'You can have it all, just not all at the same time.' - Betty Friedan
Every level, stage, person that comes into your life will come with their strengths and weaknesses. Every door you choose every decision you make will come with their new possibilities and challenges as well.
And sometimes moving from one stage to another can come with some grief.
Here’s a little story on how our greatest weakness can turn into our greatest strengths...
Some of you may know me as an artist, I’ve shown art next to Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons and Chuck Close.
Art was a way for me to express myself and to discover myself.
Words were never my gift. I don't believe I was born 'smart'. Book smart, yes, but life smart, that's something I work really hard on.
The last 8 years I put myself to work. Building myself from inside out while building an art therapy and coaching practice. I even challenged myself to do something that wasn't something I felt like I couldn't do: express me with words.
And just like that when it seemed like my art career was in its full blossom, I suddenly found myself confused as an artist. I didn’t need it to express myself or to discover myself anymore. I suddenly had words. I suddenly had an understanding of myself.
Suddenly I lost my purpose for making art. (And here's where I realized I was entering a new stage in life).
I won’t lie to you, there are times when that makes me sad. And it makes me wonder; what will happen to my art? Did I lose myself as an artist??
Honestly, I’m not sure what all of this means (yet).
But I do trust the journey God has in store for me...
It’s normal to feel sad about something that used to be and now is different...
And it’s normal not to want to let somethings go.
Truth is, life isn’t about being 'an artist', 'a coach', 'a writer', or even 'a mom', 'a wife', 'a husband'... All of those are a part of life. Vehicles we ride in. Hates we wear to find ourselves.
Too many times we get stuck with our titles and tools. Life is about them. It's about discovering yourself.
Coz only with that do we find God. And only if we keep discovering and learning about ourselves do we keep building that relationship.
And if that means we need to change the tools, levels, or even accept that people may come in and out of our lives... then so be it.
For some people that used to be in our life's and no longer are, maybe it’s a matter of accepting that they no longer help us discover ourselves.
For my art, maybe it’s a matter of time and finding new purpose...
I’m not sure, yet. But what I do know for sure is that sometimes in life, we think our strength is in one direction and form and then God builds us in a way that He makes our weakness our greatest strengths.
Like prophet Musa with his physical strengths (it got him in trouble), while his ability to express himself verbally (he's weakness and something he wasn’t confident in). Yet, God made his words his ultimate strengths and even called it in The Quran one of His greatest miracles:
لِنُرِيَكَ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا الْكُبْرَى (23) اذْهَبْ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى (24) قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي (25) وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي (26) وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِنْ لِسَانِي (27) يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
When life presents you with a new stage level.. know that you are ready.
And sometimes in life, you never know your greatest weakness may become your ultimate strength.
A year full of self-discovery,
Happy New Years,
☀️☀️☀️
Noorah
#2019 #selfdesvovery #saudiarabia #saudiwomenn #leadership #happiness #success #coaching #coachinnginsaudi #lifecoach
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