Today, we are going to talk about practicing one of the most ultimate forms of self-control.
When it comes to self-control, it is more than just being able to control your thoughts and actions, but also being able to control your words.
While I will admit that we are all humans and our mouths get us in trouble from time to time, it is important to understand that the words we speak ultimately become our reality.
If the words you speak are not truthful, then you will live your life as a liar, and untrue to yourself and who you are as a person.
Whereas if you do speak in truth, then you will manifest a reality in which you will create your own life path and fulfillment.
In order to speak in truth, one must first search for it.
This means searching deep within yourself to discover your own truth, and the truth about the world.
What is interesting about truth is that nothing is ever completely 100% true because nothing in life is absolutely certain, except for death.
However, those that remain close to the truth will are always be more fulfilled for being true to who they are, and remaining true to God.
When searching deep within yourself to find out what it really is about you that makes you unique, you will come face to face with many obstacles, some of which may be disguised as opportunities.
Being true to who you are means understanding that obstacles are a part of life because you have willingly chosen the path that you are on.
Along the way, sudden opportunities will begin to appear in life and it is on you to think about whether this could actually be an opportunity, or an obstacle disguised as an opportunity.
One way to think about it is this - does this "opportunity" have anything to do with what you are trying to pursue in life?
If this opportunity does not fit within your life path or your goals, then the sensible thing to do would be to turn the opportunity down.
Which brings us to the topic of today's post - knowing when to say "no".
"No" is a very powerful word and oftentimes can be seen as having a negative connotation.
When a child wants a toy from the toy store and you tell them no, what is their reaction?
That's right, a complete meltdown in the middle of the store.
Someone telling you no can be seen as negative because it is rejection of a desired thing that you want.
Rejection can oftentimes hurt peoples feelings in the moment, and sometimes even longer.
Fear of rejection can leave person feeling completely defeated, especially if it is something that they are deeply insecure about.
But what if the tables are turned and you are the one that is rejecting something that doesn't serve God, serve you, or serve your purpose?
This is where true self-control comes into play because a big juicy steak could be hanging right in front of your face to distract you from the things you are set out to accomplish.
The ability to say no is a powerful tool that one needs to learn to harness, but this is also why it is so important for you to get clear with the things that you actually want in your life.
Sometimes, you might just have to reject the woman you thought you were interested in because she doesn't actually suit your spirit.
Sometimes, you might have to reject the higher paying job just because their values aren't in line with your own.
The point of the matter is that in order for one to truly know when to say no, they need to find their purpose.
Once your purpose has been discovered and you begin taking deliberate action towards the life that you want, you will naturally know what serves your mission and what doesn't.
As mentioned prior, there are always going to be obstacles when you choose to achieve something that is larger than yourself.
There are going to be obstacles in life regardless because it is impossible to go through life without encountering any sort of hardship.
It is purpose that creates the will to go through obstacles, learn from them, and come out stronger, even if they are disguised as opportunities.
Sometimes, even something that may seem like an opportunity that does sound like it serves your mission at first, will end up becoming a large obstacle.
A simple example of this is a young couple that falls in love.
When they are young, they fall in love, plan to eventually get married one day, and then all of the sudden shit hits the fan, one of them cheats and they break up.
At first, it seems like being in love with someone presents the opportunity of eventually being married, which it does, until one decides to cheat and the relationship ends.
What was once seen as an opportunity, is now an obstacle that both parties involved are going to have to learn from and deal with on their own accord.
If your goal is to eventually be married and have a loyal partner who you then build a beautiful family together with, then you need to know when to say no to stupid people who do not serve this purpose.
This means that you say no short term gratification, while working towards your long term rewards.
Self-control is not an easy thing to practice and most people fail miserably at it, even people who think they have it.
But this is why you learn the truth because the truth is the only thing that separates you and being able to actually have self-control and knowing when to say no, from the person who has no self-control and lies to themselves.
The truth will always set you free - your body, your mind, and your spirit.
Learn how to harness the truth and watch closely as to how different life can really be.