Have you ever been stuck?????
I’m guessing you’re probably like me….
Right about the time when everything is going great – you’re hard core pursuing your dream and them BOOM! Just like that! You’ve lost your steam.
That’s what I want to talk to you about!
I never thought of it quite this way, but in the movie “Rocky,” Rocky Balboa said it nicely:
Dreams are free.
For you young ‘uns ….You have to watch the movie “ROCKY” if you’ve never seen it. It’s an inspiring classic!
Let’s cut to the chase.
To get un-stuck we need to:
1. Trust. Trust. Trust.
2. Trust your instincts. Know the dream that God has planted in your heart. Make up your mind to trust that you have a unique gift or talent that the world needs.
3. Trust God. Get quiet. Listen. If God plants a dream in our hearts he will help guide you to fulfill it.
4. Trust the process. It takes work. Successful people might make it look easy, but seeing a dream fulfilled – takes work. Hard work. And time. Lots of time. Be patient.
5. Trust the instinct to help others. Slowing down your dream to help others may seem like a distraction, it’s not. Helping others and making someone else’s life a bit better is what makes ours fulfilling.
One of my favorite things to do is garden. I love lush foliage. My husband and I laugh that we can’t imagine what our yard will look like in 10 years because we keep buying plants! During the day I keep an old laundry detergent container in my kitchen sink to catch water for my plants. I think it’s easier than a real watering can which is crazy hard to fill. So I use the water I collect, add a little fertilizer to it and pour it on my favorite plants. Now, imagine if I took that water and used it to feed my weeds. It wouldn’t make sense! Eventually, the weeds would thrive and choke my beautiful plants.
Remember, what you feed grows. If you don’t feed “it,” it just won’t grow!
[bctt tweet=”The bottom line: What you feed grows. If you don’t feed it, it just won’t grow!” username=”https://twitter.com/TrekkingChar”]
Any time you get “stuck,” it means you’ve probably been watering the weeds. Weeds can be real obstacles that scare us or mental giants that attack our adequacy.
Keep your dream going –
Brian Buffini tells a story of when he was 19 years old, newly emigrated to the U.S., and hit by a car as he was riding his motorcycle. Because he had bills to pay, he wasn’t stopped by the fact that one of his legs was in a full cast for months. He hopped on his bicycle and rode, with his leg extended, from house to house around Los Angeles until he was able to secure a painting job. Yep! He worked in that condition until his leg healed. It’s not surprising that he was a millionaire by the time he was 26. He fed his dreams and didn’t let any “weed” stop him.
[bctt tweet=”Water your dream – not your weeds!” username=”https://twitter.com/TrekkingChar”]
Are you stuck? Have you pushed through? I’d love, love to hear about it!
Cheryl says
Another thought came to mind as it relates to “the weeds”; sometimes those “weeds” can be the people we surround ourselves in. Those weeds can be toxic and smothering to our own personal growth. A thought I find myself pondering upon with some of the people I keep company with, “Do I feel positive and energized around this person or do I feel drained and negative?” Is it time to weed my garden of person relationships?
Char says
I agree wholeheartedly. What’s that saying? “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” We have to be careful about all the influences around us. I like your litmus test!
Alyson says
Great advice Char! Energizer bunny here I come!
Char says
Go girl go!! Thanks for stopping by Alyson!
Maree Dee says
Love what you had to say. TRUST- Trust- Trust-. That is exactly what I am going to do. I keep doubting my dreams. I haven’t run out of steam just letting the doubts creep in. Thank you for encouraging.
Char says
Hi Maree Dee! I’ve come to believe that getting past the doubt is an important step in pursuing our dreams. It’s really exciting to just dive past it, like jumping off the high diving board into the pool below. If God planted it in your heart, he will walk you through. That’s what I’m leaning on!
Theresa Boedeker says
Char, love your point, if you are stuck you are probably feeding the weeds. So true!! Sometimes we don’t know we are feeding the weeds, and other times it seems safer to feed the weeds than our dreams. Thanks for the encouragement.
Char says
It does seem more natural to feed the weeds than our dreams. BUT… we just aren’t satisfied that way! I have to keep my eyes on the ball! Thanks for stopping by Theresa!
Erin says
Yes! This! I’ve been so caught up in doing the peripheral things that I’ve forgotten to keep the main thing the main thing. It’s so easy to do things that seem like they’re helpful when really they’re distracting me from God’s objective for me. Thanks for the reminder!
Char says
It’s easy to get distracted – too easy these days. Then those distractions can get us off track if we’re aren’t intentional. Hang in there Erin!!
Alice Mills says
Inspirational. So easy to get frustrated when things aren’t moving at the pace you want them too. I try to remember that some things can take decades.
Heather Hart says
“Any time you get “stuck,” it means you’ve probably been watering the weeds. ” <– THIS!! I needed this. I've been watering what the world would define as "shoulds" and feeling overwhelmed instead of focusing on watering what God is really calling me to do. Thanks for this! It was just what I needed.
Char says
Hi Heather! It’s easy to get overwhelmed and stuck on the “Shoulds!” Great way to define it!
Heather Hart says
I came back to this post today… Gardening is far from my favorite thing to do, but I love the reminder to trust.
Char says
Hi Heather! I love to garden – I’d much rather be outside any day than inside doing housework!!! Thanks for coming back!!!
Charly300589 says
Lovely story. And it’s true. Sometimes we need to stop and ask ourselves if we are watering our weeds.
Kristi says
We do have to pay attention to what we are watering! That is so true! What do we want to grow and produce? If we are producing the wrong thing then like you said we need to water the correct thing.
Char says
Great question to ask ourselves Kristi – what do we want to grow?
Chelsea Bolks says
True words!! It’s so easy to get disheartened when our dreams don’t become a reality immediately, but it’s important to remember that “if God is for us, who can be against us?”. And in the classic words of Disney’s Dory, “Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming…” 🙂
Char says
Go Dory! Go God! Thanks for stopping by Chelsea.
Heather says
I can completely relate to feeling “stuck” and can honestly say I never attributed it to feeding the wrong things in life. It all makes more sense now looking back at those stuck times. I do need to remember to trust God and listen for him when I am feeling stagnant.
Patricia says
Thank you for sharing such a wisdom filled post! There have been times when I’ve been stuck. I give myself no more than 24 hours for a pity party – then I pick myself up by the collar and hop to it. Praise and worship music is my key. If I’m too busy praising, I can’t be complaining! I love your reference to “Dreams are free.” So true! Thank you for sharing!
Char says
That’s funny that you gave yourself a time limit! I did that the last time I was stuck in self doubt and fear – I told myself by a certain day I was going to push through it regardless of how I felt. I think it’s all part of the process. Thanks for sharing Patricia!
Lo @ Mrs. Lo Tanner says
I love the quotes you shared in here! “Water your dreams – not the weeds!” That’s brilliant!
I’m going to have to check out this “Rocky” movie you are talking about. I seem to be among the young ones who haven’t seen it. 😀
I think the hardest thing for me has been trusting the process. But over the past 6 months, God has really helped me get a grip on that. Am loving the hard work and I am loving learning and connecting with people who can teach and encourage me. We can’t get stuck in the process! We’ve got to trust God to equip us and do our part to move through the process.
Char says
You’re absolutely right! We have to move through the process. Oh my, let me know what you think of Rocky!!!! It’s old, but its a good one!!
Annette says
Love this blog! As I look back over my life, I remember many times I’ve felt “stuck”. The truth is that in most of those cases God had me in a holding pattern. I wasn’t ready even though I was called. There is an equipping process that always takes longer than I think it should but it is SO important!! I agree fully with your five trust points, especially #3- “if God plants a dream in your heart He will help guide you to fulfill it.” Sounds a lot like I Thessalonians 5:24: He who calls you is faithful , who also will do it.
Keep blogging!!
Char says
Thanks Annette, Great bible verse tie-in. I’m reminded of Deuteronomy 8 where the Lord explains those holding patterns -to show us what’s in our hearts … I’m constantly surprised at what I see in mine… One of my favorite verses.
Alice Mills says
I love the emphasis on trust. We have to learn to trust Who God is, but we have to learn to trust ourselves and Hos gifting in is as well.
Char says
So, so true. I think that is probably one of the biggest challenges.
Andrea says
My pastor’s been trying to minister to me on trusting God
Char says
I think it’s the toughest lesson – but the most important….
Jennifer DeFrates/Heaven Not Harvard says
I’ve been feeling stuck and I like the idea that I need to feed what I want to grow. If I don’t give that dream any water, it will wither and die.
Char says
That’s a great analogy – water your dream and it will grow Jennifer!
Tara says
This is the component that is missing for many of us (myself included)–the ability to keep going and not give up! When you start accomplishing something, that is when you have to be most careful to keep it going and growing!
Char says
Right on Tara!!!! I feel like God has me in this season of pushing through (instead of around) the trials!!!
Susan Evans says
When we feel stuck, we can also ask God if He wants us to change our dreams to be more in conformity to His will. Other times it was God who put the dream there, and we need to move forward and do it.
Char says
You’re right – we need to have discernment Susan. 🙂
Amy Hagerup (@amyhagerup) says
I love that truth: what you feed grows! Such a great reminder.