Crawl Before You Walk: In Business and in Life
God has a funny way of grabbing our attention when we have failed to learn a lesson.
Leading up to that final “ah-ha” moment, we unconsciously repeat the same patterns over and over again, wondering why life has to be so hard.
Today I finally learned a lesson about slowing down. A consistent pattern that has shown up in my life for at least five years. A program engrained in my psyche from childhood. That in order to be successful in life, we constantly have to “do” rather than “allow”. When I finally realized all of the wrong turns I’ve made on this quest were to “achieve” rather than “be”, it became very clear to me that this lesson was something I already learned how to do when I was 11 months old.
childhood lessons
When we’re babies, one of the first things we’re taught how to do is use our basic primal instincts to survive. Those actions consist of being able to sense pain in our bellies to signal to our mother that it’s time to eat. We use our voices in the form of crying to ensure that we are heard. But the biggest instinct of all is learning how to one day balance on our own two feet.
Many babies learn the hard way– when they try to use their strength to pull themselves up too early, they are usually met with the reality of gravity & a couple of bruises to show for it. They might find their footing for a moment or two, only to be met with frustration and regret when their foundation can’t support the weight of their body.
We sometimes forget that as adults, we too have to crawl before we can walk.
self-mastery
In relationships, when we haven’t mastered the art of self-love, we will force another person to love us instead.
In our friendships, when we haven’t learned how to communicate effectively, we end up saying things we don’t mean.
And in our business, when we haven’t mastered our craft we will launch something too soon and be immediately filled with frustration.
Trying to skip to the good part in life, is like being dropped off at the top of Mt. Everest saying that you hiked the entire trail yourself. No one will be impressed, and you will feel like a fraud.
In order to break the pattern of consistently wanting more, striving for success instead of fulfillment; God literally has to push us up against a wall and put us in a choke hold, until we listen. And in order to get his point across, he will use the people closest to us in order for us to see more clearly.
the prize is in the process
The next time you feel triggered, blocked, or misunderstood by the ones closest to you (in life or business)– just remember that God is using them to teach you something you haven’t yet learned about yourself and your habits.
Your triggers are your teachers, and it’s only when we pay attention to the signs around us that we can actually learn the lesson.
Instant gratification, and immediate results are an illusion. When you reach the top of that mountain, you’ll be led towards another peak to climb. This life isn’t a race meant to be rushed. It’s a journey that we should feel blessed to be on. Through the ups and downs, rivers and valleys, thunder and lightning. It’s all there to help us grow. It’s true that the shiniest diamonds must be put through the most pressure.
I’ve learned that slowing down to embrace what’s in front of us is the only thing we have. Working toward an expected outcome that we haven’t yet mastered will always lead to a dead end.
Don’t let the grand prize or the shiny object pull you off of your path. There is no such thing as the “right” way to do something. No such program, course or guru that will give you the answers you’re looking for. When you let go of this belief, you will realize that God created you with purpose, and the journey never ends.
And remember, no one taught you how to walk, but yourself.
Cheers,
Nicole
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