In our household we have boys who love playing with bouncy balls. As a kid myself, I remember being mesmerized by the movement and reaction of a bouncy ball when it hits a surface, changes direction noticing how the energy changes. Even when the ball is bouncing between surfaces close together how the energy seemingly gets faster. Over the holidays our boys were gifted a kit to make their own bouncy balls. And as I saw their custom creations I thought about my own bounce.
For many of us, when we face discouragement, obstacles, curveballs, frustration we're discouraged. We're deflated. We are derailed losing momentum, and often our confidence takes a hit.
Like when a bouncy ball changes direction when it hits a surface, when we hit an obstacle and are discouraged, we find a new direction because there's still this core energy inside our bouncy ball...the movement continues. So where's our bounce?
In 2020, we were dealt a ton of surprises and changed plans. For me, there were many moments for myself that it was easy to become discouraged, deflated and lose momentum and dare I say, lose hope. But instead I took the perspective of a new direction being a new opportunity.
Consider the situations in our lives like a bouncy ball. As you respond and reacting to new situations converting energy from one surface, one situation, one distraction, one discouragement, to the next what's that core energy that you that you want to have? Where do you get your energy? What's fueling that energy. What are the things that you are doing to give yourself energy, so that when you hit an obstacle. when you're starting that new direction, you still have energy, and still have momentum.
When you hit that obstacle, what's the reaction you want to have? And while I'm a huge proponent of planning and preparation being proactive and focusing on our response, like a bouncy ball, there's unexpected surfaces and obstacles that we're going to hit and are going to force us into a new direction. Without knowing what those surfaces and what those obstacles are specifically going to be we can choose what we want our reaction to be. How flexible am I? When it comes to a changed plan, when the direction I'm heading, all of a sudden changes, will I react with disappointment, discouragement and be totally deflated, or can I react with disappointment and find opportunity for learning and opportunity for growth.
What if every surprise, changed plan, every curveball on our journey, whether from yesterday, last week or last year was an opportunity to refine our energy, refine our focus and clarify what's really important to us.
When things don't go how you expect, they don't go your way, how are you going to convert that energy into something that's going to serve you, be positive for you?
What's the reaction that you want to have before you hit that obstacle? And when you're forced in a new direction consider and challenge yourself to think about what the learning might be.
The ability for you and I to be flexible and nimble in life's situations is increasingly valuable. Life is more than achieving all of our goals and tasks, exactly as we set them out. Life is about the journey. Life is about the waypoints. Life is about how we navigate the curveballs and distractions.
