What we believe impedes our lives or frees our lives.
How we exert power expands our souls or shrivels them.
Who we let speak into our stories brings us flourishing or finds us fading.
How we process life either promotes growth or stunts our progress.
What we strive for says something, tells a tale, forms our future.
How we name things follows the high road of humility or the low road to loftiness and stifling self-absorption.
What we long for leads with light or eats us up.
We can grow in grace or grow in guilt.
What we say we believe and how we live in our days do not always fit in the same equation.
How we see ourselves can hold a healthy outlook or swing either-extreme unhealthy.
We can sink in shame or stand steadfast with self-control.
The landscape of our lives bears witness to these details.
Emotions matter. They signal to us. Light up as indicators.
Deserve our undivided attention.
What they don’t deserve? To be ignored. Stuffed down. Named as untrustworthy. Deemed unnecessary or always bad.
Words matter. They bring life or they bring death. They affirm or they offend. They speak truth or bald-face lies. They build up or break apart. They encourage or eviscerate. They delight or they diminish.
Tone matters. Same words, different tones, direct difference in definition.
Expressions matter. Eye rolls versus positive eye contact. Grimace versus grateful smile. Pensive versus polite. Anxious versus anticipation.
Souls matter. They are shy and precious. Wild and wary. Valuable and vulnerable.
Stillness matters. Listening well. Dwelling with. Abiding by. Compassion for. Kindness to.