GET UP

Life is not fair, sometimes really not fair - Dottie Boyle Person died from cancer at age 32.  Jesus was nailed to a cross at age 33.  Elle Garcia Boyle died from cancer in 2019.  Liz Boyle died from cancer in 2021. Tyler Tidwell is battling ALS.   The world faced the Coronavirus pandemic.  Children and families in Ukraine suffered from an unjust Russian war. How do we survive and thrive in an unfair world?  What would Dottie do?  What would Kobe do?  What would Jesus do?

#1  GET UP.  No matter how many times we get knocked down - keep getting up.  No matter what.  Our biggest triumph is when we just get up.

#2  LET GO.  Let go of fear, anger, grudges, regret, hurt, betrayal, unmet expectations, what should have been, keeping up with the Jones, the status, the ego, the identity, the heavy crosses of life.  It’s all too heavy.  It overloads our brains with cortisol chemicals of stress. Who does it hold back most?  Ourselves.  Who does it hurt most?  Ourselves.  Let go. 

#3  TRAVEL LIGHT.  Breathe.  Breathe in freedom, breathe out fear.  Turn off the TV.  Shut off Instagram.  Go for a walk.  Look up.  Exercise to release endorphin chemicals of well being in our brains.  “Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants,” says nutrition author, Michael Pollan.  Give our anxiety and heavy baggage to God.  No fear.  Like a swift warrior.  Travel light.

#4   TALK TO GOD.  It may not seem like it sometimes, but God is listening.  God is the vine, we are all the branches.   There is nothing we are experiencing that someone has not gone through before.  Tap into our vine, our source.  We simply can’t do it on our own.  It took me awhile to figure this out.  Psalm 23 and John 16:33 were healing for me.  Talk to God.

#5   PRACTICE 80/20.  Practice the 80/20 rule for our thoughts and words…80% positive and do our best to limit to 20% negative.  We are all human.  It takes work and practice. Old sayings are true: “practice makes perfect,” “neurons that fire together, wire together”, and “where focus goes, energy flows.”  God is there for us.  Practice 80/20.

#6   TAKE FLIGHT.  Soar like eagles.  Love.  Forgive.  Wash feet.  Work hard.  Slay dragons. I will fear no evil, for you are with me - Psalm 23.  Stay humble.  Give thanks.  Take flight.

#7  ONE DAY AT A TIME. Always. Un día a la vez. Ben Pappas says focus on the present. Take each step with care. If you look too far ahead or too far behind, it creates anxiety. Scripture says do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Win the day. One day at a time.

#8  SMILE. Everything is going to be okay.  No matter what.