Nine New Steps in the Right Direction

Beloved Pooh

As hard as he tried, English author, A. A. Milne, never outlived his most famous children’s book of 1926, Winnie the Pooh. He genuinely wanted to write other genres such as mysteries, drama, and poetry—which he did several--but once the Pooh stories arrived, that was what Milne was forever known for afterward.

In 2003, Winnie the Pooh was listed in the UK at number seven on the BBC's poll of the “best-loved novels" of all time. Three years later, Winnie the Pooh received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, marking the 80th birthday of Milne's creation. And many of our children grew up going to sleep with a Pooh bear right beside him/her!

This endearing story of A. A. Milne goes to show that we are often known for our reputation, whether good or bad, and it can follow us around for decades. Either way, if we never give up, amazing things can happen in our lives. Just remember a quote from Milne, “You’re braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”    

Not Giving Up!

We have gone through what seems like a never-ending drama ourselves. Maybe it is still very fresh in our minds, or some of us are still navigating the first year or two after a break-up, and others are well on their way to a new destination. One thing is clear: we are all survivors! 

Whichever season we are currently living in, not giving up must be part of our daily script. Why? Well, that's a good question, so think about this one, what would I be doing instead of “not giving up?”

Time for coffee!

Yes, sometimes, we don't even want to drag ourselves out of bed in the morning. It's too warm and cozy. It's safe and secure. We don't have to get dressed. And we could turn our phones off, so no one bothers us. That's understandable; we've all been there, but who would get the coffee/tea? (Smile break).  

Remember the script: we are not giving up! We've made it this far, so we already know hiding under the covers does not match up with our new role as a survivor. And the more we practice our part, the better we become and the further we go.

A Better Way to Enjoy Life

Let's jump into the middle here. For whatever reason--divorce, the death of our spouse, or single mom status--we are on our own now. It still feels strange and will always feel different. But now, we must figure out which path to take that will create the absolute best life we can manage. 

Most likely, a new routine would be extremely helpful to our well-being at this point. Trying to do everything the way it always was as a couple creates a lot of stress. Consider some of these fun and encouraging stress-busters and then add your own to the list. 

Nine New Steps in the Right Direction  

• Choose a new path for your daily walk and smell the iris.
• Make stir-fry instead of the usual and bland broccoli dish.
• Do the laundry on Thursdays instead of Mondays.
• Change the furniture around and buy new pillows.
• Take a class in flower arranging or horticulture.
• Share lunch with a single neighbor.
• Sleep in the middle of the bed (a favorite).
• Attend the late church service instead of the early one. 
• Challenge yourself and move to a new place/town/state.

Lost and Found

The road we are on right now will lead somewhere that's for sure. But, where? We have a choice which way to go, but we need a Guide to get us to the right destination because it is easy to get lost and never get anywhere. Then years later we will wonder what happened and why we are still in a rut. The Good News is we have the perfect One to help us and his plan is free of charge! The "ticket" is Prayer and it can be used over and over and over. Find yours today in God's book, the Holy Bible.      

"Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow" (Psalm 25:4 NLT).