I ask myself the question “What are you doing?” every day. I know I am not alone in this feeling of lostness. Can you openly admit that you have confessed this aloud to yourself? Can you say you have said this openly to a stranger?
What I have learned is that I have been asking myself the wrong question…first…and I do not have to find the answers or figure it out on my own.
What I (and you) should be asking each day is “Where are you?” followed by, “Who are you?”
Not in a geographical sense, but in an emotional and spiritual sense.
Because what I am doing in life is dependent on where I am now (emotionally and spiritually) which is dictated by knowing who I am.
I can tell you most of my strengths…a few of my weaknesses…what I would have done in the past…
I cannot tell you where I am going in the future. This confession is scary considering I am a gal that loves plans. I would plan every detail of my future RIGHT NOW if I could. This is not living with blind faith in God. This life…the one where I try to take control…is not a life led by faith or trust in God.
I am learning that God’s grace and plan for me will be revealed in time. His time.
While this is forcing me to learn patience, God is slowly (but surely) revealing His plans for me by pushing me to do the necessary work in and throughout my soul…and my life.
The key is that I have to do the work. I have to dig in, dig deep, and do the hard stuff…and also practice patience and prayer.
Soul work is what happens when I actively engage in my thoughts and passions and reflect on feelings and my life in the present tense. It is what happens when I imagine and focus on the person I want to become and how I want to influence others. It is the exploration and discovery of passions and topics that fuel my soul and energy.
My latest round of soul work resulted in realizing I need and want a mentor. Because I am asking myself “where are you, who are you, and what are you doing?” every day, I feel like the best way to navigate this season is with the guidance, love, and help of someone that I can trust.
I made a list of specifics that I hope my new mentor would possess:
- Strong female
- Entrepreneurial
- Christian/spiritual
- Driven yet humble
- Ethical and moral
I began reaching out to females I thought would make great mentors, and those doors were closed almost immediately. Or, they were met with no response or a maybe….which I have learned is a politely vague way to say no.
I was determined to find a mentor and felt the urgency to find one quickly. My attempts were not successful, but that is because God had a bigger and better door to open that I never saw coming.
I wrote these words minutes after a 90-minute meeting with my new mentor.
I was skeptical and extremely nervous about the meeting, but I showed up vulnerable, open, and honest. I had nothing to lose, so I walked in ready to lay it all on the line.
Be bold.
Be brave.
During our conversation, I realized we had similar passions and energies. I knew working with her would not only be a growth experience for me, but also an opportunity to work alongside an amazing human to accomplish a mission and purpose that reaches far beyond either of us. What she (that I hope turns into we) wants to do boils down to reaching, helping, and loving others.
Then, boldly I told her why I wanted to meet, which was to ask her to be my mentor.
We both had an innate gut feeling that our paths crossed for a reason…possibly many reasons…and we laughed about how God works in so many ways when we are living and pursuing the paths He has set forth for us.
Saying you have a mentor is a fancy term for saying you have found someone in your life that is living and loving others in a way that you admire and aspire to do in your own life…and your desire is to learn and follow them.
Ask yourself where you are, who you are, and what are you doing…and then look around you to see who is loving and living life with you. Challenge yourself to seek out someone new who can teach you new lessons, guide you and help you along your journey.
Find these mentors or good humans; Surround yourself with them and follow them; Learn from someone in the midst of starting a positive movement focused on loving others, and then branch out and be the next one to start your own.
