Increments & Explosions

So first off, I'll admit that I stole the title of this post from a Rob Bell podcast, which you can find here. I encourage you to take a listen.

Essentially, Bell discusses how our lives are defined both by the major moments, the spikes in the timeline, and by the daily habits and routines, the intentions and the actions of our days.

Explosions, the moments of transformation and redirection, often take form in the chaos, the hugely impactful moments, relationships, loss, crisis, new jobs and jobs left, births, major decisions, momentary lapses, the moves, and on and on as applicable to your life.

The increments - the focused, deliberate, habits, routines and rituals - are just as varied and diverse and easily recognizable when you look for them: diet, exercise, focus, personal indulgences, great sacrifice, bitterness, jealousy, envy, ego, pridefulness, lust and on and on ad infinitum.

The explosions are the easily identifiable peaks and valleys in our life's. The major plot twists and turns that appear to drive and direct it all. They're the days of massive exhilaration, joy, decision and the moments of crushing blows, death, injustice.

I find the increments are easiest identified in hindsight and in somedays and intentions. I can look back and say "how did I gain 15 pounds?" and by looking at my habits and routines (I ate like crap, I didn't exercise, etc.) and that's how. But In the moment, daily, I don't necessarily relate my choices to their consequences. I just think I'm eating pasta at ten o'clock because I want to and I'm hungry. I have a tendency to be focused on an immediacy that doesn't have impact and simultaneously a future and a goal or outcome that's overwhelming and unattainable. 

Today, I've flipped around a lot of what I thought I knew upside down. Today I look in hindsight and see that the major moments that are seemingly out of my control while I'm subjected to their currents are as easily offset by the intentional habits, practices and actions.

Today, I build small successes into meaningful momentum. I offset the big explosions with an awareness of the collective totatlity of daily progress and growth.

Now, I simply try to take care of the moment and action while letting outcomes and results and destinations take care of themselves. 

I've never been so blessed.