Point to Ponder:
Are the choices you make, and how you choose to max out and live life based on the opinions and experiences of others?
I can only speak for myself, but last week I loved focusing on maxing out. I feel like it helped me and I got better. I’d like to think I maxed out before last week and on many levels I have and I do, but the truth is I get lazy, procrastinate, and get distracted, and therefore my max out efforts aren't consistently what they can and should be.
What I also find gets in the way of maxing out and "going for it" in life are the opinions of others. I don’t know any other way to say it except: If you want to max out in life, you can’t absorb the opinions of others or let other people's experiences affect yours. They are all subjective.
You know how it goes: An opinion can be about a person, a movie, a workout, a trip, a career, a relationship or anything in life. Someone says something positive or negative about it and we automatically assume it’s the truth. For sure it’s their truth based on their experience, but it can’t be your truth until you've experienced it and therefore gained more perspective.
This topic came up during our Whitefish Adventure Escape. During activities we exchanged pleasantries with different people along the way and my suggestion was: "In order to keep an open mind and have your own experience, do not absorb the opinions of others and don’t let the opinions of others affect yours. So if they say, 'it’s amazing', don’t absorb it, and if they say, 'it’s really long and hard', don’t absorb it. You form your own opinion."
As we hiked in Glacier National Park we stayed focused on not absorbing the opinions of others until an ominous gray cloud formed. We had no cell service or shelter so we opted to take the wisdom of strangers to turn around so we didn’t get caught in the storm. We still maxed out, but we did have to apply common sense and simply reroute in order to make the most of the experience and stay safe.
This concept is no different from encouraging our children to “not follow the crowd and do their own thing” or when our parents told us “Just because Neissa jumped off the cliff doesn’t mean you should!” If maxing out in life is important to you, you have to form your own opinion about what maxing out looks like for you, as well as what your best life looks like.
No matter how old we are, we’re susceptible to being persuaded by the opinions of our parents, our friends, our neighbors, the stranger in the grocery store or talking heads on tv, radio or social media, but remember, their opinions are subjective—and so is mine. Also, based on our upbringing, our brains are programmed and wired to think a certain way, but as adults, we have to ask ourselves, "is this right for me?", "is this what I believe to be true?" and "is this in alignment with living my best life?"
My opinion is maxing out in life is the only way to live BUT this is because my biggest fear in life is regret and when I get to Heaven (and I pray I do), I want God to say, “Well done, Neissa! You knocked it out of the park!” or something along those lines.
Maxing out in life entails experiencing things for yourself even if that means going against others’ opinions. You have one life to live. How can you max out your life if you are living it based on other people’s opinions of their lives?
Action Items
Determine one area in your life where you aren't maxing out because of someone else's experience or opinion. Then, begin maxing out in a way that's best for you and your family.
Weekly Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for equipping me with everything I need to live a purpose filled and great life! Please help me guard my heart and mind so that I am only absorbing what is true and necessary for me to live my best life. Amen