Bertie Forbes, founder of Forbes magazine is quoted as saying, “History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.” Research shows that 70% of people who make New Year’s resolutions have abandoned them before the end of the month. The cause: discouragement.
Recently I've been experiencing some new aches and pains as a result of spending a significant amount of time on my new Fitdesk. When I was discussing it with a friend, she asked, “Are you drinking plenty of water?” I paused, and said, “No, not really. Why is it,” I asked, “that when I start doing something new that’s good for me, I often stop doing something else that is equally as important?” Her reply: “It’s just difficult.”
That reminded me of the first time in my early 20’s when I read the opening line of Robert Scott Pecks’ book, The Road Less Traveled: “Life is difficult.” I remember feeling disappointed, because I wanted to believe that if I worked hard and did the right thing, everything would work out. The reality is discouragement happens to all of us. The question is “What are you going to do about it?”
I've also been listening to a sermon series by David Jeremiah entitled “Facing the Giants” in which he defined “discouragement” as “absence of courage.” In the world in which we live, how easy it is to lose your courage if you don’t build in courage-building strategies in your daily life. What are you doing to be courageous in the face of what often seem like overwhelming odds?
Personally, my strategies include spending time every morning in prayer and meditation, making Sunday a true “day of rest,” hanging out with positive people, playing the piano frequently, getting plenty of exercise, choosing client with whom I really want to work, spending time with family and friends, reading uplifting books, and watching inspirational videos and movies, but the most important one is to remember this sage advice, “You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control what you do about it.” Be courageous!
