Beginning - Middle - End

“Everything we undertake in life has a beginning and an end.  Typically, we are excited at the beginning of an opportunity, a relationship, or a venture; we’re also happy when we can celebrate our achievement and have the satisfaction of a fulfilled desire.  However, between the beginning and the end, every situation has a middle – and the middle is where we most often face our greatest challenges. 

We must learn to develop the determination necessary to overcome the difficult circumstances we encounter in the middle.”  Are you someone who finishes what you begin?  Or are you someone who comes up with excuses, points fingers, or rationalizes why you are quitting?   

(March 9^th entry from The Power of Being Thankful.)

I hadn’t thought about this until I read the idea of beginnings, middles, and ends.  But, isn’t this true?  It doesn’t matter what the beginning is.  It could be beginning a new nutritional focus, an exercise routine, playing a sport, starting a new job, the beginning of another school year, etc. etc., we are “all in,” and excited about the new challenge.  Gym memberships are a great testimonial for people excited after the first of the year with a new desire to get in shape.  Check in with attendance records at the end of January and there’s at least a 25% drop-off.  We’re no longer as focused, as committed, as energized because now it’s hard work, now it’s getting boring, and we want the excitement and newness back.  Our tendency is to move on to something else and have that feeling again.  Our instant gratification mentality begins to raise its ugly head.  There’s the old saying, “The grass is greener on the other side.”  However, the other part of that saying is, “But the other side also needs mowing.”

Isn’t this life’s journey?  I contend that if we’re always challenging ourselves, learning something new, using our creativity to enhance a project or a relationship then how could we be bored or feel a lack of  energy?  The middle doesn’t have to be where we feel we get stuck.  It doesn’t have to be where we are looking around at all the things we wish were different.  The middle doesn’t have to be where we always find ourselves skipping to “the next best thing, the next best project, the next best relationship, or the next best job etc.”  It’s back to mindset once again.  Are we living in the present?  Are we enjoying the job we’ve had for 20 years or the spouse we’ve been married to for 20 years?  It’s so easy to get caught up in the instant gratification thinking, or comparing ourselves to others who we think have it better than we do. Unless we, individually, are willing to make changes in ourselves first, unless we’re willing to learn and grow with the times, and unless we’re willing to look inward then things won’t change no matter which side of the fence we’re on.

I would encourage you to take time this week to give yourself a report card on all the projects you’re involved with, where are you with your various relationships, with your job, with your finances?  What about your health and wellness?  Each area of our life has that beginning, middle, and end so where are you?  If you’re in the middle of something is it a time when you’re still learning and growing or are you finding yourself stagnant?  Recognizing that you’re in the middle, and you’re not moving forward take this opportunity to shake things up and either end something or change things up making it new again.

I look forward to your thoughts on this and your reflection on where you are in all areas of your life.