Welcome to 2021! Is it everything you had hoped for? Judging by the past few weeks you might have had your new year’s anticipation.... rocked. This may feel defeating and I bet you’re tempted to forego goal setting for the year to avoid being derailed by circumstances out of your control. If you know me by now, you already know what I’m going to say, "Don’t throw in the towel!" Especially not right now, soldier.
I have good news for you! You are actually standing in the best place possible right now.
How, you ask?
You are positioned to steer your life towards the outcomes that you have been longing for DESPITE what craziness may be happening in the world around you. You may be thinking, “Umm, Davina that’s a nice thought and all but have you forgotten about the pandemic that is in its second year, the continued social unrest in addition to the political unrest, and all of the news reports stating how many companies are closing with job loss to follow?” Nope, I am aware of these things, but my stance remains the same.
Why? One word. FOUNDATION.
Your foundation is the origin from which all blessings and success flow. With the onset of troubling and uncontrollable circumstances, the depth, strength, and overall makeup of your foundation will either sustain you and serve as your launching pad to continuous advancement, or it will crumble underneath you - taking your hopes and sanity to the lowest of the low. No one’s foundation is perfect, therefore, it is unwise to strive to create such thing. It is, however, critical to have all the building blocks you need.
What is the state of your foundation? Do you consider yourself to be operating on shaky ground every day? If so, you’re making the road ahead much tougher than it needs to be. If you consider yourself to be standing on solid ground, great! You still should conduct a checkup to ensure your foundation can hold you as you aspire to reach new heights in your life and career. Nonetheless, here we are at the beginning of the year and the beginning of a decade. Let’s set a new standard for you by building your strongest foundation.
Components of Personal Foundation
Depth
How deep are your convictions? How rooted are you in your beliefs? How confident are you in the person you see in the mirror every day? The answer to these questions is the core of the depths of your foundation. You’ll notice that the questions are directed internally. This is because how you relate to and respect yourself determines how you interact with the world and how it reflects back to you. People of depth check in with themselves before agreeing with trends in society. They have contentment with who they are and what they have in the current moment while allowing room for growth and promotion at the right time – all while draped in humility. Shallow people, on the other hand, tend to be tossed to and fro based on the newest expectations of society. They are easily rocked when life doesn’t go their way and may depend in arrogance to inflate their own importance.
Strength
I’m not referring to physical strength, although it is extremely important to your endu how sharp your skills, gifts, and talents arerance to stand for the long haul. I’m highlighting how sharp your skills, gifts, and talents are. Your power comes from your ability to be effective in the endeavors that you’re active within. I’m cheering for your unique set of competencies but if you aren’t actively utilizing or developing them, they won’t help you at all. The dullest knife is the most dangerous one. Why? Because it requires more pressure to get things done. In terms of how this applies to you, this manifests as self-imposed pressure to catch up because you have let your strengths become dull. Life already comes with moments of external pressure. Why make it harder on yourself? You’ll forfeit opportunities to be a solution when you don’t stay ready by honing what you know.
Discipline
Oh yes! A strong foundation cannot even form without the actions derived from discipline. I believe heavily in seedtime and harvest. Discipline is the art that makes this process possible. In order for the farmer to harvest fruit, he must diligently plant the seed, water it, and prune it from weeds. Without the discipline to manage the soil that was entrusted to him, the farmer would never enjoy the fruits of his labor. This applies to you too! What happens to anything that does not receive attention and maintenance? The effects of neglect will erode its purpose. If you have a depth of character and strength in your capabilities, your foundation still won’t be firm enough to stand on if you lack discipline. This component relies upon how well you steward everything entrusted to you. This includes how well you take care of your body, your home, your time, your mind, your emotions, and your work.
I want to challenge you to focus on your foundation more than the events happening around you. It has been said that what you focus on is amplified in your life more than anything else. Therefore, elevate your standards so that you can build your firmest foundation and reach your greatest potential.
I’m rooting for you!