Two weeks ago I had the pleasure to go to not so sunny San Diego. Last time I was in California, I remember it being sunny. This time it was like “hey Seattle, what’s up?” The reason for my trip was for the Storyline Conference. The conference was created by Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz and A Million Miles In 1,000 Years. This is a conference designed to help attendees get in touch with their story, develop that story, and share that story. The conference helps find that story that each one of us has. I also believe that everyone has a story. Because where there is a past founded in hurt, there is always hope. Where this is hope, there is a story. My story has always been pretty obvious to me, but I got to relearn my story through the guidance of the speakers. Someone once told me that the best way to adapt in society was to learn, unlearn, and relearn. The information in our society changes so fast that in three years, everything we know is outdated.
The first session featured Donald Miller. He asked a question that stuck with me throughout the rest of the weekend while I was sitting listening to the other speakers like Jon Acuff and Bob Goff. The question was “if you don’t share your story, what will the world miss?” Since I already share my story openly, I kind of flipped the question for myself by asking “what is the world gaining?” If my goal is to live a life of love, faith, and hope in the name of Jesus, I believe that the world would be missing a testimony of His story, not just mine. That’s why it’s important for me to share my story, because I want to be an example. Then I asked myself, “what’s my plan to do this?” I realized I was working on plan B in my life rather than plan A. Plan A is sharing this message, investing in others, and building up for a greater good. There will always be a place to fall back on. It may not be the best place, but there is always a place. I believe that we were all created to stick with plan A. We are meant to pursue what we are passionate about. There will be suffering along the way, but suffering produces more passion. Ever since I was 13, I have wanted to become a public speaker and share this message. I realized that plan B was all that was happening.
When I got back, I made some drastic changes to get back to plan A. I put in my two weeks notice at my job. Nothing definite is on the horizon, but I know that this step puts me back on the path to my goal. The only way I can make it work this time is if I fully trust in a bigger picture. If I suffer for my dream, my passion will get so much stronger. If I persevere and my dream becomes a reality, it will be so brilliant. Takeaway is that everyone has a purpose. Everyone has a crazy wild dream of what they want to do. This is me saying: just pursue it! Don’t let anything hold you back! Take a dive, don’t just get your feet wet!
- Brry Brry