Good evening friends, I hope that your day and summer are going well. Recently I was doing some work with a client that was needing assistance to overcome the struggles of to maintaining a positive attitude. We all are able to stay even keel and enjoy life, however we are only one good road rage situation away from throwing all of the “good news” out of the window, and letting someone know how we really feel. In this example, the person had been faced with some pretty challenging life situations regarding family, health, and work which created a whirlwind in their life. Faced with what felt like the end of the line for their goals and desired lifestyle they turned to me for some advise. Now I don’t pretend…at all, and I surely don’t pretend that I know it all however I shared the below prayer with them as a way to overcome their short term frustrations and change the winds of fate in their favor. When you meet the edge of your comfort and find the tipping point of stability please consider the below prayer as an alternative.
The above is the first verse of American Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr’s “Serenity Prayer”, and it has a very powerful message for anyone who is seeking to understand and grow through life’s situations. Many of us have heard this poem, and some even know it’s words by heart, however have you ever taken a deeper dive into it’s intent and how it can help you through any situation? Well if you have of haven’t just keep reading as this new information or a quick reminder surely awaits you below.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
Serenity is defined as the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. This word is used in request not just for the a change in attitude about a situation, but also to assist with the acceptance of your situation. The ability to accept thin
gs as they are are closely correlated to a positive mentality, as a positive
disposition focuses on what is rather than what is not. Often times our emotions cause us to reject the notion of an alternative ending and we can become stressed and lose focus of what it is that is most important to us. If you can learn to be at peace with what is, you will truly lose the desire to even focus on what isn’t
Courage to change the things I can
What can’t you change? I know this is somewhat of a rhetorical question, however I am sure that you can change most anything that you put your mind, effort, and actions towards. Change is constant, and things are constantly changing. The start of any change is closely linked with the courage to do something differently despite what anyone may say, do, or think about your efforts. We have all herd the stories of “rags to riches” where someone rises from the depths of the worst circumstances and finds themselves as the overseer of their own success. These lessons in human potential only become reality because the people in them had the courage to change their situation. Courage is strength in the face of adversity, and you must be courageous in your initiatives and bold with your expectations in order for things to work out for your good. Seriously, I have heard stories of water being tuned into wine, humans going to the moon, and the Cleveland cavaliers coming back from a 3-1 deficit to win the championship…these results all came from the same place of courage to go forward and do the work that you were meant to do. You can do it!
And the wisdom to know the difference
If I only knew then what I know now. This is truly what wisdom is, and our ability to have good judgement when making decisions based on knowledge and experience is the way to accelerate your life. There is a natural learning curve to most things, and our ability to adapt and learn from both our personal experience and the experiences of others will exponentially move us in the direction of our goals. Without the wisdom to know the things that you can change and the confidence to separate them from those that you can’t, we can find ourselves mired in the cycle of working towards an outcome that won’t come to fruition. Some things won’t change until you change your thinking about them, and with prayerful requests and a conscious perspective you will be able to decipher those things that float your boat, and those that are causing you to sink.
My hope is that you will continue to aspire to your personal best, and work to achieve what may seem impossible…because with God all things are possible.
make the rest of your life the best of your life