Stay in Your Lane (?)

Today as I was driving to my father's house, the interstate was busier than usual. Usually, you just fly onto the roadway with a glance to make sure no one is coming. This day was different. This time, I had to carefully merge between a semi-truck and an SUV to get onto the interstate. 

After squeezing into my spot on the road, I just drove, keeping up with the semi-truck in front of me.  I went several miles with no thoughts about anything, almost robotically. At that moment, I was very content in my lane. 

When I happened to look down at my speedometer, I noticed that I was going five miles under the speed limit, which is entirely unlike me. After realizing how comfortable I was in the right lane going slower than the speed limit, it made me think about life and the decisions we make along the way.

At that moment, I was content going slow and enjoying the ease of not making any moves. I thought about times in my life that I had periods just like that: comfortable and with the flow. It was easy, and most of us usually like the easy times of our lives. Or maybe we strive only to stay on the same trajectory as our friends or family members, not wanting to seek more or rock the boat. While specific periods of one's life may require being in the slow lane: an illness, a challenging time, or a period of rest, we mustn't get stuck in this lane.

On the other hand, you may be in the middle lane. Keeping up with the traffic, but not needing or wanting to pass others; content at the current speed of life. Maybe you have started a project but lost your passion for it. Perhaps you put in your time at the office, hospital, or another place just to go home at the end of the day or receive your pension at the end of your career. Why do more than you have to? You may no longer strive to excel. Maybe you have become content with mediocracy.  

Sometimes you may even have moments in the left lane. You know, the part of the road used for passing slower cars. 😏  This path is the riskiest, and as great as this lane may seem, it will be the most challenging. Think about what it takes to move over into the left lane; you must look extra carefully to make sure you don't pull out in front of someone or hit someone in your blind spot. At times you may still feel like you are going incredibly slow, especially when someone comes upon you from nowhere. Yet, in this lane, you are putting in the effort to get to the end of your trip.

However, as incredible as the fast lane seems, there are certain things to be aware of:

• Comparison. How are other drivers so fast? How come their path is smooth, and I'm continually dodging potholes, old tire treads, and debris? Remember, someone going more quickly than you does not mean that you are on the wrong trajectory. You are on YOUR journey. Maybe their trip is shorter, or perhaps you didn't see how long they were preparing for their trip.

• Challenges. Why can't anything go easy for me? 🙋  Resilience is vital for most things in life; however, it is essential when you are working to reach your dreams because YOU WILL face challenges. Like the potholes, tire treads, and debris on an interstate, you will face many challenges. Try to remember that problems will happen and are normal.

• Tiredness. Why can't I do just a little more? You may eventually have to pull over to the middle or right lane. You may even need to take a detour to a rest stop. Ensure that you are using YOUR timeline and no one else's timeframe. Remember, this is YOUR trip, and rest, even during times of growth, is necessary. Most goals take time to achieve, so understand that you will have to rest and rejuvenate yourself at points in your journey. 

• Missed exits. Sometimes, we make mistakes. We may spend too much time or money on one thing and not enough on something else. These mistakes will require you to practice patience with yourself. I also find that I learn 100% better from my mistakes. It may sting, but those errors are usually beneficial in the long run.

• Loneliness. This track may be where you feel the most alone. Maybe your family and friends don't understand why you don't want to stay on the same path as them. Perhaps they fear your success, or you are too busy to see your family and friends as often as in the past. You may have to be okay with being lonely when you have a project to plan for, a deadline, or some other task to complete.

Sometimes we must change lanes, which in itself causes some risk. Just like changing lanes on the interstate, changing your trajectory in life will involve risks. The question is, will you risk it?

Steve Harvey's inspiration video after a family feud show is an important message. One you may need to hear. What is your gift? Have you jumped? What is standing in your way?

Thoughts about this post? Comment below.

Be blessed,

Jackie W.