Don't Let's Start

If you're feeling particularly down and out, you might believe it. You might accept the bottom-of-the-barrel line in the middle of this They Might Be Giants song,

"No one in the world ever gets what they want,

And that is beautiful,

Everybody dies frustrated and sad,

And that is beautiful."

On the hand, while things might not turn out how we dream or imagine, we don't have to die frustrated and sad. More to the point, our creative pursuits don't have to die off in bitterness and despair.

How?

Well, shake off the disappointment then ask yourself:

Q. What should I learn from that experience?

Q. What part of the project or process should I repeat? What worked?

Q. What part of the process or project didn't go so well? Why? Honestly. Why?

Q. What can I do differently next time?

Q. Who should I contact for more knowledge, networking, and nit-picking?

Q. How might I change my work habits? My investments?

Q. When should I dive back in? What do I need to do first to set myself up for success?

Don't, don't, don't let's start. Evaluate. This is the best part!

Name It & Claim It Victim-Centrality

It's time to rewrite the script for the next chapter.

Most of us in the West have been trained since the early 20th century to live a victim-centric narrative. To believe someone else has the locus of control on our daily lives...which then convinces us that we're victims. Seeing victim-hood around every corner.

Victims of other's:

...decisions

...privilege

...opportunities

...businesses

...finances

...education

...heritage

...skin

...hobbies

...religion

...political persuasion

...gender

...age

...generation

...time period

...hair color

Name it and someone is a victim of it...real or imagined or simply irrelevant.

So what narrative are you living out? What victim-mindset, no matter how real, are you letting define you for the next season of life?

Q. What one thing can you do today, regardless of others 'out there,' in order to begin to rewrite your story?

Making Meaning Means Meaning-Making

Making meaning is different than having value.

I'm convinced at what the ancient Scriptures teach about our inherent value in creation. That we're made in the image of Creator God. We, men and women, are thus inherently infused with divine value.

Dig into the ancient text and you'll no doubt find meaning or purpose. To know and be known by God. To love God and love others.

But that isn't what most people mean when asking for meaning or purpose. We should. And we do, of course. We want to know the high level purpose that gives us existential meaning. And we need it. It's foundational to building a healthy and holistic philosophy of life (something very dearly missing in education today).

But in the daily dirt of it all, meaning must become that tangible action we take each and every day to experience our value and live out that greater meaning.

In other words, we have to make meaning. We do this when we set healthy, captivating, meaning-filled goals.

It's one thing to want know we're valued and created with purpose. It's another thing to get really specific about which goals and how and when and with whom and towards what end we're going to move towards fulfilling them.

So, what meaning are you making in your value-packed, meaning-filled existence?