Starting Over As a Christian
Starting over is never easy but can certainly be worth it. Of course, you already know what’s worth having never comes easy, you have to roll up your sleeves and put some elbow grease in it! Are you ready?!
Why is Starting Over So Hard?
The fear of the new can be more intimidating than the present. New things aren’t familiar and they have the potential to stretch us. Being stretched is uncomfortable, but when did comfort bring change? It hasn’t.
Once you let go of the comfort, your growth and possibilities are endless. Don’t look at starting over as a loss of time, but a lesson, a learning experience. Before you can catch big fish you have to bait the hook. To arrive at your ‘end game’ is a process. Sometimes, you lose the bait to the elements and have to reset your hook with new bait, the same applies to your life.
It doesn’t matter if you’re 20, 30, or 40+, starting over can be hard, but there is beauty within. Think about a butterfly. What was a butterfly before…a caterpillar, right?! In order for the caterpillar to become a butterfly, it had to break down and begin again within the cocoon to transform. The period between starting over and transformation. The caterpillar had to work on itself. Think about what areas do you need growth in. Jot those down.
Taking the First Step
Yes, this is daring and daunting but completely worth it. When you take that step, you learn so much about yourself. For instance, you learn how much you really trust God or if it was mostly talk, ouch! Also, you learn that listening to God’s guidance and support are all you need. Even if you take baby steps, a baby step is better than no step, just like mustard seed faith is better than having no faith being filled with doubt.
Taking the first step will require adjustment. Think of it this way. When getting into a new car, a rental, or whether you’re driving a friend’s car, what is one of the first things you do? You adjust the mirrors (hopefully) and the seat too, if you’re like me, you need to scoot up a bit!
Once adjustments are made, you are ready to transition to the road. Once you find your footing, you will gain momentum on your new or revised journey to your destination. I want to note that you won’t make it ‘there’ overnight, it will indeed be a journey because that’s what life is, a journey of experiences that equip us for the next level.
5 Tips to Start Over
Sis, it’s time to re-align! Re-align yourself with God, get reacquainted with him. One of the places to start is His word. God is still the God of the bible. Dust off that bible or redownload the Bible App on your phone and get cracking! On those days when I don’t know what to read, I go to John and Psalms.
Prayer. Yes, you already knew that was coming. Prayer is a life and situation changer. I know it has been in my life. At times when I should be falling apart, I’ve had so much peace to where others think I’m in denial about my situation. ( Spoiler Alert: When I prayed and let my situation go, it no longer belonged to me but my Father!)
Go Outside. Fresh air does the body and the mind good. Many times when I’m feeling some type of way, I walk the trail outside my apartment, listen to music, and talk to God. Sometimes, on these walks, I find a calming place and just quietly sit.
Declare It! Speak the life you wish to have. I will write this until the end of time, positive affirmations work…if you believe they will. If you mindlessly say them, you’ll get mindless results and vice versa.
Live the Little Things. Small things make big differences in our lives. For me, my small things include buying fresh flowers for my dining room table. Looking at the vibrance of my flowers reminds me of God’s goodness ( I don’t know how, but it does!)
Laugh. Yasss queen, laugh in the face of what looks like danger #lionkingvibes and uncertainty because you know who your Daddy is. A joyful heart is good medicine…Proverbs 17:22.
Sis, hit that reset button on your life. Don’t be afraid of starting over no matter your age. I’m beginning again myself. I’ll be going back to school to embark on a new career path at 31! If I can reset, so can you. It doesn’t have to be a change in career, it can be a change in mindset, a change in the people you’re around (that’s a whole other cup of tea). Hit reset sis, it’s okay!
