Mind vs. Heart

As I mentioned previously, my heart cried out, that inward part of us that reaches a point of total helplessness. The mind tells you that helplessness is a sign of weakness. Or, this is all there is. Or, you can't change it. Or, you deserve this. Or whatever it is, that your mind says to you. It causes you to feel a thorn of unworthiness, a feeling of no value, a sense of hopelessness. However, there is this inward crying of your heart, and your soul speaks from within.** This is when the battle really begins...the point of sorting out the truth from the lies. A choice must be made. Will you be courageous to go on this journey? It requires a true desire to look within. It is not about blame or shame. It is walking through the experiences, recognizing the lessons, and moving forward. 
These are questions, I had to ask myself. 

Then came, "How do I begin?" Where do I find a guide for my mind? (since it needed to be reconciled, restored, and renewed).

** "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."  Romans 8:26-27

Another walk around the mountain...Again.

Last year, 2012, I went on a journey...or another one-on-one walk with the Father. I had spent the entire year of 2011 acting like I was handling the life stuff just fine, but in reality I was already depleted before 2011 even began. I was in performance mode, attempting to present myself as a joy-filled trouper. However, there was this other side. I was doing a lot of whining, and it randomly spewed-out to whomever would ask, "How are you doing?" By the end of that year, I was totally exhausted, lost, frustrated, and angry. I had hit bottom. I had lost that bounce that makes me uniquely Karen, a daughter of God. What happened? How did I end up in this place again?

Literally, Thank God, my heart cried out and knew to ask, and then to stay aware as I was seeking to find the answers. Knowing (having Faith) that the answers do come is key. They come when you are ready to see the truth. Oh, there are many times when we look past the truth, past the answer, after all we still want the answer to feel good. The self has this need to justify our feelings and actions. As my husband has said to me with courageous love, "Is the pity party over? Is it time to move on?" Yes, it was time to move on. But, this time I needed to understand, to seek the truth, to answer the questions; "What happened? How did I end up in this spot? Again.  This time I needed to look inward. I needed to be guided through the discovery. It was going to take great courage, if I truly wanted, needed, to get to the root of it; in order to cultivate and reestablish the heart and joy of Karen.

In Brene' Brown's book, The Gifts of Imperfection - Let Go of Who You Think You're Suppose to Be and Embrace Who You Are, she states that courage originally meant "to speak one's mind by telling one's heart." And "ordinary courage is putting our vulnerability on the line." (Pgs. 12 -13). Why vulnerable? For me, and I am proposing for others, it is the only way to get to the real issue, the seed, so it can be healed. How?

This may just be the most courageous daily thing any of us must do: "Ask, Seek, Change or as I prefer to say Adjust." ( In hindsight, I have been uncovering answers to my asking and seeking throughout my life. Often, the answers involved lots of character building.)

Can you imagine the transformations that would take place, if we individually, would truly seek?

So how about you? When you feel pressed down, with the sense that you can't go on, that you don't even recognize yourself anymore, what do you do? Are you courageous to go on a walk of discovery? That's what I did. It was full of many emotions.
But it is so worth it!     To be continued...

 

Hug!

Courage to start

So what is this Courage thing? In my observation and simply stated:
It is understanding that everyone has stuff in their life, but the difference in one's life is whether you choose to walk through the stuff or stay in it. 
Choosing to walk through the stuff of life is Courage!
 

A year ago, I knew I was going to Blog. I had a title, along with a subtitle. I took the first step and created it; but then got caught up in the lessons, the learning of life. Now a year later, it is time to write. So why a blog? 

If for no other reason than to put these stacks of notes, lessons, and thoughts into some form as a reminder of my walk - a living life journal - a gratitude to God's faithfulness as His daughter. I will share experiences, thoughts, ask questions, and anything else God brings to mind for me to share. For life really is God's gift to us to explore, to seek, to learn, and to develop. To be a gift in this world, as we serve and encourage one another.

Recalling the words of a friend,
"Karen, everyone is brought into your life for you to learn from them,
              and they to learn from you."

So therein, lies the ground for this conversation among this sisterhood of courage:
  

                         What are you learning? What are you teaching?

 

Courage:  the quality of being brave: the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action

"She showed great courage throughout this difficult time."

To be courageous is do what you can, and be confident that God will bring His perfect will to pass.  You are to do and go forward in faith.  You are not alone for He is with YOU!