I am continually learning the keys to living a life that I am not only comfortable with, but truly enjoy. The first lesson I've learned is to stop trying to please everyone else. People will constantly tell us what they would or would not do if they were in our shoes but, the truth is, they do not know how they would respond because they are not faced with our circumstances. I am learning to ask God for direction, listen to the advice of others, and make the decision that I feel is best for me. Ultimately, it is I who has to deal with the consequences of my decisions, whether they are good or bad. As long as we are doing anything, people will have something to say, but as long as we are true to ourselves, WHY WORRY? Only we will see our own vision in all its grandeur, so there is no need to expect others to come aboard. Nor should we be upset if they do not. If we stop and take an honest look at those around us, I'm sure we will be able to distinguish the ones who are there to offer support from those whose only goal is to interject negativity in our minds. More often than not, we have more "Positive Pollies" than "Negative Nancies" but, we choose to focus on the latter. If you know the story of Joshua and Caleb in the Bible, you know that they were the only 2 spies sent to survey the land of Canaan that believed they were more than able to possess it. Because of their faith, they were the only 2 Israelites of their generation allowed to inhabit the land. God would not allow those with such unbelief in His power and faithfulness to experience such a blessing. He only rewarded those who truly believed in Him. The funny thing is, God had just sent Moses to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of Pharaoh in Egypt. He then allowed them to cross the Red Sea on dry land but, it swallowed Pharaoh's soldiers as they gave chase. God then led them through the wilderness for 40 years without the soles of their shoes ever wearing out, gave them water from a rock, and fed them manna made from dew on the ground. Yet and still, despite these miraculous provisions made for them, they still did not truly believe. We all have people around us with an "Israelite" mindset who will tell us that we can not accomplish our goals because of their lack of faith. Some would rather not see us succeed solely because of envy or spite. Regardless of why, we can not allow them to deter us from striving towards our goal. Don't worry about who won't, Focus on who will.
