Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates… Or Is It?
Everyone knows that quote from the movie Forrest Gump: “Life is like a box of chocolates….you never know what you’re gonna get.” This has been one of the most inspirational quotes to me personally.
There is a lot of truth in that statement. You cannot possibly predict everything that will happen in a lifetime. Some things are just out of our control; however, how we handle the things we cannot see coming is exactly what will shape our future. Do you ever ask yourself… AM I BEING TESTED?
The answer is yes.
While you cannot possibly predict the future, you most certainly have more control over what that looks like than you may think. Struggles and conflict are tools for growth. Not because they’re higher entities that want to test you. They’re not bored. It’s not for a laugh or entertainment. You’re being tested so that you can grow. So you can learn. So that you have the tools and experiences necessary to achieve your dreams and goals.
Let’s talk about stress, worry, anxiety, and burnout.
- Do you stress about the costs or if your team is ready to execute your vision you have worked on?
- Do you constantly worry that your delivery won’t show up on time for dinner service or if someone calls in sick?
- Does anxiety kick in when you try figuring a balance to your work and home life but one always suffers more?
- Have you gotten to the place being completely burnt out?
I’m guessing you answered yes to some or all of these questions. You may be wondering, how can I learn if I’m drowning? If I am always underwater? How can I achieve my dreams and goals if every day is a constant struggle? The answer is you can’t.
Everyone has different struggles. Your struggle today could be work. Maybe you are going after that promotion, so you must commit everything you have into your work, which in turn leaves zero time for your home life. Maybe you are rolling out a new menu, but your team is not ready. Maybe costs are up, and sales are down, and you are worried about finances. Maybe it’s everything you are trying to balance out: kids, work, dinner, appointments, house, emails, money, errands. Yes, you can handle all of this, but only if you have a plan on how to have all of it under control. How often do you go to bed with the exact same to-do list you had when you woke up?
The goal should be to learn how to take back control over the things we can immediately change so that we are ready for the unforeseen events life will throw our way. So that they are just small bumps in the road we can easily find solutions for instead of one more crippling thing to overcome.
Organizing our lives gives us the necessary wins to start feeling good again. That way, we can open our hearts to what we really desire and create a rewarding and fulfilling life and career. The harder our day to day life seems, the harder it is to see what could be.
You could be the best at your job, but if the rest of your life feels like it’s falling apart, you will never feel motivated to go after more or make changes. It will always look and feel like an impossible mountain crumbling beneath you with every step you take.
It’s the little things just as much as it’s the big ones. Motivation is key here. We need to start by prioritizing the things that make us happy and motivated, living the life we want to live, and a complete realization that our life does not have to drown us any longer. We are capable of swimming.
Imagine if you went to bed saying “I accomplished everything I wanted today.” You are going to be able to wake up saying, “Bring it on life….I got this!” That’s when we can really see our potential. That’s when we realize all the times we’ve been tested will have led us to this exact moment. Every hurdle, struggle, and debilitating obstacle has given us the tools necessary to handle anything that comes our way..
If this is resonating with you, then we should connect.
Even though life is like a box of chocolates… you deserve to have a say in the flavors you get.
Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash