Changing Your Life is a Journey

One day I decided I wanted to make a change about five years ago. It was during a night while saying my prayers I decided to switch up my prayer completely. I began to pray for God to show me where to go, what path does he want me to take, to show me the way- His way, anywhere he wanted me to go and I would go. I prayed for patience, understanding, courage and strength.

Many of us know the quote “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome” by Arthur Ashe. Achieving success does not happen overnight. I feel like so many people want to be rich overnight. Or want to be successful overnight. Well, it does not happen that way. If it was that easy wouldn’t we all be rich and successful? The same idea goes with change. No one can change overnight. Change is a journey; a journey that I decided five years ago that I would take no matter how long or short. No matter how many obstacles I would hit along the way I would change them into opportunities.

Change begins with baby steps so do not get discouraged if things do not go your way, right away. There is always a bigger picture. A picture that is created by miniature pictures that mold into one great one. In other words, your life experiences are like stepping stones to your purpose. For me, those baby steps began when I left to visit my best friend in Dallas, TX. Is it a coincidence that I now reside in the Dallas Fort Worth area of TX? I think not! I was born and raised in Southern California. My best friend had always asked me to come to her school in Louisiana. Well, I never really cared to get on a plane or even leave California. It seems like after I prayed that prayer, over and over again, each night great things began to occur. So I met my friend in DFW, TX and we drove to LA.  

The next step I took was when I went to visit my best friend in NY. I got stranded in Chicago on my way back home. Okay, I’m being dramatic. I did not get stranded but there was an overnight layover. Thankfully, my friend in Chicago was able to get me so I could sleep where I was comfortable and not on some hard chairs in an airport.

Next I get a phone call from a former co-worker and current friend asking me if I would move to Dallas. My first response was not ‘why?’, ‘what?’ or ‘how?’ It was simply, ‘yes.’ You see I knew that God was creating a change within in me. He had been (and still is) preparing me for something bigger than what I could see- something bigger than what I was, something bigger than Orange County, California. I said ‘yes’ and now I am in TX. Before I moved I had financial obligations, had no idea where my son was going to school, no idea where he was going to daycare but I was committed to change. I stepped out on faith and all those things were resolved in time. I am still a work in progress. Arthur Ashe said it: Success is a journey not a destination. My hope for you is that you learn nothing in life comes free, nothing in life comes easily and nothing in life happens overnight.

“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome” I never really knew there was second part to Mr. Ashe’s quote. Heck, I did not even know who said it. Granted I do know WHO Arthur Ashe is. For those who do not know, he is a one of the greatest tennis players that ever lived. He set the stage for Venus and Serena Williams. Doing is more important than the outcome. Why do you do what you do? Why do you want to do what you want to do? The end result is important. But what you do now is what creates that outcome. Even bigger is the why. What is your passion? What is your purpose? Why do you want to change?

Be the change you want to see in the world~ Mahatma Gandhi

© 2009 ZJM None of the work written here may be reproduced, distributed, performed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work without my permission.