Don’t be afraid of life’s detours. None of us have a road map to life and it’s full of twists and turns. You may think you have it figured out and then a trial will come your way that will throw you off course. It’s okay. We will always have the ability to redirect our path. Give yourself a little grace.
Do you ever wonder if you are where you are supposed to be? Do you question whether or not your life should have been different from what it is right now? Maybe you should have had different parents or different circumstances. However, I want you to know that you are exactly where you need to be. If you are going through a trial, once it’s over, you will have grown far more than you ever thought possible. If you are hurting, you will find healing and be able to use those painful moments to help someone else. If you are feeling lonely, have faith that God will bring the right people into your life to fill the voids. Trust the process. Trust the plan – His plan for your life. You have come to the right place for encouragement, and I know exactly where you are. If you need help talking through those or any other issues, please reach out to me.
Do you ever hide behind something? Maybe you hide behind a smile when you are really hurting inside. This smile might be a shield, protecting you from the outside world, making it seem like everything is fine even when it’s not. It can often feel like a necessity to keep up appearances, yet doing so can sometimes deepen the emotional wounds we are trying to conceal.
Perhaps you hide behind the busyness of your schedule, filling every waking moment with tasks and distractions. This constant hustle might keep you from having to confront deeper issues. It can feel safer to be busy, to avoid moments of stillness where uncomfortable thoughts and feelings might surface. But this relentless pace can eventually lead to burnout, leaving you feeling even more disconnected and exhausted.
Or maybe you are simply hiding behind the world’s idea and opinion of you, allowing societal expectations to stifle your true self and creativity. It’s easy to get lost in trying to meet others’ expectations, conforming to norms and standards that don’t reflect your true essence. This can be stifling, preventing you from expressing your unique talents and perspectives.
If you are hiding behind anything, I encourage you to come into the light. Come out from wherever you are hiding from, face your fears, and embrace your authentic self. Stand up for yourself and your values, regardless of what others might think. It might be challenging at first, but allowing yourself to be seen and heard can be incredibly liberating. By stepping into your true self, you not only honor your own journey but also inspire others to do the same. Embrace your imperfections and vulnerabilities as part of your unique story and let them become the source of your strength and authenticity.
Whether you were told negative things as a child or you experienced trauma as an adult, it takes time to flip that script and unlearn that negative mindset. A few things you can do to help: 1) Fill your home or office with words of affirmation and positive sayings. 2) Surround yourself with people that lift you up and are a positive influence. 3) Speak kind words to yourself, whether in the mirror or silently in your heart. For more tips and ways to get rid of your ‘stinkin thinkin’, reach out to me to discuss.
I’ve been a bit tied up the past few months with so many exciting things, and I can’t wait to share it all with you! Out with 2024 and in with 2025. It’s going to be a great year! Hey, what have you been tied up with these days?
Have you recently gone through a difficult divorce? Are you still grieving that lost friend or family member? Did you just get a tough medical diagnosis? Have you recently had to move away from the only home you have known for years? There are so many times in our lives where we must be brave for ourselves or even for other people. Do you put on a brave face when you are dying inside? It is very easy to do. Sometimes we do it because we don’t want anyone to know our real stories. At the end of the day, we may only be hurting ourselves by keeping it all inside. If you want encouragement from 8 very brave women who have lived to tell their stories, check out this book in the Lightbeamer Series. https://amzn.to/3UJ8UV4
Do you remember being a kid and slipping your tiny feet into your parents’ or grandparents’ oversized boots? Maybe you even climbed halfway into them, wobbling around the house as if you were suddenly older, stronger, or wiser. Back then, it felt fun to imitate the people we admired. We copied their steps, their gestures, even their confidence.
Fast forward to adulthood. You land a job once held by someone who seemed like a superstar, and suddenly you hear the phrase: “You have big shoes to fill.” But do we ever actually fill someone else’s shoes? Or do we simply try, fail, adjust, and quietly carve out a new path that feels more like our own?
I thought about this deeply as I stared at an oversized chair on my drive home the other day. A literal giant’s chair—impossible for any one person to fill. And it made me pause. How many of us are still trying to squeeze ourselves into a role, an expectation, or a legacy created by someone impossible to duplicate?
The truth is, some “shoes” just aren’t meant to be filled by a single person. Just like that giant chair, you’d need help, support, and teamwork even to get close. Life is a group effort. We grow because of the people who guide us, correct us, support us, and sometimes even challenge us.
So if you’ve been trying to live up to someone else’s greatness, remember this: you’re not here to be a copy. You’re here to contribute something new. Their journey was theirs. Yours is yours. Don’t be afraid to step off the path you’re trying to imitate and begin walking in your own direction—one that reflects your strengths, your story, and your style.
Because the world doesn’t need another version of them.
It needs the first, real, and brave version of you.