Lessons from Selfies

Selfies to Savor. Man, didn’t see that coming.

I mean, it may have been my idea but it was not OF me. I can assure you that.

I was out walking the dog one day and talking to God about all my blurry confusion. This blurry-ness is totally my coping mechanism. It is my go to when I am scared. Usually scared of being happy. Sounds counter intuitive but it is very true. Old habits die hard. My old habit is to sabotage the good stuff. I am more at home in the angst. It is by no means a comfy place to be but it is what I run to when I am being called to step up and out. This angst has strong roots in envy, jealously, the awe of EVERYone else’s “success” in career, love, money, parenting, spiritual beliefs, body, travel, home……the list goes on. Social media preys on people like me. People who can zone in on looking for examples of what they don’t have. And throwing mini (or not so mini) temper tantrums because of it. Typically these temper tantrums end up only being seen and felt by the person having them and those closest to them. How’s that for shooting yourself in the foot?

That blurry-ness I mentioned above… the one I was bringing to God? It is always my cue to surrender. Always. It is that “I just don’t know what I am supposed to do? How did I end up here again? Why did my life take this path?” thinking that is like a siren going off in my head. Only with surrender (I can’t, You can) does that siren travel to my heart and gut.

Then the real work can begin. Then, and only then, am I ready to listen. I believe this is my own love language with God. He knows how to reach me and I’m learning to take the hint.

Maybe someday I will learn to listen earlier and not need to put myself through the ringer before the surrender. I hope so. For now, this is what I got. I keep showing up and for today, that is enough.

This time my listening brought the #selfiestosavor challenge. I am not claiming that God told me to take selfies or use a hashtag. Well, not totally. I do believe though that the moment of clarity that I got while walking the dog, after wrestling with the angst, was most definitely a God thing.

Getting this idea of people taking selfies of what they were grateful for was appropriatley followed by…. “Say what?!” Or more like, “Hell no…I am losing my mind if I think the selfies is my next right thing?!”

Yet, I knew I had to follow through.

You see, that is where I am today. I keep asking for guidance with the next right thing. The next right thing that has me being used by God. I am not talking about the big picture. Not the end all be all. Not the grammy award or the retirement plan…just the next right thing.

And I keep getting it. AND it keeps leading to more then I saw coming.

So I am going to keep asking.

Hence the #selfiestosavor.

Man O Man was this an uncomfortable journey for me to begin. I felt naked my friends. Yes, it was a baby step in many ways but a VERY key baby step for this get that camera out of my face, I am fine standing in the back, who the hell wants to hear what I have to say, this is a crazy idea, what was I thinking…. kinda lady.

But guys??? You came! You joined. You rocked it!

Not sure what the right word would be to describe what it felt like to see so many of your #selfiestosavor each day but JAZZED comes to mind. I was giddy with gratitude people. You blew me away. For real.

From seeing yours to posting my own, I was gifted some totally groovy reminders/lessons.

• Perfection is not a real thing.

• Our imperfections are completely endearing and yours make me want to know you more.

• The first take, out of the starting box, this is what I got, is always the most real.

• It is still ok to do a re-take. We live, we learn, and we do better.

• Posting something doesn’t make it real. Being there, breathing it in, feeling it no matter how comfortable or uncomfortable….this is what life is.

• Social media is not the devil my friends. We talk a lot about all of the black holes of the inter web. Yet, we all got to witness, first hand, the contagious, life giving gratitude spread like wild fire. THAT is pure Light.

• It worked! By looking for it in the ordinary moments, I truely found extraordinary gratitude. I am left with a joy for what IS. Yes!

And here is one that I totally didn’t see coming……

• I like seeing myself in pictures! Hot damn! This is a shocker but I do :) I like seeing myself as part of my life, front row and center. It’s going fast and standing in the back, keeping quiet, and worrying about what someone else thinks…..just doesn't hold as much weight as it used to. Can I get an Amen?!

After this challenge was over I felt the familiar stuff want to creep back in. I could slowly but surely begin to feel the good ole blurry lines and confused ideas trying to surface. The “what now???” always gets me. Which, thankfully, led me straight back to surrender. What is my next right thing?

It is taking focus. It a few different forms and I am digging it all.

For one, I have some fun ideas for another challenge. I love me a good challenge!

Be on the lookout my friends. I will be posting details for this one in the next couple of days. YAY!!

I would love to hear what you thought of the #selfiestosavor Challenge. Any thoughts, ideas, opinions…..all welcome! I just want to know what you got out of this. Tell me in the comments below.

Thanks to all jumped in, to all who cheered on, and to all that savored.

Much love,

Becca