Digging out rocks.
Have you ever tried to stick your spade into the ground to plant the gorgeous new shrub you just purchased, only to have it completely rebound in your hand because the ground is so hard?
Here in Texas, we call that Kaliche clay. It’s so hard that when you come up against it, you can feel the reverb through the spade handle, down your arm and into your chest.
Sometimes, when we’re motivated and determined to grow, we march out into our life with a plan and a shiny new goal, only to spin our wheels, find invisible blocks or encounter complete rebounds.
Congratulations! You’ve discovered a hidden thought or belief!
They look like old narratives we’ve clung to for a long time. Subtle but strong beliefs like:
“I don’t have time”
“Being myself makes others uncomfortable”
“I should just be grateful for what I have.”
“If I grow, will it leave others behind?”
“If I say no, friends and relationships will leave.”
But here’s the truth:
God never called you to a life of just “getting by” “I came so they may have life, and have it abundantly.” -John 10:10 He planted purpose IN you ON purpose.
“As he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately the sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.” Matthew 13: 3-6
Previously, we focused on un-compacting the soil, so it’s not the packed-down path described here. We don’t want your purpose, your light, to be picked off by whatever the latest demand on your calendar is or the “SQUIRREL!” syndrome before you even get a chance to get started. We talked on the podcast about sorting the compost, taking the wrong things out, and leaving the right things in so it breaks down softly and prepares itself to support you.
But what if you've come upon rocky soil?
The first step is to identify the rocks so you can dig them out.
One easy way is to open up your journal and do a brain dump when you're feeling frustrated. Write everything you're thinking and feeling. Then look for patterns in how you talk about situations and about yourself like "I ALWAYS..." or "I NEVER...." "No matter what I do ..."
Then ask yourself if that's an undeniable fact or if it's a thought. Doing this takes the power away from the statement that you've adopted as identity and puts it back in your hands.
You can then dig out that rock by looking for evidence of the opposite of your rock, so if something ALWAYS happens, try to think of a time when it didn't happen.
A second way, particularly if you are in tune with physical sensations in your body throughout the day, is to notice when your physiology changes. When do you tense up, when do you start to feel a sense of friction? Then take a pause and ask yourself why? Why did XYZ cause me to react that way? What am I making that mean?
That last question will give you the thought-rock.
You can dig that out by using grabbing a Cycle Journal and remodeling your thought.
Journal Prompts to Help Uncover Filters & Beliefs
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“I can’t ___ because...”
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“If I put 100% of my effort and commitment in and fail, then I...”
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“The world is...”
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“People are...”
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“In order to be loved, I must...”
These statements often uncover deep-seated filters and generalizations about the self, others, and the world.
Before you can grow well, it's important to identify the rocks in your thinking that are stopping you from rooting deeply in truth. You must name them, reframe them, and then remove them, so you can plant yourself deeply because what we don’t want to have happen, is to plant your purpose on rocky soil.