🌊What’s up with that River🌊

Welcome to Part 1 of the:
 What’s up with that River 
(A unique version of The Way of the River series)

Alright, so like, imagine that life is like this giant river and you’re in a kayak you did not ask for.
No tutorials included or how-to videos.
No safety explanation. 🛶

Just all sorts of vibes and mild to extreme panic.🫨
We’re all in, no other option, sorry! 😭

Day one? You’re crashing into rocks 🪨, losing your paddle like it’s a slippery chicken nugget🍗
and spinning around like a fidget spinner.
It’s fine.
Totally fine. 

Then you start to feel the current pulling you.
Sometimes you’re like, “Aye, take me where I need to go.” 🙂‍↕️

Other times you’re like, “Uuuh no, I want that awesome spot over there,”
and you start paddling like you’re trying to escape a swarm of bees with clown faces. 🐝🤡

You fight the current the whole way, sweat😥, struggle, nearly cry once or twice😭

… and when you finally get there? It’s mid. No magic.
Not worth the sweat. Just… meh.😒😒

It’s giving… disappointment.

Like, “I did all that for THIS?” energy. 😒🤨

Some of us need to repeat this mistake 67 times before we get the memo. 

It’s okay. Growth era, we’re leveling up! 🎚️

But eventually, you start trusting the current.
Like, “Heeey, it’s not that bad”. 🙂‍↕️

And suddenly it’s taking you past the places you thought you wanted,
only to drop you off somewhere way better. Yaaas! Time to slay! ✨✨💅💅

And of course you’re like, “Wow, look at me discovering things, Yaaaas!”
even though the current literally dragged you there
like a mom pulling a toddler out of Target. 🎯

But the river isn’t always chill.🙂‍↔️Sometimes it’s like
 “Time for character development!” for reals, and throws you into rapids full of rocks,
whirlpools, a group of ducks🦆, and sticks that seem personally offended by your existence.🧐 

You flip over, get soaked, lose your cool status,
and immediately blame the river like it’s out to get you. So unfair! 😩😩

So why does the hard stuff happen? 🤔

 Because that’s where we level up! Where our character gets XP and even add-ons!

 Nobody becomes a pro kayaker on calm water.
The rapids are where you level up.🙂‍↔️

Them stoic oldies aka the ancient kings of “it is what it is” said, “the problem is the path.” 👴
Those therapists that do ACT therapy agree: challenges are basically quests you’ve been avoiding. Side quests included.🙂‍↕️✨

A dude named Maslow goes full inspirational Tik Tok on us and says challenges are gifts, for real.
Like weird, stressful, slightly cursed gifts, but still gifts.🎁🤓

Life’s river has chill parts, deep parts, and absolute chaotic and rocky parts.
Not to mention those ducks! 🚣

But there are good news!  You’re not paddling alone. Nu uh! We got you! 🫂

Fellow kayakers show up and teach you things that help navigating your now very awesome kayak. 

They come from all places and throughout many times in our journey to the river, for real.

The goal to remember🥅: stop fighting the current like it insulted your dog🐶. 

Trust it a little more and it will take you places that you never imagined you’d travel to.
There might even be some cookies included! 🍪

Reflection:

🤔 Think about a tough time you already survived.
What would you tell a friend who’s currently getting emotionally yeeted around by the rapids? 🫂

Thank you all for reading! 
And thank you @GlenM for allowing me to tell your story in a different way! 
✨💙✨
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