Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Discouragement
Do we get discouraged because we expect too much or not enough? I think both.
When I used to run I would set landmarks, say the 3rd telephone pole to break up the monotony in long runs. I think we do the same in life. We use landmark events to break up the monotony. We look forward to these events withy great expectations. Somepeople take this to an extreeme. Sometimes college graduates expect they will make it big if they could only just get to graduation. Usually they are let down when they graduate. The just spent 4 years looking forward to this new life, this something great that would happen. Marriage- same for many. Some spend their whole lives preparing not really for marriage but the ceremony. Did we expect too much? maybe
I am realizing its also because we don't expect enough. I am talking about overlooking the smaller events that lead up to these big ones. We have all heard a life is made up of a bunch of days. Sometimes we so caught up in looking forward to some big event that we attach more meaning to it than to each day. This tends to make each less meaningful and I believe can lead to discouragement. If we can learn to value each day as a distinct opportunity instead of basing our definition of opportunity on size of change or size of ceremony then we might be able to avoid discouragement.
I guess its just seize the day- but even that creates this picture that some great event might happen today if you nmake it happen. not really what I am saying. I am saying we need to take a second look at the average and reevaluate. And "make the most of every opportunity"
When I used to run I would set landmarks, say the 3rd telephone pole to break up the monotony in long runs. I think we do the same in life. We use landmark events to break up the monotony. We look forward to these events withy great expectations. Somepeople take this to an extreeme. Sometimes college graduates expect they will make it big if they could only just get to graduation. Usually they are let down when they graduate. The just spent 4 years looking forward to this new life, this something great that would happen. Marriage- same for many. Some spend their whole lives preparing not really for marriage but the ceremony. Did we expect too much? maybe
I am realizing its also because we don't expect enough. I am talking about overlooking the smaller events that lead up to these big ones. We have all heard a life is made up of a bunch of days. Sometimes we so caught up in looking forward to some big event that we attach more meaning to it than to each day. This tends to make each less meaningful and I believe can lead to discouragement. If we can learn to value each day as a distinct opportunity instead of basing our definition of opportunity on size of change or size of ceremony then we might be able to avoid discouragement.
I guess its just seize the day- but even that creates this picture that some great event might happen today if you nmake it happen. not really what I am saying. I am saying we need to take a second look at the average and reevaluate. And "make the most of every opportunity"
hd 11:34 AM