Steer Yourself Into the Life You've Imagined
I’m constantly seeking and engaging in the parts of life that make me feel free. When I saw the name of the boat selected for us, I smiled quietly to myself. Without any doubt, “Liberty” was the perfect choice for us.
After being warmly welcomed at the St. Thomas Sailing Center at the St. Thomas Yacht Club, I was immediately asked “How did you find out about the event?”. Honestly, I couldn’t recall. So, I said the next best thing, “Facebook!”. We both smiled and the day unfolded in all of its EXTRAordinary glory.
I arrived first and one after the other, my daughter and fellow blogger friends rolled in! Our energy was WAYYY UP and everyone there could tell that we were going to have the MOST FUN on that day. I was happy to learn that the event was really well thought out and the Sailing Center was prepared with a variety of sailboats for newbies and veterans alike to select from. During my conversation upon sign-in, I stressed that I was a newbie and of course mentioned that there were three of us who came prepared to blog and/or vlog about our experiences. With that information, it was determined that our group would absolutely enjoy the Hanse 385. Turns out, this boat is new to the sailing center’s fleet of boats. I came to have fun, share an experience with my daughter and friends, as well as to learn something new. What I hadn’t considered is that this entire experience would be a tangible example on the importance of gaining control of your life and literally steering it into a life dreamt of/imagined!
Close your eyes and picture the scene- I’m at the wheel and the boat is practically floating on water. I channeled my grandfather and other family members who are and were experienced boat captains in the Virgin Islands. The only direction I received and needed was “look at the boat up ahead, that’s where you should be focused on sailing towards” and then, “now, switch to steering towards the island”. Easy peasy!!
Open your eyes! If only it were that simple...the daydreamed version sounds great, but my reality wasn’t as graceful. Turning the wheel was easy, but keeping the boat steady and on course was challenging as the elements of wind and waves casually moved along without regard for my skill-set or anything else for that matter. Yet, I was determined to have the experience I’d imagined, and I did!
Instantly, I equated this experience to life.
“I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.”
Life brings about extreme amounts of resistance and it is critical to apply exactly what I learned during that sailboat lesson aboard the Hanse 385 to my life as I seek to live the life I have imagined.
Stand Firm
Entering any challenging or new situation without being spiritually grounded guarantees failure in this area. As I prayed through my lesson, I was encouraged to never stop seeking to build and strengthen my faith in God. My faith reassured my ability to stand firm and steer!
Stay Focused
Remaining focused on the task at hand and the vision you seek to manifest. Focus involves listening, thinking, and clearly undertaking a task without becoming distracted by anything or anyone else. As in life, we need to reject distractions to achieve our goals and live the life we imagine.
Keep Learning
As I focused on steering the boat, I realized that steering was only a small part of what it takes to operate a boat. As adults, this is on us! No one is coming along to force you to learn new things. Yet, this quality of choosing to be a life-long learner separates the ordinary from the EXTRAordinary.
Release the Control as Needed
Sure, we are challenged to focus and learn among other things, but we are also expected to use discernment as we make decisions. If you understand the value of learning and are practicing it, you KNOW that you are not in control all the time. As I steered the boat, the captain informed me when I was in control versus when he would be in control and honoring both circumstances was crucial for safety and growth alike.
Trust
Learning and trusting go together. In order to learn, one MUST trust both them-self and someone(s) else. On the Hanse, I trusted myself, the captain, my daughter, friends, and perfect strangers as we all took turns pushing our skills to their limits. If I didn’t trust God and myself first, I would fall apart at the thought of temporarily putting my life in another amateur’s hands.
Be Open
None of the above can happen if your spirit is closed. The goal was about partaking in a sailing lesson, but there was so much more to experience than that. I enjoyed meeting new people, learning more about myself and the ocean, and I was completely inspired by a female captain who sailed with us.
You cannot afford for your imagination to be limiting...challenge it to be vivid and dynamic! Then, steer yourself in that direction.
Luckily, I document my life through pictures and as I previewed my pictures, I was reminded that I learned about this FREE event on a flyer that was posted on Kween Vee Smoothies’ stand in Red Hook on St. Thomas. Thanks for being a business owner who supports other local business owners!
2020 is still very new, what are you steering yourself into this year? Share with me in the comments.