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It would be great if we could have everything we wanted, if we could pick and choose what we got out of life, weeding out the bad stuff and keeping the best of everything. But life isn’t like that. We can’t have everything, and life often entails sacrificing one thing in place of another.
Sacrifices will always be bittersweet.
The question isn’t how to change this; it’s inevitable. The question is how we’ll live from here, ruled by either the ‘bitterness’ or the ‘sweetness’ of “bittersweet”. That is the difference between living a life of ‘abundance’ rather than ‘lack’. It’s all about perspective.
THE SWEETNESS OF ‘BITTERSWEET’ …
Sacrifice is saying “no” to one thing in order to accommodate another. It sounds simple, but sometimes we can feel at a loss, aware of everything we’re missing out on, of what’s no longer in our lives. It leads to the feeling of lack.
So how can we combat this? By focusing on what we’re saying “YES” to rather than what we’re saying “NO” to. Remember: there was a reason you chose to make the sacrifice in the first place, something you deemed worthy of the discomfort. By focusing on what we’re welcoming into our lives with our “yes” rather than on what we’re saying goodbye to with our “no”, our lives will feel much more abundant.
FOR INSTANCE …
Rather than focusing your loss of friends who never influenced you for the better or cared about your well-being, focus instead on new friends who’ll come into your life, those who’ll build you up and respect your values.
Rather than focusing on a breakup with a boyfriend/girlfriend who never saw you for what you were worth, focus instead on the time you have to heal and prepare yourself for someone better during your singleness.
Rather than focusing on the less amount of sleep you’ll get from hitting the gym every morning, focus instead on the healthier lifestyle and self-confidence you’ll build from this new routine.
Rather than focusing on the party you’re missing out on, focus instead on the studying you’ll get done and how your grades will benefit.
Rather than focusing on how your body aches from hours of dance practice, focus instead on how it’ll strengthen your muscles and contribute to a terrific performance.
THE POINT …
Rather than focusing on what you’re letting go of, focus on what you’ll gain. The happiest people aren’t those who are exempt from making sacrifices; they are those who choose to focus on the ‘sweetness’ of “bittersweet”. So you choose. Choose to live in ‘abundance’.
Romans 12:1 // Hebrews 13:16 // John 3:16
WHERE ‘YOU’ COME IN …
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