As if not knowing what you are doing with your life is not
bad enough, the recognition is only the first step. The action of admitting those
overbearingly salty words “What am I doing?” pains us. I sympathize with that
frustration; those feelings are way too close to home for comfort; however, I
find myself speaking the love language of misery far too often. Embracing the
very curves of her soft tears as they fall into that delicate space between the
nose and cheek, and I wonder if this love/hate relationship is so intolerable,
why do I stay? Why do I continue to entertain it by regurgitating its’ anthem
of phrases like “I will never find the right job”, “I hate my life”, or worse
“I have nothing to offer anyone anyway so why bother?” The language of misery
is not only a tempting siren singing lullabies of fraudulent comfort for ones’
hurt, but it is also precarious. Negative self-talk is one of the more enslaving
addictions people become consumed in and not because it is packaged beautifully;
it is because it appears to be truth. It appears to be words one would speak if
they were trying to cope with reality and grow beyond it. Heed these words of
advice from someone who has traveled this road for the last few years, do not
be fooled. You are worth more than a box of Kleenex tissue and a bucket of
Rocky Road ice cream.
The words we speak about ourselves have the power to
influence the very truth of our realities. If greatness is something you want,
or if purpose is something you beseech take the biggest step first and define
yourself with your words. Sometimes things are just that simple and sometimes
the simplest of things is truly the hardest to overcome; however, nothing is
impossible unless you believe it is. Everyone’s power begins with their
thinking and our words are merely an example of those thoughts; so it is
rational to presume that if ones thinking changes so does their reality. We
attract the energy we emit and sometimes we do not realize what we are putting
into the world until it returns the favor. Challenge yourself to be not only a
more positive thinker with respect to your self-talk, but also challenge
yourself to take responsibility for where you are in your life and take the
necessary steps to changing it. You have more power than you think you do, more
gumption, more resources and more abilities then you give yourself credit. Do
not be your own bully; the world does not need another self-loathing
individual. It needs thinkers, dreamers, go getters, and givers! Know that the
questions you have about who you are in this world are relative to everyone,
you are not alone. However playing small or depriving yourself of the time to
figure it out does not serve the world. I dare you to take a chance on
yourself.
Congratulations AmeriCorps members of 2012-2013! I will see you at graduation!
