EP #027 - Starting Right Where You Are
Are you starting with what you have and with where you are? In this episode, Loraine Martinez-Bellamy and I discuss what it means to show up and manage what God has already put on your plate. Loraine is a lawyer and a life and business coach who helps women get clear on their passion projects and step into their calling. Rather than waiting until a woman has reached a point in their life that they want to dismantle everything, she works with them to step into their purpose little by little.
You Don’t Have to Dismantle Everything
Just because you have taken one direction in your life does not mean that you cannot switch directions and move deeper into the purpose God has for you. Make it a point to check in with God before making big decisions to confirm that your actions align with His purpose. I know that I fail in that at times, but as Loraine says, when He is calling you won’t be able to ignore it.
Despite going to school and getting my degree in computer science, I felt called to do something more. He has called me to help engineer His people, but this does not mean that I have to step completely away from the things I’ve already accomplished. I realized that I didn’t have to start completely over, but that I needed to use the other gifts that God provided me with.
Don’t Give Into the Fear
Loraine shares that many of the high achieving women that she works with are scared and embarassed to want more when they already have so much. God wants us to live a life of abundance and that means that we shouldn’t feel guilty or that we are shirking the gifts we’ve been given if we feel called in a different direction. If you are feeling like you are being pulled in another direction than the path you originally set for yourself, then it is highly likely that God is pulling you there. Don’t be afraid to listen.
Slow Down and Listen
Many times women feel like they have to run and run to keep up with all of the tasks that are given to us each day. The first thing that you need to do is slow down. Take a moment each day to just stop. Listen to something and quiet your mind. Sit in silence. Let your thoughts come through. Allow God the time and the chance to speak to you through your thoughts.
When you slow down you allow God the chance to move in your life. If you’re feeling pulled and called but everything seems overwhelming, then you’re not giving Him time to speak. Next, you need to start journaling or doing a similar activity. When you take the time to write out your thoughts and ideas, you open a new space for God to work in your life.
Then you need to put yourself in a space with people who are in the same place in life that you are. Not everyone is going to understand the place that you are in. When you surround yourself with people who are also looking to find their greater purpose, the fellowship helps with accountability and making room to hear His purpose.
How Do I Know He is Talking?
Them more you practice listening, the better you will hear him. It takes time and focus to feel His presence in your life. He wants to see that we are being good stewards of what He has already given us. When you take care of the things in your life right now, then He will put more in your path. God is not going to give you more if you are not able to keep up with what He has already given you.
Again, don’t let fear keep you from hearing Him. God doesn’t promise that we won’t be scared while walking in His purpose. He wants us to have faith that He will bring us to and through the path that He has for us. Every person who has been successful in their lives has had a period of fear on their path. Those who run from the fear will likely never find His path for their lives, those who embrace the fear and move forward will find success in Him.
When you are scared, seek divine guidance and community. He is calling you and if the fear is debilitating, reach out to your community and those people who are there to support you. Your community is there to help you stay on track, so turn to them when the fear begins to freeze you.
Start Where You Are
Slow down, take pause, take a minute to write out your thoughts, and spend time with Him. Again when you take the time to slow down you allow Him the space to work in your life and in His purpose for you. Find and nurture your community so you are growing in Him with others that are like-minded in their faith. When you are a good steward of what God has given you, it shows Him that you are ready for more. When you slow down, you allow His abundance to grow.
Connect with Loraine:
Loraine is a lawyer turned life coach who after years of climbing the proverbial ladder, woke up one day and wondered to herself, “who the heck chose this life? I’m so bored.” Through her 1-on-1 and group coaching programs, she now helps 20-30 somethings get clear on their dream career and create exciting yet sustainable plans to obtain it.
She also holds a B.S. in Management and International Business from the University of Connecticut, and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law.
You can find her on:
Instagram @loly_love