Progress & Perspective - How You View It

Kind of had one of those "ah ha" moments today.

I was feeling like I have been treading water and not making any real progress in some areas.  Would think there was progress then have a set back or start to struggle with the same issues again.  Over and over, what was starting to feel like a vicious cycle.  To the point where even when things are going good, it had me always slightly on edge, knowing that it wouldn't stay that way.  Just kind of wearing on me, discouraging me and making me start to lose my perseverance. I have progressed enough to realize that with everything in life, this too shall pass.  But get tired of waiting on whatever the current situation is to pass.  You know the times where you just want to throw up your hands and say "I give up!" Yes, it WILL pass, but I'm tired of fighting and feeling like I'm not making any progress.  Was talking with someone about that today and she was saying that often in the middle of something you can't see your own progress.  Sometimes you have to step back and view it from a different perspective.

It made me think of working out with my personal trainer.  I've had a personal trainer for a couple of months now.  We train twice a week at the gym.  The very first session I had with her I thought she was trying to kill me!  Nearly threw up and couldn't believe how out of shape I felt. This week we met again, and like every session I left totally exhausted and feeling still out of shape (though at the same time I felt good and had that good kind of sore feeling).  Started getting discouraged with the fact that I leave every session very conscious of how much work I still have to do and not feeling like I'm making much progress since every session is so difficult.  Here is the part I had forgotten....she changes up the sessions...they are never the same...and they are, in fact, getting harder.  Her job is to constantly push me harder and further so that I actually make more progress.  But it wasn't until I looked back on my first session and did some of those exercises, the ones that originally I had thought were killing me, and being able to do them OK, to realize that I really have been making progress all along.

That was where I had my "ah ha" moment.  Just like I couldn't see the progress at the gym during my current work out session, I can't always see my personal progress.  To see my gym progress I had to go back and see where I used to be and compare it to that.  Same thing with my personal struggles.  During them I have a hard time seeing progress.  But stepping back and seeing it from another person's perspective or remembering how I have handled similar situations in the past, then I can see that I really am making progress.  In the past I might have made rash decisions or over reacted to a similar feeling or situation.  Today I thought it through, could see far enough ahead to realize that this would change and took a proactive step by talking it out with someone who could help give me a clearer perspective, encourage me and give me advice.  That is progress!  Actually a lot of progress for me, who tends to bottle up or mask how I feel with most people and not actually deal with it or overreact and possibly do something stupid.

Does that make how I'm feeling right now any easier? Not really.  But does it encourage me and give me the perseverance to keep at it and not give up?  Absolutely!

"So don't get tired of doing what is good.  Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time." Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

Last Day of School

I can't believe how long it has been since I blogged about anything at all.
A couple of weeks ago we went on an awesome sailing trip, sailed up the inter coastal waterway off the coast of Savannah and went to an island in St. Catherine's Sound.  We slept on the boat at night and explored the island during the day.  We saw a sea turtle, tons of dolphins, horseshoe crabs and jellyfish.  It was a blast and a great family experience!

Today was the kid's last day of school.  James Stephen is now an 8th grader.  LeAnne will move up to middle school as a 6th grader.  So hard to believe my "baby" is now a middle school kid.  It was hard for me today as I left her elementary school realizing that I probably won't ever be back.  JS started there in PreK so I have been at that school quite a bit in the last nine years!  She had a 5th Grade Honor's Program at school today and got three awards.  One for having all "As" all year, one was a Certificate of Achievement from Duke University TIP program (Talent Identification Program) and the "big" one was the President's Education Award for Education Excellence for Outstanding Academic Excellence, signed by President Obama and the U.S. Secretary of Education.  You go girl!  So proud of both of my kids.  They are growing up fast though.  I have loved every second of being a mother.