Summary: <br> If you were to watch yourself from a distance, what would you see? If the thoughts inside your head were no longer the driving factor, no longer justifying your every move, or layering your actions with emotion, what would you see watching yourself live this life? Would you be proud of what you saw?<br> My husband and I watch a Netflix documentary type show called Last Chance University. The show follows troubled college football players who have lost their position at a division one school, and are now playing for a community college as their last chance at redemption. These are super talented athletes who have gotten on the wrong path in life, now fighting their way back for another opportunity to play.<br> At the beginning of the 2nd season, the head coach was interviewed about the first season of the show. He said he watched himself on TV and he didn’t like who he saw. He wasn’t proud of how he talked. He was embarrassed by who he had shown up as, and the cameras had caught it all. So he came back for another season as his own act of redemption. He wanted to be someone different this time, someone better. Now when he curses at his players, he makes himself drop and do 5 pushups.<br> There was a time when I too saw who I had become and I didn’t like what I saw. So, I sat out on changing it.<br> I began my journey to becoming who I was created to be about 12 years ago. I met my mentor and he challenged me to read the right books and be proactive in my own life. One book in particular changed me. It’s one of the only book I have kept through all of our moves and travels. The book is “Be Who You Want and Have What You Want” by Chris Prentiss. Now, let me be honest, I don’t agree with everything in this book. It’s more “universe” centered than God centered, however I’ve learned I can appreciate what there is to learn and let the rest fall away.<br> At the end of each chapter in the book, there was a challenge to implement the teachings. I like challenges. I’m a doer. Theories and ideas do not impact me, I need to experience it to understand it. If you’re the same, here’s a game changing challenge for you. Throughout this day, see yourself from a distance. Observe yourself as you go through your day, without excuses or justifications, no backstories or motives, just watch.<br> Easy enough. So, after reading the chapter, I took on that challenge for the day. I couldn’t believe what I saw. I saw a mother of 3 elementary aged children who was too busy to stop and listen. I saw a wife who was rushed and generally self-centered on what she had to do without concern of what her husband had on his plate. I heard myself. Oh gosh, I heard myself. I was a nagging, critical, negative, demanding drill sergeant at home, and sweet as honey to complete strangers in public. Why? Because I was more concerned with what others thought of me than what my family received from me.<br> Much like the coach of Last Chance University seeing himself in season 1 and wanting to change it, I saw myself fully for the first time and I wanted another chance to be someone different. This is not who I was created to be.<br> What would you see my sister? If you observed your every action and heard your every word from an outsiders perspective, would it align with who you want to be and how you want to live?<br> We’re not bad people … we’re drifting people. We got a little off course somewhere along the way and without recognizing it and correcting it, we’ve drifted way off course totally living out of alignment with who God created us to be.<br> Jesus said in Matthew 24:4 “See that no one leads you astray.”<br> Have we been led astray? And, have we been doing the leading? Have we led ourselves down this path of living below our potential and becoming a lesser than version of who we should be?
