Also - MY CREDIT CARD IS FINALLY PAID OFF!!!!
While I have been waiting to find out THE DATE, I have been working quite a bit. A nurse asked me recently what I felt was the most distracting thing for me as I have been following God's plan for me. They wondered if it was fear with everything going on in Africa with Ebola. Not just this nurse, but many people have asked if I am afraid. I am not - weird, I know. Nervous maybe, but it is more due to anticipation. In all actuality, I have not really thought about the next stage of my life much because I have been focused on getting out of debt and everything going on around me.
The most distracting thing for me is the fact my focus has been on what is going on around me rather than being in preparation spiritually, emotionally, and etc. I have been much better since my previous post, but it certainly shows how I have let things around me affect myself in a negative way. When circumstances of life begin to overwhelm, what is one to do? As I learned in my Helping Relationships in Counselling class - self reflection is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to not become overwhelmed.
Here are my conclusions about my recent self reflection as time gets closer to my next life stage living in a third world country.
1. I should not dwell on what I am not succeeding in and frustrations of what I cannot change. Focusing on negativity leads me to become a negative person, which leads me to have a shorter fuse on others. My shorter fuse leads me to become fed up with them sooner and that leads me to become a person I don't like. Not liking myself leads to negativity, which can lead to the cycle beginning all over again.
2. I have a hard time accepting gifts. I want to be the one who gives to others - not the one receiving! :) I'm a little better about receiving things under the guise of occasions, but without one? Let's just say my mom had to remind me that others enjoy giving blessings and I should receive them gracefully, despite my thoughts of it being too much.
3. With my credit card paid off, even though I still have student loans, I need to focus more on preparing for this next life journey. At this point, I am not sure what that means with the exception of packing and spending time with friends/family. More self reflection will need to be done to figure out what preparation I can do emotionally, spiritually, and etc!
These past few weeks have definitely been a humbling experience for me with weaknesses revealed!