Transformation, Resilience, and Time

There is a scripture that speaks to transformation. Because of what is going on in the world today, here is the Message version that can resonate with anyone who is a Christian, and yes, those who are not. "Take your everyday, ordinary life, your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life, and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

Why do I say this? It's because life feels heavy, even on your best days or when you have special memories you have created. I'm not here to tell you what to believe, what to do, or how to act; I am voicing my opinion to make you think. This is where the transformation happens, lessons learned from life experiences, rejection, opportunity, and mistakes along the way.

Now, what about Resilience?

I've listened to podcasts, watched speeches and TED Talks, and listened to interviews about Resilience. Still, what does it really mean when you are facing a crisis or grief and loss, or something you never thought you would have to deal with? Resilience is the quiet symphony that plays out in your head that gives you the strength to keep going. It can even be a positive affirmation or prayer that you learned as a child, that you have kept tucked away in your heart, which bubbles to the surface in times of need. Resilience can even look like poetic justice for a wrong turned right. One thing I know: Resilience is not something physical, but it is definitely tangible in how we carry it out in every situation and experience that molds our character, and maybe add in the drops of perseverance in the mixing bowl. Resilience is not a textbook definition of bouncing back from adversity or of being flexible in coping, but rather a set of mechanisms that may play out in your brain. It is your ability to cultivate grit, dexterity, and the drive to show up every day of your life. It's part of the road map to thriving in life.

So, as the old saying goes, "time waits for no one," and it's true. When you were young, you may have wished you were an adult, especially during those teen years when hormones are popping. Then, adulting happens with all its complexities - age, bills, responsibilities, stress, etc., etc., and you think about the rear view mirror at times, or hear a phrase like "where did the time go," or "I wish I were whatever age", not being grateful or present in the moment. I'm speaking from past experiences.

The time is now for you and me to excel in Transformation and Resilience if that is how your ship is sailing. You will be surprised by what you can walk through to the other side and rejoice about.

It's a new year, so be ready to live it!