I used to fight life. I still do sometimes. I never win.
I used to go against my very human nature. It was hard. I had a tough go at it.
I remember parting my hair on the right side on my head because that’s how I wanted it.
I spent lots of time, effort and gel trying to keep it that way.
I did this for years.
One day, I parted it from the other side.
I was done in 15 seconds and it stayed the entire day.
Why? Because it’s the natural lay of my hair.
It’s meant to be parted from left to right. You see, the side I parted my hair never really mattered but because I’m hard headed, I fought it for years.
I was also a Six Sigma Black belt for many years. It involves reengineering systems and processes using statistical software. Did I ever tell you I’m not good at Math? Did I mention that I dropped out of College because I hated Engineering?
Yet here I was again—going against the grain. It was hard. It was brutal. But I liked the title so I stayed and swam upstream with the other fish.
Now, I’ve learned not to fight life.
I’ve learned to find my groove and stay in my lane. Stay within my talents, passions, interests and skill set.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying not to do things that are hard. What I’m saying is to know yourself first and from that knowing—live your life.
You’ll find yourself doing things that for some people are hard or seem impossible but you’ll make it seem effortless.
Why? Because everybody looks like a genius when they’re using unique talents, skills, experience and doing it from the heart versus the brain.
How will you know when you’re there? I don’t know.
What I do know is that for me, I experience flow more often. I move with clarity and purpose.
How do I know when I am not there? I feel like a fish out of water. I feel out of my element, not to be confused with out of my comfort zone because being out of your comfort zone is a good thing.
When I’m fighting my human nature, I feel zero passion or inclination to do the task at hand. You know like doing statistical analysis for hours. Did I mention I’m not good at Math! 🙂
I share this today with you in mind. You may be struggling to make a decision or wonder why you feel like a fish out of water.
My hope is that this illuminates the path you must take or helps with the decision you must make.
Mindset is one of the most important parts of being able to make the expat transition. Try these resources to see if they help you.
Saludos,
Fidel
