Grinding with Gratitude
What do you long to do?
Are you currently doing what you love?
Do you love what you do?
Is there something else that you hope to do in your lifetime?
These are few a questions that cross many people’s minds, including mine. But is it possible to do several things that you love all at once? Could there be a way to mesh multiple passions that facilitate the other, and be not just happy but successful at it?
That is the question.
Flashback a few days …
This is me … after seeing all the magic that happened at the 2018 Essence Festival in New Orleans, this past weekend.
I can’t deny that #FOMO tried to get the best of me. But seeing so many women connect and share about their platforms as entrepreneurs, creatives, influencers and women in business … or simply their experience as festival attendees (who left motivated and inspired to make their dreams come true) truly motivated me. It motivated me to keep grinding and working on my dreams, visions and goals.
Also me …
When I think of all the amazing opportunities that God has allowed me to experience, so far this year, I can’t help but smile and get excited about all the is to come.
As lawyer and associate working in outreach to educate young inventors, makers and innovators, there is no shortage of creativity, hard-work, persistence, pursuit and sacrifice witnesses day to day. From the nine-year old girl who invents an energy-efficient and cool way to dry her pet off an after a bath, to the sixty-year old who creates a modification to the magic of augmented reality glasses, there is no shortage of inspiration and proof that any goal/dream is possible.
It’s in this space, that I reflect on the road that I’ve traveled and the path in which I am traveling — making the connection between all of the things that I’ve worked to accomplish and the passions and dreams I still want to pursue. Sometimes, we get so caught up in reaching our goal(s) that we forget to see how it manifested from the goal we attempted and/or achieved prior to. In other words, each goal prepares us for the next whether perceptibly obvious or not.
I remember one time, a colleague said to me, “You are all over the place girl. From computer science/engineering to education and teaching middle school and now law school, you are always doing something. When are you going to slow down and focus on one thing.”
Ha! I kid you not, I laughed right then and there. This was someone who was (not necessarily unhappy with the way her life was playing out, but instead, someone I acknowledged as comfortable and afraid to purse [all] of that which she once dreamed of doing.
My response? Well, let’s just say I pulled it together nicely and refrained from saying what my initial instincts would have lead me to say. Instead …
Me: “I’s interesting that you say that. But the way I see it, is that a person dots can be a scattered everywhere but God is the only person who connects those dots. I’m just happy to be able to pursue that I dream to do.”
Her: *crickets*
A few years later, and I able to say that the work I do professionally encompasses engineering (STEM), education and the law of intellectual property. God is something else, isn’t He?
New pursuits and the future goals aside, I thank God for each and every opportunity that has lead me to this point. Specifically, I am also thankful for the experiences I have had, so far this year.
Some were the result of hustle and pursuit … because “He helps those who help themselves.” Putting myself out there, attending workshops and events for entrepreneurs and creatives, sharpening my skills and honing my craft. Pursuing my passion even when it seemed impossible. Constantly grinding as a demonstration of activating my faith.
While others were what I like to call “chance opportunities ignited by favor.” I’ll save that for another post. *wink*
But ultimately, His direction, His alignment and His divine appointments create opportunities that ignite a choice to get up, go out and do something … to make things happen. And I plan on doing just that.
One of my favorite songs that inspires me says, “In spite of calamity, He still has a plan for me.” I believe this to be true. No matter how things are going for you, He ultimately has a plan for you. Whether or not my dots may seem to be all over the place (to someone else), He knows exactly what His plan is for me. He has a plan for all of us.
So again I ask …
What do you long to do? Are you currently doing what you love or do you love what you do? Is there something else that you hope to do in your lifetime?
Go out and do it.
Despite the fear of failure or looking crazy, I decided to pursue a fashion and lifestyle blog with no experience, no established partnerships, no notoriety and what seemed like an outdated understanding of website design. Ha!
A few visual ideas, a good prayer, hours of self-teaching on WordPress and a “Lord help me” was what facilitated me in making it all happen. And here we are!
Challenging myself to create good … no great content, sharpening my skills, working on my visuals (a new DSLR camera is on the list) and
Food for thought …
Taking in to consideration your responses to the previous questions, ask yourself, “What am I grateful for?” Your family and friends, good health, success, your career? My guess is that whatever it may be, let that gratitude be precipitate the next goal you set for yourself. And when you pursue it, do it with gratitude.
I can’t wait to see how He moves in your life as well!
Keeping going. Keep grinding. Keep giving thanks and expressing your gratitude. Favor, victory and success is already yours!
xoxo,
Marú
Links to My Look:
Dress: Shop similar one here | Vest: Shop similar one here | Pumps: here
Photography: T.K.O.
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