Changing Your Perspective

Can I be real with you for a minute? I think a lot of times when we are in a season we don't want to be in, we spend the whole time complaining about how horrible the season is. But, can I propose to you that maybe it's just the perspective we are looking at it that makes it look so bad? Can I say that maybe if we changed our perspective on the season/situation, it might not actually be as bad as we think?

I feel as though I always am writing my blogs on what I'm currently going through! This is definitely something the Lord has revealed to me in these last few weeks. So, after I studied abroad last summer, my sense of adventure and love for travel really kicked in on high gear. I was like "I'm gonna go somewhere cool next summer too for an internship." (For my major of hospitality, I have to have a whole lot of internship and work hours to graduate.) In my head, it made sense to me that I needed to explore more places and work at different locations so I would be better prepared for post graduation. In my brain, I thought that that was what you're supposed to do when you're in college: try to gain as much experience in as many different places as possible. So, I applied to all different kinds of places. I applied to internships in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Maryland, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and more. Basically, I applied to everywhere but Florida. As much as Florida has a special place in my heart, I have lived here my whole life and would like to experience living elsewhere at least for a little bit. I had my heart set on doing a really cool internship in a really cool place far from home. Now, let me tell you just how that ended up.

I got a few offers from some of my more backup options, but I didn't feel peace about any of them, so I turned them down. I had my top choices. One of them completely ghosted me after 2 interviews. Also, how are companies allowed to do that?? And the other one half ghosted me, then turned me down. So I was like, "what am I supposed to do now?" I am currently working 2 different jobs, both of whom I have great relationships with. I knew that as a backup option, I could always stay here in Tallahassee and keep on working at these places and do my internship here. But I did not want to do that. I kind of went into a bit of a panic mode and tried to apply to a bunch of different other places even though it was a long shot with it being so close to the application deadline. But, just fyi, I asked God throughout this entire process to open and close doors. I don't really consider my offers "open doors" since I did not feel peace about them. So, basically I got a bunch of closed doors, leaving only one open: Tallahassee, Florida.

I was pretty disappointed at first. I mean, I had an exciting summer abroad last summer, and now I'm just staying in boring old, brutally hot Tallahassee for the summer? Don't get me wrong, I love my life here. I have a great community, I've learned my way around, I love my church, and I love my school. I was praying about it a lot. That was when the Lord revealed to me that I needed to change my perspective on it. Now, I'm actually really excited for my summer here. Most of my friends will be here too. Something He revealed to me was that I'm only in college for such a short time of my life. I will never be a young person in college again. Like after college next year, I'm going to have what I call a "big girl job" and be a full on adult. So why should I try to jump into that kind of life now when I'll have that life ahead of me for the rest of my life? I'm going to have so many work opportunities after I graduate. I'm gonna get to travel and see the world. I don't have to fit all of that into my tiny college experience. Now, I get to spend time with my other college friends who are in the same season of life as me. Now, I get to keep on learning at my current jobs which I actually love so much. Now, I get to live in a cute house with my best friends. Now, I get to keep going to the school that I love so much. I get to.

I changed my perspective. Yes, I was disappointed because this wasn't my original plan. This wasn't how I wanted it to go. But, you know what? I'd rather God's plan than mine. He obviously wants me in Tallahassee this summer. And I'm going to make the best of it. I'm going to have a great summer. I feel so much peace about staying. And, like I said, I'm still so young and I'm going to have so many opportunities after I graduate. I'll get to experience living in a cool city some day. I'll get to achieve my goal of visiting every continent (minus Antarctica) some day. I have the rest of my life to be a grown up and do all the things I want to do with my life. But, I'll never be in this phase of my life again. I only have a year left in it.

I bet you that if you change your perspective on your situation, you'll be able to find at least one positive. Did you recently go through a bad friendship breakup? Well, maybe you are better off without that friend and you can now invest time in healthier friendships! Did you not get the job you wanted? Maybe it wasn't God's plan for you, and He has something even better for you in the near future! Are you tired of being single because you've been single for so long and you're starting to lose hope? You have been given this time as a gift to be as successful as you can be and achieve all these goals you may not have been able to achieve if you were in a relationship. God has the right person for you just around the corner, it just may not be time yet for that to be revealed. Trust in His timing. Change your perspective.

I hope that this blog post brought you some encouragement and something to think about while you're walking through whatever you may be walking through. If you draw closer to God, He will guide you every step of the way and change your heart. I know He changed mine. If you know me, you KNOW I had my heart set on going somewhere else this summer. It was a fact for me. But, now I'm happy I'm staying. He obviously has me here for a reason. He changed my heart and my perspective. I know He can do the same for you.

Well, that's it for this time! Thanks for reading, & I'll see ya next time!