I recently had the privilege of going to Cancun, Mexico on a trip that I earned. What a dream! Working toward this trip taught me a lot about goals and offered a lot of opportunities for learning, growth, and valuable life lessons. But what I didn’t see coming were the lessons and reminders that would come while on my trip. Although, I guess it really shouldn’t surprise me. When we take the time to slow down and reflect, we get the unique opportunity to glean from the life that so often passes by in a haze.
Slowing down
And that is precisely what this trip offered me: the chance to not only slow down, but also to actually enjoy the slower pace that would normally leave me feeling guilty. Can you relate? It feels like there’s always something that needs to be done. Meal prep, laundry, caring for the home, paying bills, responding to emails and messages, plus a number of ministry and business-related tasks. Yet, when we take some time to intentionally slow down, it is always so, so good. I don’t know about you, but it’s like my brain shifts into an entirely different gear that I normally prevent it from going into. And it’s not only good, it’s healthy! For a planner like me, it’s healthy to allow myself to throw the schedule out the window, to take each day as it comes and just enjoy life.
I decided to be intentional on this trip to allow myself to just go with the flow. I wanted to welcome the quietness and enjoy the slow pace. And I did.
The beauty of digging in to your goals
This picture is more than some conch shells. To me, it symbolizes two things: perseverance and God’s lovingkindness.
While in Cancun, we went out to the beach. Some friends found a beautiful conch shell in the water. And then they found another, and another. So, I started looking. I mean, if they could find several in a relatively short period of time, surely I could find one too!
You see, the trick is to wade into the water and find the spot where the sand drops just enough to trap the rocks and shells that wash in with the tide. Then, you have to dig your toes down into the sand until you feel something. That’s the easy part. Once you find something, you have to grab it with your toes and hold on while the waves try to push you to shore. Once you have a chance, you can duck under the water and grab it to see what you found.
Lovingkindness
I looked for probably close to an hour. Every time I went under with the hopes of coming up with a conch shell, I came up with a rock and some salt water in my mouth instead. My friends continued to find more shells and they even gave me one. That was God’s lovingkindness shown to me through a friend. A beautiful, and generous gesture. But you know what? As much as I appreciated that sweet gift, I was still determined to find one myself. Partially because I really wanted to be able to show my kids, but also because I had set my mind to finding one and didn’t want to back down. Some might call that stubbornness. I call it determination.
Perseverance
So, I kept at it. I even took a break at one point. You know, the whole “this is a vacation so I should probably relax in a chair on the beach for at least a little bit” thing. And then I got back out there. And you know what? I finally found one. And it was absolutely beautiful! Did it come as easily as I would have liked? No. Did I have to take in some salt water in the process? Yes. But, perseverance and determination paid off.
Pushing fear aside
Another incredible opportunity we had while on the trip in Cancun was to snorkel. This was my first time and it was honestly one of the things I was looking forward to the most. In fact, I was so excited I never even considered the idea of being afraid or nervous. But then my feet hit the water and the rush of fear hit me like a brick. I suddenly couldn’t breathe and had no idea what to do with this new feeling. I’ve never had a panic attack before in my life, but I’m pretty certain that is what this was. Something about breathing through my mouth while under water felt so uncomfortable and scary!
But, yet again, I was determined. I did not want to let this fear keep me from doing something I’ve wanted to do for years. So I put my big girl pants on and took a moment to get comfortable with my new best friend. I discovered that slow, deep breaths were what I needed to do, and that’s all it took. The next thing I knew I was swimming all over the place, having the time of my life!
The other side of fear
Now, I realize that overcoming fears is not always that quick or easy. But, I hope this story is an encouragement to you if you are currently standing in the face of fear, looking for a way to the other side. Because, my friend, the other side is a beautiful place to be. Enjoying the beauty of what life has to offer is way better than missing out because you’re too afraid to try. And, if you do try and don’t find success right away, that’s okay too. Just keep trying.
Or, in the words of my friend, Dory,
“Just keep swimming…just keep swimming…”
Do the hard things
Sometimes the most uncomfortable situations can bring the most beautiful rewards. Think about a pearl. It’s created when an “irritant” gets inside the mollusk of an oyster or mussel. The process can take 2-4 years, but the end result? Absolutely breathtaking.
When my daughter started school this year (in person for the first time), I gave
her a necklace with the words “Beautiful girl, you can do hard things” engraved on it. I want to teach her how important it is to set goals, even the scary ones. I want her to know that it’s okay when things aren’t easy, when the goals are achieved as quickly as we’d like. I want her to remember that she has access to the One who has limitless strength, all she has to do is lean in. And, you know, I think sometimes us “big people” could use these reminders too.
Go find your pearls
These may seem like silly examples, but they were powerful moments for me and a great reminder for just how important it is to set goals and stick to them, even when fear sets in or things don’t go the way we hoped.
The road to health can be hard. Choosing to pursue health is not easy and it’s not convenient. Whether you’re currently focusing on physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual health, the journey is never a straight line. It can feel like a wave is taking you under. There can be moments where you feel like you can’t breathe. It can leave you feeling like you want to just give up and take the easy road. But, don’t do it. The end result that comes when you set goals and determine to keep pursuing them no matter what is a beautiful thing.
So, set those goals! Even those big, hairy-scary goals. And don’t be afraid to keep pursuing those goals, even when it may feel hopeless. Because you just never know when the hard work will pay off. And when it does, you’ll be so glad you stuck it out. You have pearls waiting for you, my friend. Go find them!
