Let Them Laugh

Recently, I have read books and listened to pastors who have confirmed ideas that I have had about Christianity all my life. People would laugh at my ideas and comments. “That will never happen,” is a phrase that I have heard more times in my life than I can count. I have begun to realize that as I am getting older, I wish I had listened to my ideas and words and not worry about those who laugh. Let them laugh.

We hear all the inspirational stories of people who have had it difficult either financially, or physically, or mentally, and how they overcame their challenges, including people taunting and/or discouraging them. Those are great stories to read, but when I have finished reading those stories, I have had to step up and face reality again. It is not just that incredible successful people have super powers. They have powers, but they are ones that we can all attain. They have the powers of resilience, determination, and motivation.

Resilience. It comes when we refuse to allow those who insult, criticize, or mock us to determine what we do or what we say. When we are pushed up against the wall and feel like we do not have any strength, we dig down deep and push away from all the jealousy, arrogance, and hatred and pursue our goals and dreams. Joseph, the son of Isaac, in the Old Testament had resilience. Every time an obstacle came into his life, he bounced back and thrived. He refused to allow his enemies to have power over him. Resilience gives you power and control and takes it away from those who have hurt you or have tried to hold you back. Resilient people refuse to allow human beings to have so much power or control over them that they turn from what is good.

Determination. Those who succeed have tried one million ways to reach their goals. They worked until they found that one strategy that took them to the top. We never read about all their failures. We are only privileged to their successes. We have to be determined to allow God to work in our lives and not give up when we fail or when life has trials. It means we keep going when the going feels like it is just flying down the hill of a roller coaster that lands in a dumpster. We continue on the ride and climb out of the dumpster of life and walk up the stairs on the roller coaster. (As a person who fears heights, I know that roller coasters have these.) We cannot give up on our goals or dreams, whether we are young or old, rich or poor, educated, or not educated, or whatever excuse we use. We have to go beyond the lies we have believed about ourselves in our entire lives and let people know the truth that shines within us.

Motivation. The reason why people succeed is that they have an end goal and they have a reason that motivates them to achieve that end goal. If our end goal is life affirming and aligned with the will of God, then it will create in us an urgency to fulfill it. If it is revenge, it will create anger and bitterness in our souls that will begin to be revealed by all of those who surround us, which will lead to them alienating us or infuriating us more. We must be motivated to reach our goals and dreams, and that requires us to forgive our enemies and push forward with what we need to do and not dwell on the past hurts that have motivated us toward anger and bitterness. Super heroes all have motivation to do the right thing in order to make the world a better place. What motivates us will be revealed in the end result.

By no means am I an expert on goals and dreams, but I have discovered that for far too long I have listened to the wrong voices in my life. I have allowed the laughter of others to hold me back from my dreams and goals. To those who still laugh, go ahead and laugh. I have more important work to be done. It is urgent. I will keep going no matter what obstacles get thrown in my way. I am determined to complete it, and motivated that what is aligned with the will of God is laughed at by those who do not know God or do not know God’s will. May the year of 2020 be a year for all of us to push away the blurriness of those who do not support us and see clearly in order for us to make a difference in the world around us, even when people laugh at us. Those same people who laugh today, are the same ones applauding the works and words that have been created by those at which they laughed, tomorrow.

New Year's Goals and Resolutions

Many people make resolutions, or new goals, for the new year. In the beginning, we all are good at keeping our resolutions or goals. The gyms are packed with people fulfilling their goals to be healthier and workout. People like me are writing diligently or cleaning their homes and getting organized. Then, somewhere between the first week and February, we fall back into our old habits. A few years ago, I felt challenged and kept two resolutions or goals and have not stopped ever since. Looking back, I realize a few differences that I created that became habits.

So, my goals or resolutions came because a pastor said, “No one ever keeps their resolutions.” Don’t tell me that. I revert back to my “I’ll show you” attitude and I do it. So, that year I committed to writing every single day. I also decided that I needed to have a daily devotional every single day. That was five years ago. The habit continues to exist. I look back at what I did and I realize that I set up some rules.

First, if I did miss a day, I would continue the next day and not beat myself up for it. I haven’t been as successful with my gym goals. I try to commit to going to the gym at least three times a week. I don’t always make it three times a week, so I start over the next week. I don’t beat myself up over it, which I think is key to accomplishing any goal.

Next, I create small increments to my goals. The first year I wrote every day. It has always been writing that was explicit for my goals in writing like my book or screenplays. It was not writing for lists or even journaling. The small increments were connected to my schedule. The weekends always get more writing time than the weekdays. It has become such a habit that I don’t know how to go a day without writing. Writer’s block has become obsolete.

Small increments can be sub goals to get your bigger goals. I know experts say that’s how you reach your goals, but it’s true. Small increments to larger goals are ones that help you remember why you are doing what you are doing. They are not always easier to achieve, but they are just one element of what needs to be done for your goal to be attained. It’s why many people quit with their goals after one month. We may want to lose weight and we set one big goal, but without those smaller increment goals, we struggle to maintain our big goal.

Accountability. I told others what I was doing. It is not only for support of keeping my goal, but to remind myself. I would tell people in the middle of the year, I still am keeping my crazy goal to write every single day this year. When people would ask what do I write, they would then ask when do I write. I would tell them that I write every day because I had learned from the expert writers like Stephen King that the best writers write every single day. By the middle of the year, I realized that a habit was developing.

Being consistent. I have become consistent when I write. Whether it is first thing in the morning or right when I get home, it is easier for me to reach my goals when I have a consistent time of doing what I have set to do.

Having goals makes you realize if it is really your passion or just a wild dream. Early on in that first year of writing every day, I recognized how much I loved to write and how much I had to say. It wasn’t a goal that was just for a year. It has become a habit to do until I no longer have the passion or the capability to write.

In Philippians 3:14, Paul states, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ. Jesus.” (NIV) The prize is to be in the presence of Jesus. To remain in his presence, the goal of speaking and listening to Him daily has guided me to be in His presence even in the trials of life.

The best thing I discovered with my goals was that each day was new. Even if you have already broken your goals or resolutions, you can start over every single day. Habits are created. Bad habits are difficult to break but they are broken when we create new habits. Each day is present for you to create a new habit or part of one and to begin to break a bad habit. It’s a new year. Every day is a new day. We can all start with a new and healthy habit. Once we do, we make a small difference in the world that can create a world that is better for us all.