By Amber Weigand-Buckley
As I sit down to write to you, I can’t help but reflect on my own journey, particularly my relationship with myself.
You see, I have a horrible boss in my life, and she’s me. It’s a humorous response I often use to describe my self-employment, but recent events have made me realize the reason it’s so funny is …because it’s true.
A recent car accident served as a wake-up call from God, urging me to confront the patterns of behavior I’ve been ignoring. I’ve been talking about these lessons, but now it’s time to truly embrace them and grow beyond them. God has greater plans for me, but I can’t move forward until I address the issues holding me back.
So, how do I make lasting change?
It starts with reclaiming my quiet space and holding that space as an appointment in my day until it becomes a new habit. I’ve realized that I don’t need to turn every space in my life into a makeshift office. Constantly being reachable and always finding the next task to tackle has become a barrier to true focus and peace.
During a moment of reflection in my backyard, God spoke one word to my heart: FOCUS. It was a simple yet profound message that made me question how I could achieve it.
While God offers grace and patience, straying from His plans comes with consequences. For me, it’s in the garage waiting for my car insurance, awaiting the damage assessed to my family’s pocketbook.
One of the biggest decisions I made was that I wasn’t going to take my business into every single room of my life.
And that in itself requires BIG impulse control. This is going to require me to set aside sacred space in my life that doesn’t get filled with doing business, accountability, and FOCUS.
But one thing for sure is that sustained change needs to happen if I’m going to grow a healthier relationship with myself.
As Proverbs 4:23 reminds us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
And I’m learning to understand that for over 50 years, I’ve taught my heart to disregard the healthy boundaries my body needs.
In this issue of Leading Hearts, we focus on relationships, but let’s not forget that the one we have with ourselves needs attention too. I encourage you to delve into these pages with an open heart.
Perhaps it’s time for some self-reflection and evaluation. Let’s embrace healthy relationships, starting with the one we have with ourselves.
