Laurie

The Process is Its Own Reward

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.” Amelia Earhart

Meditations in MotionHaving the courage to take the first step is the hard part. It doesn’t matter whether the endeavor is running, knitting, juggling, or writing. Putting yourself out there, opening yourself up for possible failure takes audacity. The most difficult part is writing those first shaky words, casting on that first stitch, tossing that first ball, taking that first tentative step.

Even if you don’t get “there“, wherever “there” is, the process is the reward. You can’t always control the outcomes, but you can control what you put into the activity.

Meditations in MotionMaybe you don’t write a book, but you write a blog, which allows you to express yourself, create something worthwhile, and make a lot of diverse friends from all over the world.

Meditations in MotionMaybe you don’t run a 100-miler or even a marathon, but you begin moving, feeling strong. You get a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. You learn how to push your limits, then find new limits and push them too.

It’s the process that changes you; it’s the process that makes you a better person, stronger, smarter, more interesting, daring.

What process will change you today?

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Ephesians 5:8

I am linking with Welcome Heart for Let’s Have Coffee, Debbie at Dare 2 Hear,  Amy at Live Life Well, Raisie Bay for Word of the Week, Susan B Mead for Dancing With Jesus, Embracing the Unexpected for Grace and Truth, Random-osity for Little Things Thursdays, Reflections From Me for A Blogging Good Time, Knit by God’s Hand for Thankful Thursdays, Morgan’s Milieu for Post, Comment, Love, Counting My Blessings for Faith ‘n Friends, and Worth Beyond Rubies.

Please click on the following link to read more funny or inspirational one-liners. One-Liner Wednesday.

Meditations in Motion

73 comments

  3. Oh, Laurie. How I love your words here. The reward is in the process. Yes!

    I resonated with this: “It’s the process that changes you; it’s the process that makes you a better person, stronger, smarter, more interesting, daring.”

    I have discovered that until I determine in my mind that I’m going to act/change something, nothing will change. Thanks for this reminder. I needed it!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. Interesting and wise post. I like this quote: “You learn how to push your limits, then find new limits and push them too” and I think that the “new limits” are not only the more challenging ones but also to be able to adapt our body (and mind) to the current situation day by day.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. I love the process of prayer journaling, Laurie. It always takes me down a path that I desperately need to run down–much like you on that path above. Kudos to you for staying strong and active. I’ve got a bum knee, so the only way I can get close to that is by walking on my treadmill and at the park when I can. Have a great week!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Journaling (maybe prayer journaling) is high on my list of things I want to try. I think your comment may be the nudge I need to begin in July. Thank you!

      Like

      Reply

  10. That first step is indeed such a scary one. But after that, it often does get easier. “Just show up” has been my theme the past several years and it has served me well to get through the fear. Great post, Laurie!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • “Just show up” is the perfect way to start. I have had to say something like that often when I am afraid of trying new things. Thank you, Lisa.

      Like

      Reply

  12. I love the quote up top by Amelia Earhart and I really need to push myself more to get other things accomplished … things that I should set my mind to and follow through. I feel like I’ve become too complacent with setting goals and getting them accomplished. Thanks for giving me a nudge and the inspiration. A new month next week … maybe the second half of the year is a time for beginning something new. I am sad to think that the Summer Solstice has passed and we now begin the slow crawl to Winter – ugh!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you, Linda. I have found so many great quotes by Amelia. She was one of my heroines when I was growing up. I feel the same way about passing the Summer Solstice. The longest day has to be one of my favorite ones. I love how it stays light so late in the evening!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • Back when Robb and I were still at the Firm, I did a daily quote and I would send it out every morning to everyone. I started doing that long before we were on Windows and connected to the internet, because our computers were “dummy terminals” – we only had an intranet and no tie to the outside world. When they hooked up our “Pine” brand e-mail, the I,T. guy asked me, since I always got there early due to taking the bus, to send a message to everyone to try out the new e-mail system. So I had a quote-a-day calendar and picked a quote and sent it out – the e-mail worked and co-workers wrote back “I like it – do one tomorrow” and that began a new tradition … I got graphics and other photos to jazz up my quote as well. It continued even after Y2K when we finally went to Windows and had Microsoft Outlook. I liked Mother Teresa and Eleanor Roosevelt for lots of my quotes too. Unfortunately it’s all downhill from here toward that awful season – Winter.

        Liked by 1 person

      • I like Mother Theresa and Eleanor Roosevelt for quotes too. You were writing the precursor to your blog when you were sending out your quote of the day over 20 years ago! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      • Yes, I often used their quotations as they resonated with me. I didn’t realize that at the time that all these years later I’d be blogging and do something similar. My mom was a tea drinker and I often used the little words of wisdom that came on the tea tags … Teabag Teatag Wisdom was what I called it.

        Liked by 1 person

  15. I was fortunate enough to have a trainer early on that convinced me that I could do anything I set my mind to. It’s interesting to look back and see that God put the right people in my life at the right time.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  17. Heard someone else saying pretty much saying the same thing, in a completely different context, that the first step is the hardest, but all other steps follow it! Once you get going, things usually fall into place. #WotW

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  18. Such wise word Laurie, I have so much that I want to achieve but still find it difficult to start. If I could only begin the process, then succeeding would not be paramount but I would be willing to keep pushing forward. Thanks for linking up to #wotw

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • So true. When I am writing, I find that I have trouble typing the first sentence. When I get started, my thoughts come so fast, my fingers can’t type fast enough to keep up. It’s just the beginning that is difficult. Thanks for the opportunity to link! 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  19. Dear Laurie, your exhortation dovetails so well with Debbie’s message this week. Sometimes the first step after we’ve been disillusioned can seem insurmountable. Praise God, He’s in our corner encouraging us through Sisters in Christ like you to “just do it!’

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • So true, Alice. I never thought about that as I read Debbie’s post. The first step is usually the toughest. God is with us, encouraging us always, but it is nice to have the earthly “Sisters in Christ” as you say!

      Like

      Reply

    • Yes, I can identify with that. Fortunately, only family members read my blog at first. By the time I got non-family followers, I was beginning to find my voice a little bit.

      Like

      Reply

  32. Oh my gosh! I love this and you are so right! It is that first step that is the hardest!!! Beautifully said!

    Thanks for linking up @LiveLifeWell!

    Blessings,

    Amy

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a reply to Laurie Cancel reply