better parents, employees, friends, athletes, etc. We become better at LIFE.
Have you ever had one of those moments where life is going by so fast and you have an unexpected quiet moment to yourself? What happens during that moment? Do you have a total breakdown? That is a true sign that you have ignored yourself. Are you REALLY doing what YOU want for your life? Are you in the right relationship? The right career? Don’t answer that right away, simply give yourself some silence to think about it. The more aware and awake you are with yourself the more clarity you will have, guaranteed. And the less you will stray away from your path.
So often in life we are searching for answers, and the answers are within us the entire time. We just don’t think to look for them there. We are sprinting as soon as the alarm goes off until we plop down exhausted in bed, of course we have no idea where our life is at, we don’t have time to think about it! Take time. Say NO to some things. Take a 15 minute walk in the middle of your day by yourself…or my favorite just find a spot and sit. Try to sit in silence and see what pops in your head, you will be amazed at what is hiding in that beautiful heart and soul of yours.
I am guilty as they come for this, it is something I have to fight every day. I am known for filling my calendar, overloading myself with work and school, you name it. But thankfully, I have come to a point now that I know exactly when I am overdue for some “awake time”. It is when I start to feel restless, anxious and moody that I know I need to go to my thinking spot and ask my self some check in questions. Am I happy here? Am I still on the right path? What is upsetting me? Do I have the power to change it? If I am patient enough in my silence, the answers always come.
Stay blessed in the mess, friends 🙂
So often
