Tip of the Week

Tip of the Week Archive

My mess is my message!

It seems to me that almost everyone I have talked to lately has at one time or another found themselves in a big mess.  None of us sets out to end up in a mess, it just simply happens as a result of the circumstances of life.  I even recently saw a sign that was made to hang up in a person's office that said, "Bless this mess!"  Truly all of us have been in circumstances and situations before that felt overwhelming.  Life is not a smooth process. 
 
Have you ever been sailing?  I am no expert, but I know that when sailing, you do not travel the seas in a straight line.  You move across the water in a zig-zag fashion that is called tacking.  It is the process of turning the boat in order to allow the wind to catch the sails and drive the boat in one direction for a while.  Then the sails and rudder are adjusted so that the wind catches the sails and pushes the boat across to the other side.  This zig-zagging pattern is continued until the final destination is reached.  In the meantime, you have to deal with the "mess" of the seas, the winds, unexpected turbulence, and everything else that comes your way.  It is just part of the plan. 
 
Not to overstate the illustration, but airline pilots go through a similar process.  Just this past week I was flying home from a speaking engagement and the pilot announced that there was a severe storm ahead that made it necessary for him to make a mid-course correction.  He had to turn the airplane in a different direction in order for us to by-pass the storm.  He explained that it would take a little bit longer to reach our destination, but I can assure you that all of the passengers were more than happy for him to change the course plans so that we did not have to experience a real mess! 
 
Life is like that.  We are often headed in one direction when circumstances and situations arise that cause us to adjust our course.  The messes that all of us experience from time to time force us to zig-zag our way to our intended goal.
 
Whatever has happened in your life has been to help make you a better person.  The mess that you may be experiencing right now will one day become something that you laugh about.  Some of my deepest hurts and sorrows have become the very stories I have been able to share with others to help them through a difficult time in their own life.  And the same will be true for you.
 
Let me encourage you, this week, in two ways:  1) Stay out of as many messes as possible.  Stupidity in life is not required!  Let's be wise concerning every decision we make.  2) When we do discover that we have created a mess, or have become part of one, I would suggest that we let it become part of our life's message to other people.  No one wants to know how great and perfect we are.  But, everyone is willing to listen to our personal experiences of how we struggled and failed along life's way.  It is helpful for them to hear how our "mess" became our message.  It will be a blessing to others, and when all is said and done, isn't that what life is all about?

This information is provided in congruence with Personality Insights USA.

Tip of the Week Archive