You Are A Work In Progress

You are a work in progress: At what point do you realize the moments, the bad ones, don’t define you? At what point do you wake up, look in the mirror and say “I am capable,” or “I am a survivor and I will survive.” Or, this moment of feeling as if I’ve failed doesn’t make you a failure. 

You are a work in progress. Few of us realize this, especially when feeling desolate, or as if nothing is going according to plan. It’s unfortunate because as our lives change and we evolve, we will experience highs and lows. It’s important that in those moments we remember we evolve, we change, and, as our lives reshape those events that we sometime consider burdensome or insurmountable are the opportunities that define us. They help us grow and expand, to become stronger than we ever thought possible.

I have a few questions I want to present to you for you to consider the answers to: At what point do you realize that the moments, the bad ones, don’t define you? At what point do you wake up, look in the mirror and say “I am capable,” or “I am a survivor and I will survive.” Or, this moment of feeling as if I’ve failed, doesn’t make you a failure?

There’s no denying sometimes the difficulties that life throws at you can be unbearable, and seeing the good is hard. Telling someone who feels like shit about whatever, that it could be worse, or pointing out their accomplishments sometimes just doesn’t work. They don’t want to, or are unwilling to hear it when you say look at it another way. Somewhere, someone is experiencing worse.

Knowing You Are A Work In Progress And Believing It Requires Acknowledging A Few Things

A Part of believing you are a work in progress is to realize that you are capable. You can look at this a few ways. The simple way: Everything you need to keep going, to not give up, is within you. You just have to believe. The more complicated way to consider how capable you are? The thought that god would never give you more to handle than you can handle. If you are spiritual, this may resonate with you.

Here is a thought to consider that may help. Those successful people who inspire you, that you emulate, do not differ from you. They also have moments of overwhelm, of feeling as if nothing works out as planned. What you should also take from their success is that they are not different from you, therefore if they can overcome moments of despondency, then you certainly can too.

Another way to realize you are a work in progress? To Know that Everything, and I mean everything that happens in life, is a learning experience.

Here is the ideal scenario when something in your life gives you a moment to pause and you feel defeated. That you acknowledge the moment, that you think introspectively and ask yourself a key question:

What is the lesson here? What is it you need to do or know to move forward?

Whether it’s feeling as if you are not getting anywhere with your efforts, or if it’s a setback. Ask yourself this one question in whatever way you want to word it. In addition, there are key factors to keep in mind. Aspects that, if ignored, will be the opposite of concluding that you are a work in progress. One of those factors to consider is regret.

You don’t want to deal with feelings of regret

As a fan of Anthony Robbins, I would be remiss if I did not mention his method of dealing with anxiety and regret. Here is his method:

Take a moment and imagine yourself at 85 years old. You’re in your rocking chair, reflecting on how you’ve lived. Imagine your life if you did whatever it is that makes you anxious or fearful; maybe it’s changing careers, learning to fly a helicopter or taking a trip somewhere new. How do you feel? What’s your life been like because of the decision?–Tony Robbins.

Now put yourself in that rocking chair. Reflect on your decisions, your choices. Pretend that as much as you feel like giving up right now, what you would feel a year from now, five years from now. Even just a month from how. Get off that couch, stop feeling sorry for yourself, stop believing everything is going right for everyone but you, and choose to not have to live with regret down the road.

Choosing to not tackle your reason for living on that couch could mean following an unexpected path. Which could lead to a breakthrough moment. Which happens when you admit you are a work in progress.

Recognizing your Breakthrough Moments

Sometimes our breakthrough moments happen when nothing goes according to plan; we all experience them. You know the scenario: you want or expect things to go a certain way, but that’s the last thing to happen. Instead of things going the way you expect, things become a little crazed. If you dwell on it for a moment, you could probably identify many of those instances.

What would happen if you remove the anxiety from those moments and replace them with calm and assurance? If you view the unexpected as perhaps the path you need to follow. If you follow that path, just to see what happens. To see what you can learn. Think of this option as choosing to acknowledge, as well as embrace, your life’s journey. When you embrace what life offers, that is also when you grow.

A Proactive Approach to accepting that you are a work in progress

It’s about how you deal with the unexpected moments. As hard as it is to fathom, life is not on a mission to make your existence miserable. I know, it’s so much easier to say “Life Sucks.” What if you chose instead to say “I Am Worthy?” In reality, everyone is worthy. It doesn’t matter what you are experiencing or how debilitating or lost you sometimes feel. Life is worth every moment in which you stand, acknowledge, and proceed with absolute calm and certainty.

To Summarize

Admitting that you are a work in progress is when you realize the true obstacle is how to grow from the experiences. When you can take what life offers, and not let anything shrink you into a grain of sand. Embrace the knowledge that you are a work in progress.

Episode Highlights

• See the good in the bad and know that it’s only a page in the book that is your life.
• So many of us focus on the bad that’s happening in our lives that we neglect to notice the things that are good.
• It’s up to each of us to find the positives.
• Everything you need to keep going, to not give up, is within you.
• What is it you need to know, to do, to move forward?
• Stop believing everything is going right for everyone but you.
• Sometimes our breakthrough moment happens when nothing goes according to plan.

Episode at a glance

Resources & Actions

• Share your story. Learn more and schedule your pre-interview here.
• Get the free Life Purpose Matrix workbook here.
• Register for SD Toolbox live notification here.
• Review and comment on Evolving Life podcast here.
• Follow the instructions below if you use Apple Podcast to listen.

Your Thoughts & Support

I hope this episode inspires you to believe more in yourself. If you enjoy this episode or find it helpful, please share the podcast with family and friends and leave us a review on which ever medium you are using to listen to your podcasts. I would love to read your thoughts and more people will get the chance to be empowered by what I have to say.

If you would like to be a guest on Evolving Life, schedule your pre-interview here

If you have a topic you want to hear about on Evolving Life? contact me.

Share your Apple Podcast review here. To access the review page, click on the link listen on Apple Podcast. Once Apple Podcast opens, click on Evolving Life under shows. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see the option to write a review.