The Challenge

We're all presented with challenges in our life. Whether it be challenges at work, with family members or with ourselves and the thoughts running through our heads. Rather than ruminating over every little detail of the challenge and wondering what caused it or what we could've done to prevent it, let's accept this challenge.

Challenges often present themselves to teach us a lesson and make us better in the long run. So I like to think of these challenges as gifts from God and growth opportunities, not punishments. Think of your challenge like a long-term class project, and the ultimate goal is getting an A.

My challenge these days is staying in the moment and relaxing. There used to be a time when I had no problem relaxing. I was floating around doing whatever I wanted, not thinking twice about it. Just living life. That's it. I didn't even know it, but life was so EASY back then.

Now, with new responsibilities (work, house, dog, bills, big adult dreams and such) it's gotten a little difficult for me to fully enjoy a relaxing moment. I love laying on the couch after a long day at work, but I don't feel super relaxed and I wouldn't say that I'm really enjoying it. I'm thinking about the show, or what happened during my day and I feel exhausted. I'm really tired - rather than relaxed and enjoying the bliss that is a carefree moment.

On the weekends when I'm not quite as tired, sure I'll relax a bit, but I'm always thinking about what I could be doing around the house or what errands I should run now that I've got some time. Even something as simple as driving in the car can feel stressful at times. There's a lot going on in my head, thinking about everything that needs to get done or everything that we need to do this week. 

Something that I've been working on is mindfulness. Being in the moment and focusing only on what you're doing in that moment. This can be incredibly difficult when you want to make sure that everything is under control and rolling along smoothly. It can also be difficult when you have a lot of energy and wish you had the ability to do twenty things at a time.

This week I have felt this new challenge present itself to me. I believe I was in my car at the time, but suddenly I became very aware of the fact that I felt tense. I wasn't running late for something, I wasn't on my way to a potentially disastrous situation. I just felt tense. I realized that here I was, driving down the road in my car, but my mind was completely somewhere else. I was not thinking about my speed. I was not making sure that I was driving as safely as I possibly could. If a car was about to run into me, I certainly would not have seen it coming.

A good friend once told me: We were made to take things as they come, deal with situations in the moment. We can't constantly go through life trying to prepare ourselves for the next thing.

I felt my shoulders relax as I came into the present moment and I thought: This is a challenge for you. Be here. Be mindful. Being mindful isn't always easy, but it is necessary if you want to live a calm, content life. It is necessary if you want to learn how to stop overthinking and it is especially necessary if you want to learn how to kick those anxious thoughts in the ass. Go away anxious thoughts, I'm trying to live over here.

Stay in the moment, and every time you start to feel like your thoughts drift somewhere else, remember that the only moment you have is the one that you're currently in. This present moment is all you have, and as much as you try to mentally prepare yourself for what's next, you'll never really know what's going to happen when you get there.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to fret about a situation, perhaps a job interview or someone close to you having a baby? But when you're actually in the job interview, or you're at the hospital meeting the newborn baby, you're completely calm, in the moment and handling life as it comes, in this moment?

See?...you didn't need to prepare yourself for this moment. Because your current self is handling it!

If you catch yourself overthinking or feeling tense, don't fret. This is normal. But tell yourself to accept this challenge. This worrying and overthinking isn't who you are and this isn't going to get you where you want to go. So accept the challenge of being present. Accept the challenge of kicking other thoughts out of the way so you can just be. Accept the challenge of not constantly preparing yourself for what's next.

Lastly, don't forget to catch yourself being mindful. Notice those times when you are feeling completely in the moment, and reward yourself for them. Way to go, me. You're being awesome today.

Your friend,

Meghan