Embrace my potential? What does that mean? Merriam-Webster describes the word “potential” as existing in possibilityand capable of development into actuality.
As we transition thru our natural life’s seasons, we tend to reevaluate our own potential. We ask ourselves if we are all we were meant to be. When we were young, it seemed as if we had forever to work on this and to make it happen. However, as we mature, the reality of our own lifeline comes into sight. We begin asking ourselves if we have accomplished or at least begun to accomplish all we set out to do. Are we living out a potential that was written for us or are we writing our own? This does not mean we still do not have time to develop our potential. However, it does mean it is time to get serious and to focus. As mature adults, we make a choice to decide to remain on our current path or consider it might be time to detour. We can’t escape making a choice because one or the other will happen. However, it is the exercise of the process from which we benefit.
When we were young, did you sometimes hear the words, “they have such great potential”? What did they mean? Sometime it referenced being a great ball player or a really smart student. If someone had asked me as a teenager what my potential was, I would have said that I did not know. I knew I had potential, but just not sure at what. Nonetheless, I felt like I was doing what I was supposed to do…and I was. In previous years, I had served others thru my various careers as a Banker, College Business Manager, Real Estate Broker, and Cosmetologist. It was not until my 50s that I discovered my life experiences were actually enabling me to live out my potential of educating others (particularly women) of the questions of the aging journey.
Visiting the Eleos Ministry mural in Greenville, SC today, I read the words painted on the wall, “Embrace Your God Given Potential.” I was once again reminded why I “do what I do.” It is not so that I might have a trophy on the shelf or a certain title by my name. Rather, it is because at this point in my life I continue to think about that ‘ole timeline and, I think about the “God Given Potential” have been given. Only, now I no longer think about them separately, I think about them as a union. One that hopefully will leave enough of a legacy that it will be said that I lived up to my potential.
What about you? Do you ever think about your own potential? Has your potential changed? How do we know if we are living up to our potential? Ask yourself, are you being true to yourself? If so, the answer is probably yes. Because it is when we are being true to our self, we are actually our best self.
I’m Debbie Henry and the @graceandaging mindset is to encourage others to live out their own questions of the aging journey in order to better understand those we will be helping thru this maturing process…our children, our parents and ourselves.