This past weekend, I met a man who believed that his past disqualified him from a new beginning in life. He had committed armed robbery on more occasions than he could count and had just been released from a seven-year prison sentence. In his time of need when he was in prison, he had given his life to Jesus and was delivered from torment. But now that he was out, he was struggling to envision what his new life would look like.
As I began to share with him the process of reinventing himself, his faith in the possibility of new beginnings. He began to see that even though he had broken the law and used power over people to fulfill his needs he could still get a do-over.
Maybe you haven’t actually spent time behind bars, but you too feel imprisoned by your past. But just like this man, you have the power to create a new future. You can reinvent yourself through God’s miracle-working power at any point.
He created you for a purpose and his desire is to transform you into the person He created you to be.
Whether you’ve gotten off path because of poor choices or have been tossed about by the waves of life, a new beginning IS possible.
I invite you to take these three steps to reinvent yourself
Step #1: Discover.
To reinvent yourself, you must take the time to discover what makes you tick. Take a few hours or better yet, take as much time as you need to discover yourself. It will be the best investment you can make.
Wondering what, exactly, you are seeking to discover? Your strengths and weaknesses; your likes and dislikes; your regrets in life and what you would have done differently. Better yet, discover WHY you did what you did. And above all, discover your God-given temperament (this will change your life–check out my free guide “What’s my temperament” to discover more).
Step #2: Develop.
You can’t continue to move forward in the same-old, same-old and expect something amazing to happen. To change the course of your life, there are three areas you need to develop, a term I use in the photographic sense, as in “to bring into focus”.
The first area to develop is your core values, or what’s important to you. (You can only embark on this after you’ve discovered yourself.) Next is to develop the skills you need to move forward. Finally, the most important area to develop is your mind. Your will only goes as far as your thinking allows, so if you are the type to dwell on negative thoughts and run “what ifs,” you need to renew your mind. (If you need help in this area, check out my course for “Overcoming Toxic Thoughts” to help you do just that—you won’t be the same again.)
Step #3: Design.
A dream without a plan is just a wish. Once you have discovered and developed, it’s time to put the pedal to the metal and design a plan to get you there. In this design phase you will need to set up a support system to hold you accountable and help in unfamiliar areas. If you need help with a plan, check out Personal Development Plan for more details.
Get started on your journey to new beginnings by taking these three steps and you will see the light of your past grow dimmer and dimmer as your future gets brighter and brighter.
Want more? Grab a copy of my FREE ‘Uncover Your God-Given Purpose’ Guide to begin to discover what God wants you to do with your life.
