rb@brainstormescreative.com

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝.

Awe, those seasons in our lives it seems as though we are living at a snails pace. Times it appears there is no excitement, no adrenaline, very little motivation; times when we feel we are navigating about in compound.

In my pre-teen years, I learned to drive a 1950’s pickup. It was one that had a brake, a clutch and a gear shift on the floor. My dad called it his feed truck. We’d load the bed down with hay, grain and cake. A little side note for those of you who aren’t familiar with feeding cattle, I am not talking about the sweet goodness we celebrate our birthdays with. The cake ranchers feed their herds are little 3 inch pressed cubes of nutrients which bovine of all breeds love as much as I do a dark ganache drizzled in raspberry sauce.

Anyway, one particular time, in the beginning stages of learning to steer and change gear, both, in unison, I was instructed to put the pickup in compound and drive through the open gate while my dad corralled the calves.

My heart raced; with reluctance, I placed one foot on the clutch, the other on the brake, reached for the gear shift, and not so gracefully jolted forward, coming face to face with…the gate post. It was evident I could not be trusted in any gear other than compound.

Maybe, just maybe, it’s a good thing there are times in our lives we live in compound. Compound gives us an opportunity to restructure, to learn, and to mature, preparing us for the next leg of the journey.

Don’t curse compound…live, learn, enjoy and then change gear.

No matter what gear I am in, I’m gonna do it in a GiGi Pip hat. #gigipipambassador

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴…

As the old year reaches its expiration date and a brand spanking new one is about to breathe it’s first breath, I am again reminded that change is not only good, but it is crucial for growth.

I love change…until it effects me directly; until it’s my turn to unclench my fist, releasing the comfy, cozy, familiar certainties I have come accustomed to. Oh how I’d love to tell you that I welcome change with gusto, experiencing no anxiety what so ever, but I would be fibbing if I left that impression.

It would be a rarity to experience growth without facing some form of apprehension, doubt or jitters. The unknown is always a bit intimidating. I would say it is human nature to want to see, taste, smell and feel before moving forward. I personally have never encountered change nor growth while being allowed to rely on my physical senses.

I have always had to let go first…”not be moved by what I saw or felt”…blindly step out in faith, and do the next thing God has ask me to do. Letting go is always the hardest, I believe. I would prefer for Him to add on to what I am already doing, not ask me to open my closed fist and release.

But alas, eventually we will all come to that fork in the road. When we do, we then have three choices, actually four: #1-park our butts, stay put and live our life in stalemate mode, #2-turn around and go back in the direction in which we came, #3-take the path that leads to the left, #4-take the path that veers to the right.

As 2022 comes to an end, I have already begun to release. Did I do it without kicking, screaming and shedding a few tears? I did not. However, I am determined to grow and accomplish everything God has planned for me in the year 2023. I do not want to live in the past. I refuse to live my life in gridlock.

As of today, I stand contemplating, glancing to my left and then to the right; I stand at that daunting fork in the road. I know I must choose wisely. My success in this new year will depend on which fork I take. The process has begun, and I trust YahWeh to show me the way.

I want to urge you to move forward this new 2023. Unclench your fist and let go so you can experience growth and change and all He has for you in this new season.

Choose wisely the path you will take because the path chosen will lead you to your future.

This has been an 𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫