The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
Hello friends,
I hope you are having a pleasant weekend.
For today’s post, I’ve delved into my daily writing practice journal and would like to share an entry written in September last year.
I hope you will enjoy reading it but more to the point, I hope it will encourage or inspire someone out there, to keep pursuing your dreams and working at your goals.
—–oooooo000oooooo—–
I’ve done it once before.
When you’ve spent a certain period of time committing to a particular goal, and disciplining yourself to do whatever is necessary to achieve that goal, it can be easy once it has been accomplished to sit back and take it easy. To rest on your laurels!
It happened to me some years ago after spending 3 years concentrating on full-time undergraduate study to achieve my English degree. Once I became the proud owner of a 2.1 honours degree, I felt slightly at a loss. No reason I told myself to continue to be stringent, and constrain myself within the straitjacket of self-discipline. Relax. Take it easy. Take time to smell the coffee, or the roses, and enjoy your new found liberty.
Only my “liberty” became a liability. Because there was no reason, no deadline, no urgent demand to discipline myself to achieve, I chucked the whole shebang out of the window. I revelled in my new found freedom.
What I didn’t know then was that discipline represents freedom. Because when you are disciplined with your time, when you are aiming at a particular goal, when you are tied to a deadline, you have freedom to pursue your dream AND. Pursue my dream and go to the cinema, or blah blah. But when I am undisciplined, when I take time off and embark upon a “free-to-do-whatever-I-want” binge, I end up wasting time, not achieving, or pursuing anything significant and then having to play “catch-up”! And I end up feeling guilty about all the wasted time and opportunities to do something constructive, to create, to employ my time and energy in worthwhile endeavours, which affirm, or fulfil me.
So I’ve been around that particular block before.
Yet here I am. Having achieved a decades-long outstanding dream (the completion and publication of my book), I find myself once again on that same route. The one strewn with laurel leaves.
Of course there’s nothing wrong with taking a break, enjoying a well-earned time of rest. But if that break, that period of rest stretches on and on and on, and if that time of rest is being taken when there is something you could be doing, could be pursuing, could be learning, or honing, or preparing, then somewhere in the corner of your soul, there is a niggle, a discomfort, a squashed down conscience. Because you know, at least let me say, I know that I’m wasting valuable time. And that time can never be retrieved. And when you could have been further along the route of accomplishment, instead you are having to start, or re-start. And because you have been resting on your laurels for far too long, you struggle to do so. It’s almost like the car with a cold engine. It has to be warmed up before you can drive it where you wish to go.
And so, dear reader, the moral of my post today is this: if you desire to make the most of your life, if you wish to walk through life as a purpose-driven achiever, then don’t be tempted to rest (indefinitely) on your laurels!
QUESTION:
Which personality type are you?
- An underachiever?
- A workaholic?
- Someone who rests upon their laurels?
How do you attempt to bring a balance to your life?
Best wishes,
Carol (aka Lady Cee)
Are you looking for a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life? If so, don’t hesitate to check out the links below.
AMAZON UK https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q
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Did you enjoy reading this post? If so, please share your thoughts in a comment box below. Do you know someone who would benefit from its message? Then please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.
A Purpose-driven achiever 
Dearest Carol, you have really set the tone for inspiration perfectly! I love how you so effortlessly cause us to question our internal beliefs, our faulty systems, and our procrastinating ways!
There were several lines that really stuck out to me. “Discipline represents freedom.” Wow, that’s a powerful truth! You’re absolutely right. As someone who has experienced exactly what you describe in this post, I too, have learned the value of some structure. It doesn’t mean every day needs to be rigidly planned out. Yet, having a goal in front of us, a purpose to pursue, gives us some extra fuel for the journey. When we lack vision, we lack vitality.
I loved too how you described the cold engine on a vehicle, and how it must be warmed up before you really go anywhere. Brilliant! I have found this to be absolutely true when I have been away too long from creative tasks, such as writing. When I finally do come back, it feels almost impossible to return to any kind of flow in thought. It feels as if I’ve never written anything before. Reading your journal entry makes me feel I’m not alone in this!
Your question about balance really makes me stop and think. I’m one of those people who can sometimes be an all-or-nothing personality. (Although, this isn’t always true!) I’ve gotten better about motivating myself to push through the tough days when I simply don’t ‘feel like it.’ I don’t know about you, but often, some of my best work comes out of those moments. I’m also guilty of being a workaholic, if I’m feeling particularly inspired. And, I’ll be honest, I have to tone down the crankiness if I’m constantly interrupted while in one of my creative flows, ha ha! 😁 Pray for me Carol, I’m really trying to behave! What about you? Where would you say you fall on that list?
I love your writing voice, my friend. You have a way of capturing ideas and making them so relatable. I never leave your blog feeling uninspired. Love you, Carol! ♥
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Thank you do much for your delightful response. Always encouraging to hear from you. So glad you found my post inspirational.
Holly be assured, I do pray for you regularly both as an individual blogger friend and as one of those who have sown into my ministry by purchasing my book, so you get 2 bites of the cherry! It’s always good to receive specific requests though, so your desire to behave better when your creative flow is interrupted will be borne in mind ;-).
I believe I fall into the under-achiever’s category but I am endeavouring to be a purpose-driven achiever. I have spurts of activity and focus but when discouraged or distracted, become undisciplined. Still trying to work out how to bring a balance. Having said that I do recognise that as a recovering perfectionist I can be a bit hard on myself. 😦
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Hi Carol – I love this post and can so relate. I have moments of burst and then rest and depending on how I rest, I often end up feeling like the so called rest time wasn’t restful at all – like you say – it feels wasteful and there is discomfort.
I liked what you said here: “Because when you are disciplined with your time, when you are aiming at a particular goal, when you are tied to a deadline, you have freedom to pursue your dream AND.”
For me – I think I am more energised working on something than not – and time feels like it expands and I feel fuller… But I do know that balance eludes me to some extent.
Thank you for this post xox
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Thank you for reading Jacqueline and sharing your response, which is always appreciated.
May God help us both to find the right balance in time to come! 🙂
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Lovely, reflective read Carol. Thank you and I have just ordered a used copy of your book on Amazon 🙏🙂
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And hello again dear Margaret.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Thank you for reading. Thank you for leaving me your precious comment. And most of all, thank you for buying my book! I do hope you enjoy reading it and find it a useful resource.
BW xx
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