Liberty Begins At Home

Christmas.

The time of year we wish we could have all year long. Then January hits and it’s all out the window.

But what would it look like if we made it last all year long?

I’ve been praying along with Hallow’s Pray 25 challenge for Advent this year. There’s a heavy focus on being quiet and still in a loud world.

Because in that quiet there’s room to say yes to God’s will for you. Even when it’s uncomfortable.

The value of quiet

Quiet is overrated in our noisy world. Every marketer I know goes on about how our attention spans are getting shorter than a goldfish’s.

Is it that? Or is it that other marketers filling our feeds have run out of interesting things to say?

They’re misjudging people who want to get past them as quickly as possible.

Personal level

When you’re focused on the next hot trend, you miss what’s meaningful to you.

Sure, attention can get you resources quickly. But what’s left after someone else grabs it?

Who is the person you’re left with when no one’s interested in looking at you anymore?

Or would you rather be the kind of person who has something interesting to say?

The kind of person who can sit in a meeting listening intently. With possibilities and accusations flying over your head, you put together how the whole thing works. Then say that one thing that stuns the room into thinking, “Wow, I wish I could’ve thought of that…”

That’s true presence. The kind you have when you’ve done it enough times that you’re not scared of what everyone thinks of you anymore.

You have intrinsic value not determined by how much noise you generate around yourself. When you have measurable results to back you up generated from iterations of real excellence.

That’s being meek.

Meekness

Meek is often confused with being harmless. Being in the background. But it’s original meaning is “like a warhorse bridled.” It’s about putting all that power in you under control and releasing it in the situation how it’s needed most.

And that’s important going into the rest of the year after Christmas.

Who are you going to be for those around you when all the noise returns?

All year long

Everything will come back to compete for attention:

• that new side hustle to make more money
• the new trend everyone’s trying
• the new music everyone’s listening to
• the new series to binge watch

But in that there’s a choice to show up and add value to others. To stand as a constant and do the right thing. And carrying that stillness with you to release when it’s needed will make the difference in how next year goes for you.

Find some way to stay still next year. That’s how you make it Christmas all year long.

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Check out these related posts before you go:

Life on 1X Speed

Little Things Matter Most: A Father’s Day Reflection

Can Mindfulness Prevent the Harari Hack?