What Are You Pouring Your Life Into?

By Caroline Jalango Jul 17, 2008 Have you ever “poured” your life or energy into something or someone…even after you knew deep down in your heart that it wasn’t worth it? Were you successful? What were the returns? A couple of years ago, I faced a tough and emotional situation. My beloved Volvo car, which I had owned for several years, broke down, one last time—for good! I was so attached to this car…we had gone on so many road trips and adventures together. I had laughed, cried, yelled and pounded my fist on the steering wheel during rush hour traffic, eaten my favorite foods and listened to my favorite songs in this car. I had so many great memories! You see, this car had broken down a few times before and each time, even when the damage was minor, the expensive Volvo parts usually resulted in expensive repair bills. Despite that, I never once considered giving up the car and was determined to fix it at any cost. When it came to my car, my attitude was, “let’s do anything possible to get this baby up and running!” So, I kept “pouring and pouring…and pouring” money, (which I didn’t always have) into repairing the car— even after the mechanic advised that the repair costs had exceeded the value of the car. I truly believed that the car repairs were worth it and refused to even think about the option of buying another car. I always kept my fingers crossed and hoped that it would be the last repair in a long time! I secretly hoped “my good old car,” would always beat the odds. So, you can imagine how I felt when my car finally stalled— for good. My sense of loss and grief was real! I realized that I couldn’t spend any more money on it because it was too costly and it just wasn’t worth it. I knew the time had come to let it go and even though it was hard and painful…it had to be done. Have you ever experienced something similar to this? Investing your life, energy, finances, time, and emotions in something or someone? Ignoring obvious feedback and hoping for a different kind of result? What has it cost you? Consider your life for a moment… • What or who are you pouring your energy or life into? • What are the returns? • How do you know that you are moving in the right direction? (Identify three specific signs of progress in your life) Finally, do you like what you see? Ponder point: What happens when you discover that you are pouring water into a broken container? • Do you get another jar? • Do you try to fix/repair the broken container? • Do you keep pouring? Tip: Every once in a while, it’s important to stop and reassess how your efforts are affecting your success. It is important to gauge your performance to determine whether the progress you are making is desirable. If it isn’t, stop immediately and find solutions that work. This is the perfect time to stop and re-evaluate your life!

Author's Bio Caroline Jalango is a life strategist and motivational coach for women who want to do better for themselves. She is the author of "Settle for Less No More” and "You Deserve to Feel Good" motivational books for women who want to succeed. For more topics like this, visit www.motivationzone.com To gain the momentum to do better for yourself and get the results you want!