Most people get really stressed out when it comes to major transitions or big projects/trips/events. I think it is the discomfort of not knowing what to expect partnered with all the extra energy it takes to plan for something you have never done before. Preparing for training camp has been making me a little crazy lately. I’ve been obsessing over my gear and budget. I have had a lot of unforeseen personal expenses come up recently and because of that I am starting to worry about money. But…why? Does worrying have any positive results? Does worrying suddenly help me find better deals on my gear? Does worrying help me create a realistic budget for next year? Does worrying cause me to have a positive and grateful attitude about my trip? The answer is no, no, no and no.
We can’t really do much when emotions get the best of us. They are just there…whether we want to feel them or not…but we do have the control of how we will act on our emotions. Today I am saying, “NO MORE” to my stressed out thoughts. NO. “No” you can not steal my excitement. “NO” you can not convince me that I don’t have enough.
That’s the thing…I have exactly what I need in this moment. If a moment ever comes when I think I don’t have exactly what I need, I will be wrong, because God is in control and He’s the one who gets to decide that, not me. When my life is in sync with God, I will always have enough. Enough time. Enough money. Enough energy. This is faith.
But what about walking blindly through life without acknowledging worries? Faith is not an excuse for laziness or lack of preparation. This is where faith meets wisdom. There is a reason that feelings are there and even though I will say “NO” to letting those feelings paralyze me or steal my excitement, I will use them to propel me to take action. I will say “no” to worry and “yes” to more information. I will use my anxiety to motivate me to research more, ask more questions, pray more, and make decisions based on information. This is wisdom.
Faith + Wisdom = READY
What more can you do than gather ALL the information available and make educated decisions? Wisdom is what brings you in to the next step prepared. Faith is what gives you the flexibility to adapt positively when its nothing at all like what you expected. Either way, God goes before us and behind us, so there really isn’t anything to fear.
That’s the lesson I learned from all this planning and stressing! When I took a step back and got logical I was no longer paralyzed and drained by worry.
I’m so excited for training camp! I’m so excited to live in each moment. I’m so excited to face things as they come instead of worrying about things that may never happen!
