Saturday, August 10, 2013

What are your ANCHORS?

An an-chor /ˈaNGkər/ (noun), by definition is a heavy object attached to a vessel by a cable or rope and cast overboard to keep the vessel in place either by its weight or by its flukes, which grip the bottom. And while I do love the water, and believe that in a past life I must have been some sort of an exotic fish or dolphin, I am not sharing this definition with you all in cyber space for that reason. Instead I am asking you to stop and think of this word and its accompanying definition and ask yourself - What your Anchor(s) is/are? What are those things that hold you back? That keep you stagnate and afraid of inching forward?

Now don't think for a second that I am putting this all out there for you to all think about and not do it myself. I may try to appear inquisitive and ask a million questions of those around me to avoid talking about myself, but there is a huge part of me that knows that during this little African Adventure, I must also ask myself some of these questions and figure out how to ensure that I am no longer held back by the things that keep me stagnate, my anchors.

So here it goes. My anchors, are ironically things that tend to allow most people to move forward in their lives, they are my dreamy, naive, child-like nature. I believe in the good in people, the truth behind what is said and the realness in intimate moments between people,  you know all that fairy tale stuff us girls were made to believe when we were younger. They are the things that keep me believing and holding onto the people around me - whether good or bad. And while its refreshing to realize that my anchors are so positive in comparison to the things that keep most of us anchored in one place  - i.e.  the "baggage", "negativity"or things alike from past years of life that stop you from believing that things can be different and different good - they are still anchors that are stopping me from inching forward and grasping the awesomeness that at times is in front of me. 

So now what? Now that I have realized this, am I supposed to continue to let my anchors keep me stagnette? Or do I cut the ropes that keep my anchors in place and take that giant, scarey step forward? 

OBVI, I had the chance to debate this paradox :) And as I sat around with my African crew last night at one of the local hang outs sharing awesome stories and laughs. I realized that at this point in my life, there really is only one way to go. And it most definitely is the later of the two.

You see, there is a time, place and moment for our anchors to serve there purpose. They are meant to keep you stagnate so that you can re-evaluate, grow and learn. But once you have faced the excuses you have come up with to avoid massive, scary leaps of faith forward, you need to take that long hard look in the mirror and just agree to cut those anchors off and have some faith.

Truth be told, that Mother Teresa likely said it best:

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” 

Let us begin to face those anchors head on and than in as dramatic as a moment as you need, cut those ropes, release those anchors and walk away light as a feather ready for the awesomeness in front of you.

Off to enjoy the blasting African sun, ex-pat life and every adventure in between.

-A

No comments:

Post a Comment