STAGES OF LIFE

Are you stuck in one stage, and envious at people who have moved on to another stage? Stages are like grades in school, when one is mastered you proceed to the next grade. In some cases, grades can be skipped, other times you are detained in a grade. Stages are points, growth or periods in development. It a period in your life where you are managing, maintaining or struggling with the roles or positions you have chosen.

Some stages may include:

• Living with parents, getting through high school, researching your future.
• Going off to college, experiencing new relationships, higher learning and having a sense of freedom.
• You may have decided not to have children, or your children have moved out of the home. You have opportunities to have new journeys.
• Retired: Done with work and  your house is paid off monthly. Money and time to do exciting things.

The stage that you are in may be from choices, or from a set of circumstances.

For instance, if you started a relationship thinking a man was going to get you provide you with happiness and security.  You decided to have 3 or 4 children. And this person decided to leave, you have entered into a stage of single parenthood. And, you must go through the stage, working and taking care of you and your children.

If you decided not to have children, get a degree and have full capabilities of taking care of yourself. You eventually marry a man that is self-sufficient. And the two of you decide to travel the world, living life at the fullest. You are in a stage of married, with no children.

You work, earn a salary, pay your bills, put away some for saving and a little toward a vacation fund. You sacrifice excessive spending and Happy Hour events. You saved enough and decide to go on 2 exotic vacations a years. You are a diligent planner.

Another person earns a salary, and lives for today. You shop. Eat out, more than you cook. Often, you go out with friends, during the week. You skimp off bill money for frivolous things. You have no saving. You are living for today.

Most people are content, in their stage, until they hear someone is doing something they desire.  Liking going on an African Safari or European Escapade. Or, the purchase a new home and a car. Then, envy sets in.

We live in a world of convenience and comfort. People want things to be given to them, without work. There are fewer and fewer individuals who will defer gratification. Most, want what they think they want, right now.

For example, a worker with a poor work ethics of coming late to work, taking excessive days off, riding the clock, and bickering about management: this same person hears that a friend of has been promoted to management. A positon has become available with great pay and excellent benefits. The poor work ethic employee wants their friend to “give” them the position. And, becomes angry when the person refuses. Stage: Broke, poor work performer. If this worker does not change, they may be detained in this stage, for a long time.

Today, social media can bring people’s achievements to many people, in minutes. When you hear about people who have accomplished things you want, do you cheer or jeer? Do you envy or encourage? Do you avoid giving compliments? Or, are you the one who will hear about an achievement and will quickly tell a story about how you did the same adventure or some other tale, to overrule the other person’s glory, with your story? Some people my say they are relating. Is it? Or, is it envy, selfishness or bitterness?

Most people do not want to admit they are in stage, they don’t want to be. And, moreover, no one wants to admit they do not want to do the real work to get out of their present stage. It will always be something or someone else’s fault.

We must all pay our dues, in some fashion or form. Paying your dues, basically means to earn the right to have something because you worked hard. The caveat, for those who have be granted things without the work; or goals achieved with little or no effort, may become spoiled, entitled and expectant. Thinking the world owes them something because they are here.

Do you really think a person decides to purchase a home on Monday, pay all the fees on Tuesday and move in on Thursday? Or, a person gets a college degree, whizzing through courses, passing all tests and receiving the degree, with no effort. Or, a person decides to go on an exotic vacation, pack their bags and board a plan, after a few days of planning?

As mentioned earlier, in all scenarios above, there may be a small percentage of people who can attain those things, with little effort. However, there is a larger ratio of people who cannot. It takes hard work, planning, time and money to achieve most goals.

A word of advice.

• Stop looking at a person’s end result, investigate their beginning.
• Work hard for the things you want, this may involve saving money, allocating time and disciplining yourself.
• Don’t be angry, sad, disappointed, or envious of other people’s accomplishments. That is their blessings. Your blessings comes in different ways. Don’t you want others to cheer you on, when you accomplish something grand? Then, do the same.
• Be inspired. Be influenced by other people’s goals. Motivate yourself to do what they did or to do what you really want to do.
• Don’t be discouraged. Be encouraged to want to do better, to be better, in whatever your endeavor.

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3 King James Version (KJV).

Whatever stage you are in, you must go through that stage asking God, family members and friends to assist you.

And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him. Psalm 37:40 King James Version (KJV).

The world is a school and stages are grades. Work diligently to pass to the next stage. With God, you may be able to skip stages to future stages. Or, if you refuse to obey and listen you may be detained in the same stage for many years, never being promoted.  It is your choice.

Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20 King James Version (KJV)