Then...Now

The mothers of my old church would often say…I may not be what I should be but I thank God I am not what I use to be. That phrase is the first thing that I thought about after a conversation with my friend the other day. Both of us were adamant about things that we wanted to accomplish in a particular time frame. She has been in business for 1 ½ years and has made progress but has a strong desire to do more. She is a very creative being and has idea after idea for her current business and a few businesses to come. She is very passionate about her work and sometimes she finds herself in over-drive. I too find myself in over-drive. The project that I am currently working on has been in the works for a year. It is fully developed. I am just waiting for the opportunity to press go. Unfortunately, the entire world does not work off of my time-line. I must admit, that I get really frustrated. I am task-oriented and I like to maintain control over every area of my life.

I had my whole life mapped out on a single sheet of paper by the age of 16 ½. I looked for that piece of paper a few years back, and I am so grateful that I couldn’t find it. I am no where near the frame of mind that I was in at 16 (thankfully so). On that list was the college I would attend, the person I would married, the number of children I would have and their names, the state I would live in, and even the kinds of clothes and makeup I would wear. None of those things are apart of my life now…with the exception of my vow to always wear pink lip-gloss…but I digress.

The fact of the matter is...we can sulk over failed to-do lists, scheduling issues, and unresolved plans. Or…we can take a moment to appreciate the progress we have made. My friend may not be exactly where she wants to be in her career, however in 1 ½ years she has turned what was just a concept into a successfully growing business. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that if she continues to be diligent, her efforts will be rewarded. I ended our conversation by telling her that I can’t wait to see how she progresses even more in the next 1 ½ years.

I am not exactly where I want to be in my life, but I am grateful for the opportunities I have been prepared for and for those to come. I have a new sheet of paper, with a new list of things I want accomplish. What I will do now is appreciate my progress as I make my way down that list.

As you think of where you are in your life and career today, don't forget to be grateful for how much progress you've already made and the person that you've become.

To Blog…Nakeia