Reignite.007

In our last core value, we focused on the idea that every life, at some point, needs a reset.

Maybe the idea of a reset is something we can agree on.  We know that we are imperfect and, we know, there are times when we want to make things better, to do things over, to make a change, to get through a tough season.  There are so many moments where we can and will hit the “reset” button.

You probably get the point.  But, I’m going to share a big secret with you.  So, lean in and let’s have a conversation, just the two of us.  A reset is important but it doesn’t necessarily lead us to life change.

It’s OK to disagree with me. I get it.  It’s one of the key words in the site.  Maybe this will help me illustrate what I mean:

  • You have a tendency to push the speed limit while driving your car.  On the way home, you get pulled over for speeding and you are rewarded a ticket with a hefty fine.  So, you respond with a mental reset and you vow that it is not going to happen again.  And, that lasts until tomorrow morning when you hit the gas and push the speed limit again.  You hit the reset, but you didn’t make the change.
  • You want to lose weight and you find a diet. You see where this diet can take you and you hit the reset button.  A week later, you’re back off the diet and eating as much as you did before the diet.  You hit the reset button, but you didn’t make a change.

Those might seem like minor examples, but how many times in life have we  vowed that it is never going to be like this again, tomorrow is going to be different, etc.?  We hit the “reset” button, and, in the end, we fall back into the same patterns that led us to the reset in the first place.

If you truly want to have a better life story, if you truly want to reignite your story into the best it can be,  you can’t stop with hitting the reset button.  You have to move on toward lasting change.

That’s where renewal comes into play.  When we renew ourselves, we are taking the steps to ensure that we move forward from our reset.  Over time, we develop new ways, systems, etc., to keep us from falling back into the same old, same old.  When we renew our stories, we are finding new ways to make our life stories effective again.

I came across one of those memes that I don’t like to share. However, it sums up the thought of renewal and reset in this way:  Don’t try to overhaul or change your life overnight.  Instead, focus on making one small change at a time. Over time, those small changes will add up to big transformation. (Author unknown)

Maybe we can look at reset and renewal in this way:

  • When we reset our lives, we respond directly to the issue we are facing.  We see that we can not continue on this path and get to the place we want to be.
  • When we renew our lives, we respond directly to ourselves and the things within us that will help us to achieve our new goal.

I like equations so, maybe, we can sum this idea up this way:

Renewal = A life reset + Work over time to sustain it

Hitting the reset can seem relatively easy compared to the task of renewing yourself to live up to the reset you are seeking.

Do you know that you have a life story that you can share with others?

Have you, are you ready to, hit the reset button on some situation in your life?

If you are at this stage, then I want to challenge you to do something.  Take a piece of paper (I know, that’s old school), draw a circle in the center and put your goal in it (your reset).  Now, around that circle, write three things that you need to do to ensure that you can reach your reset goal.

Then, work on trying to do them (maybe not all at once, but definitely over time).

Don’t just hit a reset in your life story.  Take the steps necessary to ensure you get to your goal.

ReigniteMyStory is a website devoted to helping you tell an even bigger story in your life.  We live a better life when we reset it, renew it and redeem it.  Find out more at www.reignitemystory.com.