Experiences and reflections that you engage in allow you to develop the will to activate “lessons learned.”
There are so many thoughts and ideas in my head as I sit down to write my first blog post. I had to consider the overarching message for my blog entries. What is the essence of who I am and my “why” as it relates to my total being and my purpose in life? Learning for me is foundational to my “why” – to empower and equip everyone I encounter on a daily basis. There are many lessons that teach you a skill, principle, protocol, and/or strategy, but the greatest lesson you can learn is about yourself, including your identities and cultures. Experiences and reflections that you engage in allow you to develop the will to activate “lessons learned.” We have to stop aimlessly going through life without learning from every experience and interaction. Sometimes it is a small insight. Sometimes it is a large insight. Sometimes it is a reminder. Sometimes it reminds you to take action. When we are truly present in every experience and interaction we can enhance our knowledge, experience, and skill. Past experiences and lessons activate prior knowledge and information to inform our present and future. Through this practice we learn personal accountability. Personal accountability allows us to walk in confidence even when times seem powerless. We can walk in triumph. We understand there are different seasons in our lives to build our faith and perfect our character. As our character and experience is established we can build our mental stamina.
Personal accountability allows us to own our circumstances – good, bad, or indifferent – and through personal accountability, we take responsibility for the process and outcome.
We do not blame our situation, people, or other external factors; we find a way to empower ourselves and achieve our purpose. We can acknowledge that sometimes there are external factors that cause barriers, but we must find ways to overcome the barriers. As my Grandmother Lillie Pearl would say, “there is more than one way to get something done.” Do not settle for the first “no” and give up or throw in the towel, but continue to look for alternative options. When you pursue personal accountability, this sense of self-worth becomes more pronounced because there is a belief in your personal attributes, abilities, potentials, and identities. You consider previous experiences, various individuals, numerous encounters, and personal endeavors, and you look for lessons in everything. This can happen any time and all the time if you empower yourself to take the time to assess your life landscape through preparation, knowledge, reflection, action, and refinement.
I understand that gray forces us not to be tied to one way of thinking or outcome; it forces you to consider many vantage points and perspectives.
When I was growing up there were many occasions I observed or believed that situations, feelings, beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and practices had to be good or bad, or black or white. Oftentimes it seemed like having a neutral or gray area was seen as bad or indecisive, but the more I learn and grow I understand that emotions are lessons too. I understand that gray forces us not to be tied to one way of thinking or outcome; it forces you to consider many vantage points and perspectives. Why do we have to be restrictive? There is no perfect balance or one definitive way of doing something or being something. The only thing we must consider is this: What is the lesson trying to teach me and how can this allow me to develop as a human being? We have a choice in this process: Will I be more present in my daily interactions and experiences? Will I utilize this opportunity to be present and grow? Being present means being fully aware, being sensitive to my thoughts, feelings, emotions, and identities. How can I evolve into the best person I can be in life? Stay tuned for part 1 of this series. #salute2learning
Call to Action
Take a few moments to reflect on this blog post. Then post your reflective thoughts. What are you thinking about the content in this post? Please share in the comment section below or use Twitter to share thoughts. Use the hashtag #salute2learning when you post on Twitter. Bring your reflective questions and let’s dialogue on Saturday, October 30th from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Register Here
