Peace and The Great Myth of Falling Behind Blog #2

I woke up on a Sunday morning with the title of this blog series fighting to get out of my head. Within a half-hour of waking, I had written a series of posts with word count that might typically take days, the contents flowing so easily it felt like I’d researched the topics for months. But I hadn’t, and as a matter of fact, that morning was the first time some of these notions danced through my mind; a sure sign that this was the right course for my blog for the moment. As if having a mission of their own, the posts evolved into a series. It happens that way sometimes and I’ve learned to trust the creative flow. I hope the words help you as much as they’ve helped me. I realize time is our greatest commodity and I’m so grateful for all of you that follow. Thank you, thank you.

Just Because Others Have Shot Ahead, Doesn’t Mean You’re Falling Behind

Have you ever been working your tail off at something, I mean really pouring your heart and soul into trying to rise to the top of a skill, activity, subject, a job, or some sort of goal, only to see someone around you shoot past you with what appears to be little or no effort? Did you feel disappointed? Like you were some how falling behind while everyone else was getting ahead? Did you feel discouraged or allowed your thoughts to drift to the dark side, thinking that whoever was on the fast track may not deserve it? There have been times I’ve had those thoughts and walked through those emotions, for sure. But here’s the thing—they don’t work. As a matter of fact, they hinder forward progress.

Know this, if someone possesses something, they deserve it, plain and simple. Just like if you have things, you also deserve them. So if your mind starts to wander in this direction, stop it by remembering that as sure as gravity, the Universe is a fair and balanced place and we all get back what we put out. With this inevitability in mind, corral your thoughts, and during discouraging moments, be sure to think of what you’re striving towards, instead of being angry, jealous, and resentful of what someone else has achieved or a gift they’ve been given. We are all on our own tracks.

Still skeptical? Read on and see if this example helps.

As you know, I’m a pilot, and many skills I’ve learned while flying have also served me in day to day living. In this case, the way airplanes fly back and forth over the oceans comes to mind. Have you ever thought about how hundreds of planes travel over the Atlantic and Pacific daily without getting in each other’s way? Pilots are able to safely navigate because the airspace above the oceans is split up into predetermined tracks—like lanes on highways—designed to provide safe passage for all different kinds of airplanes with different capabilities and missions. Meaning every aircraft must stay in their assigned lane in order to avoid catastrophes from happening.

Engineers design airplanes for specific purposes. Some are created to fly high and are more fuel efficient, some go faster when time is of great importance. Others, are built to fly slower and stay in the air for great distances. Based on the design mission and the traffic load in the airspace system, planes are assigned an altitude, speed, and path across the ocean. Regardless of their differences, every airplane gets a track.

With that being said, do you suspect that even though on different tracks, every airplane will get where they’re going? In my time flying, baring any unusual circumstance, all airplanes that took off and followed their tracks, always landed on the opposite side of the ocean. They may not arrive at exactly the same time, they may not fly as high as one another or take the same routes because that would be dangerous and chaotic. So isn’t it possible that our personal journeys work the same way? If we set off towards a goal, and keep focused, working hard and moving ahead, wouldn’t we, just like an airplane crossing the ocean, eventually arrive at our destination? (I hope your answer is YES.)

What if the next time someone we know shoots ahead, instead of thinking we’re falling behind we picture ourselves as airplanes on our assigned path, tracking across the Atlantic. Knowing that if we stay the course, eyes steadfast on the horizon, that at some point we will arrive, trusting that we’ll get a turn to land.

E.L. Chappel author of Spirit Dance/Storm Makers/Coming soon: The Surge
Stay in your lane and enjoy the view; your path is as unique to you, as others is to them.
You do enough, you have enough, you are enough, and you are exactly where you need to be; there’s no reason to compare.
aka The Glamorous Wife