“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” – James 1:2-3
The journey is never “easy,” nor would you want it to be. In fact, the journey is usually tough… I mean really, really tough. It is daunting and riddled with challenges that you may never see coming.
Being a CrossFit Games competitor has been anything but “easy.” Days are filled with grueling workouts, sore muscles, and constant aches. Many friends and family have the perception that my time is dispensable because I don’t have a “real” job. I am continually fighting off the temptation to find an easier path.
I know you can relate. You may not be spilling your heart out into workouts, but you still pour your heart into your career. You may not be fighting the temptation to stop tracking macros, but you still have to navigate the waters of nutrition and a proper diet.
Struggles and challenges can rob us of the joy that is in the journey, so we must choose to find the joy! Here are a few ways in which I do that:
1.) Find The Good in All Things:
Many think that getting what we want is the ultimate good that can come from a scenario. However, it is not as much about reaching the goal as it is about what we become in pursuit of that goal!
Something that may not seem good at the time may have been placed in your life so that you are better prepared for your future. What if the scenario was given to you because you were the one strong enough to endure it so that another didn’t have to? All things work together for the Good.
2.) Control What You Can Control:
If we can stop focusing on the things that are out of our control and start focusing on what is in our control, we produce a level of certainty in our lives in which we can find peace.
One of the easiest ways I focus on what is in my control is by keeping the promises I make to myself.
If you say you are going to go to the gym today, then GO. If you say you are going to leave work by 5:00pm, then you better be packing up by 4:50pm. Keep your promises to yourself. Doing so creates room to enjoy the pleasures of life with a clear conscience.
3.) Serve Others:
One of the most fulfilling things about the journey is getting to help others experience joy. Each of us have been given gifts and blessings, so use them to bless others! It is gratifying to see joy engulf someone else’s life.
I challenge you to take the time to listen to someone else’s story. We all have something incredibly inspiring about our journey. Allowing someone to be heard will bring joy to their heart.
The journey is full of joy. We just have to choose to find it.
#BeKindWorkHard