“You will never be able to escape from your heart. So, it’s better to listen to what it has to say.” ~ Paul Coelho

Do we have what it takes to be relentless in the face of adversity? Do we have the will to tirelessly persevere, when all we want to do is wave the white flag of surrender? Do we have the guts to “brave the waves”…even during those moments when we lose sight of the “shore”?

Of course we do.

As we “tread water” in the social media “tsunami”, we can easily get caught in the “undertow” of worldly wisdoms that may seem deep and sound cool, but that may have zero relevance to our true needs and desires. Let’s be honest—the endless swell of memes, mantras, and motivational “magic” in our news feeds can not only make us forget our mission. It can make us forget who we are.

But have no fear—we can come up for air. We can rise above the currents. We can “Save Our Selves ” (as in, “S.O.S.”).

We just need to find our “float”.

Our float is the “buoy” that helps us to swim up above the currents when the weight of the external world begins to pull us under. No doubt, our float is a stabilizing force. It calms our cranium. It balances our body. It centers our soul. And keeps us honest—with the world…and with ourselves.

When the choices we make reflect our unique needs and true desires, some awesome things happen. We avoid burnout. We stop boredom and complacency in their tracks. We overcome fear…of being someone we’re not. And we reinforce our resolve to become the most authentic version of ourselves—in our own time, on our own terms, and in our own unique way. When we’re unconditionally honest with ourselves about who we are and what we need, our float is the “life preserver” that keeps our head above the water…and our heart in command of the voyage.

When we rely on external “stuff” to keep us afloat, our efforts feel ehhhh and motivation feels mehhhh because, well…stuff that lacks relevance and resonance can be pretty blahhhh. Our float empowers us to ignore the irrelevant. It drives us to forgo the fictional…and keep things real. It encourages us to rise above the ehhhh and the mehhhh and follow the pursuits and passions that elevate us from ‘survive’…to ‘thrive’.

Finding our float means more than just ‘hearing’ what our head is saying; it means ‘listening’ to what our heart is screaming. Life is full of unknown variables and uncertain undertakings—why complicate the process by adopting someone else’s version of “being”? After all, it’s your vision, your journey, and your truth. So, remember who you were before the world told you who you should be. Stop relying on external “stuff” to help you brave the waves…and start trusting your own passions, instincts, and desires to get you back to shore.

Sink…or, swim? Tread water…or, surf the swells? Find your float—you may just hear your heart say, “Thanks, I needed that”.

About the Author: Joshua GARRIN is one of Your Monthly Mentors, an Award-Winning Health Psychologist, Author of “The I-Way to Well”, Personal Trainer, Health Coach, and Self-Motivationalist. He holds a Ph.D. in health psychology, an M.S. in cognitive psychology, and a B.S. in general psychology and journalism and currently resides in the Hudson Valley region of New York. Following the completion of his doctorate in 2014, Joshua was the recipient of Walden University’s Harold L. Hodgkinson Award for Outstanding Dissertation Research for his inquiry on health beliefs, outcome expectancies, and stress appraisal in college seniors. Read More… 

Subscribe to The Teen Mentor to receive more awesome articles like this straight to your inbox.