January 29, 2024 • 22 mins
Welcome to an eye-opening episode of the "Identify You" series. Your host, Shakera, delves much into understanding who you are in Christ Jesus, the need for flexibility, embracing change in various life aspects, and discovering your purpose. Sparked by an enlightening quote by Nelson Mandela, this episode explores the concept of resilience in the face of adversity and the divine plans of God as inspired by Ecclesiastes 3.1.
Shakera uses charisma and draws from personal experiences to portray adaptability as a critical skill. Her childhood recollections and encounters with change make this episode more relatable. She also urges listeners to seek their divine purpose and include God in their life decisions, a practical path towards living a life defined by resilience, adaptability, and a sense of purpose.
The episode takes listeners on a deep exploration of resourcefulness, resilience, and adaptability as essential tools for beating life's setbacks. It redefines setbacks as temporary transitions, not ultimate failures, meant to cause a shift in perspective. Further, it shares the importance of setting clear, manageable goals in the journey to overcoming adversities.
This enlightening episode is concluded with the 'Dear You' letter, a session that emphasizes adaptability and flexibility as superpowers. An unforgettable affirmation on resilience, flexibility, and adaptability concludes the episode: "In the face of adversity, I embrace change with resilience and flexibility, knowing that adaptability is my strength". Listen, learn, share, and grow!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Do you know who you are and whose you are? Welcome to Identify You,
where lives are being transformed by identifying who you are in Christ Jesus.
I am Shakira, your hostess with the mostest, and here I've cultivated a safe
space for us to expose some of the broken pieces that God has used to make us whole.
By the end of today's show, you'll be able to identify who you are and put your crown back on.
(00:23):
So let's get into today's episode.
You guys, we're back for another show.
And today, I think I told y'all last time that I wanted to kind of break down
adversity into like a couple of different smaller bites because it was just so much to take in.
(00:43):
So we are continuing our mini adversity series.
And today we're going to be talking about flexibility and adaptability.
OK, so to kick it off, I have a quote for you today.
And the quote is by the great Nelson Mandela. And it is, don't judge me by my success.
(01:03):
Judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up.
OK, that is a powerful one right there, because as we have been talking about
in this series, your failure is not a failure. It's just stepping stones to the next thing.
And it helps you with your resilience when you are overcoming challenges and
(01:29):
things that you may face.
So I thought that was a powerful quote for flexibility and adaptability that
we're going to discuss today.
So our Bible verse comes from Ecclesiastes 3.1, which reads,
for everything, there is.
(01:51):
And that's a very powerful verse because it speaks to just how there's different seasons, right?
Like you're going to go through different things and.
Every season calls for different tools, different resources.
You're going to be equipped for something in a different season,
(02:13):
but there's a time for every matter.
So when you hear that you're here for such a time as this, that means that God
knew specifically what he wanted to do with you. He knew how he wanted to use you.
He knew how you will be purposeful for the time at hand.
So I thought that that was just so powerful because when we think about flexibility
(02:38):
and adaptability, flexibility is simply like being able to adjust to changes
or any circumstances, which means any season, any time.
And when we're going back to Ecclesiastes 3.1, it's like, you got to be flexible
for whatever season it is, whatever time or matter it is under heaven, right? Right.
(02:59):
So I thought that was very powerful and I wanted to share that with you.
So my first point of the day is adaptability is a skill.
I truly believe that it's a skill because you have to literally look at the
world like the life that we live as a person.
(03:23):
University, like a teacher, right? Adversity is a stern but invaluable teacher
schooling us in adaptability and flexibility when confronted with unexpected changes.
We don't control the world. We don't control the universe.
God is the creator of the universe. So he knows exactly the beginning to the
(03:45):
end, the end from the beginning.
And we have to be okay with whatever is going to to happen in this time that we're here.
And I believe that when we look at the world and the universe as our school and as a teacher,
then you open yourself up to more opportunities and more challenging times and
(04:09):
just whatever is throwing your way.
You look at it as an opportunity to learn and grow, which we've been discussing very heavily.
Navigating challenges demands a a willingness to adjust, innovate,
and thrive in uncertainty.
So growing up, I changed schools a lot in grade school.
(04:30):
So K through five, I moved around a lot.
I probably went to, I can't even remember off the top of my head,
but probably seven or eight elementary schools.
And I always was like, this is just not it.
I would always have to make new friends. And that was super easy because I'm
just a sociable person and easy to like.
(04:53):
But I would have to make new friends, get to know a new area.
But it helped me to become flexible.
I was just like, okay, this is where we're at now. This is what I have.
For this time. So I'm going to make the best of it. I'm going to learn here. I'm going to grow here.
So I feel like it's the same thing with any changes or unexpected occurrences in your life.
(05:16):
You have to just accept it like, okay, this is where we are now.
How can I learn? How can I grow? Like it really be sounding like so simple.
I feel like we just really over complicate everything as humans.
So we just got to be okay with it because like during those times,
like I said, when I was growing up I didn't have control over where
(05:36):
we would live or any say so like I'm a kid and I
feel like kids are the most flexible like they are so
flexible they are okay with a lot of stuff like of
course like you know things affect them and they have feelings and things like
that but usually like if if mommy or daddy say so or their guardian says like
you know this is what we're gonna do like kids are gonna ask like you know why
(05:59):
or you know how or whatever but I feel like usually they're okay with like,
okay, well, this is what it is.
And they just move on to the next thing or make the best of the situation.
But I feel like as adults, we just overcomplicate everything.
And I know it can be hard, especially for me, because I had moved around a lot,
(06:20):
I had gotten to my mind like, oh, I want to be stable when I grow up.
I wanted to live in the same same house forever.
And I wanted my kids to go to the same school forever. But then as I became
an adult and life started liking, it's like,
No, God is going to actually call you to things that don't look like what you had in mind.
(06:40):
And so, for example, like I sold my home last year and y'all lived in that house for six years.
And I always knew like that wasn't going to be like my forever home that I like
raise my kids and then they go to like school or be, you know,
growing up in a community around the same people.
But I still like had like the sense of stability.
Like I was like, oh, I've been here for six years. Like it felt comfortable.
(07:03):
And usually that's what we're afraid of when it comes to adversity and we've
got to be flexible and adaptable like we're just comfortable and we don't like
to be uncomfortable like people don't like to be uncomfortable think about just
the air and heat if you are married or.
In a relationship and your significant other likes it to be hot and you like
(07:25):
it to be cold like you don't want to be uncomfortable but sometimes you just
got to be flexible because because you want to make the other person happy.
And I feel like it's really the same thing when it comes to life and just especially
faith and especially when God tells you to do something that you don't want
to do or you're hesitant about doing it.
(07:46):
It's like for me, I look at it as, man, I really don't want to do this thing,
but I know that it will be pleasing to my father.
So I'm going to do it anyway. anyway or I really want
to do this thing but I'm also really comfortable so I don't really know about
this thing however I know that comfort keeps me stagnant and I really want to
(08:09):
grow so I'm gonna just do the thing so that's how you gotta really like look
at it like just change your perspective and like.
Talking yourself through it sometimes too. Like for me, like talking through
things like really, really helps.
So I love that. I think that adaptability is a skill and you have to continue to work that skill.
(08:29):
It's not just like a one and done thing. I think that it continues to show up
in different areas of our lives and gives us opportunities to be adaptable.
So I thought that that was really good to share.
And then number two is embracing change.
That's the flexible part about it. That's the just embracing, embracing change.
(08:55):
My voice is like, I sound like kind of cracky to me, but it probably don't even
sound like that to y'all.
But changes in life are inedible. Like we literally cannot control every little thing.
So So we might as well focus on the things that we can't control.
And we need to stay flexible and focus on the mission, which is like the life mission, your purpose.
(09:16):
But if you don't know that, then it kind of becomes more complicated because
you don't have anything to focus on.
So you are focused more on just the small things that don't really matter,
the changes that are happening, the challenges that you're facing because you
don't have that overall purpose or that mission already.
So it's really important to really get focused and ask God, like,
(09:42):
what is the purpose for my life?
Because we all have a purpose. We are all here for a reason.
And I do believe that God will reveal it to you when you ask,
like, asking you shall receive.
And the Bible says you have not because you ask not. So a lot of times,
like I find when I'm coaching like young adults in their 20s,
(10:04):
they're like, I'm trying to figure out my purpose. I don't know what my purpose is.
Like purpose is like such a buzzword. But it's like, have you talked to God
about it? Have you consulted God about it?
And then they're usually like, no, I didn't think about it like that.
But it's like, guys, we have to include God in everything that we do.
And that means your purpose, your life mission. What are you supposed to be doing in this season?
(10:30):
Incorporate God in it all. Have a conversation with him. It's really that simple.
Again, going back to it's simple, but we overcomplicate it.
God calls us to think and act creatively and flexibly to accomplish our mission.
Everything we need is already in us. That's the beautiful thing about it.
(10:52):
Again, we overcomplicate it.
We be thinking that it's an outside source or something that's going to appear
magically when really it's already in you.
So God wants us to act creatively.
He wants us to think. He wants us to be flexible. He wants us to be resourceful
so that we can accomplish the mission, so that we can fulfill our purpose. is.
(11:15):
And it just becomes easier the more you practice it.
That's why I say a skill set, because you got to practice it to get better at it.
You can't just think that it's going to be a one and done situation because
change is always going to be happening.
So you got to always be practicing. I always say my faith has to be active.
(11:37):
So you can't say you got faith and your faith had never been tested.
It's like you ain't never had to use the faith. So how do you you know, you got faith.
You know what I mean? So I feel the same way about just flexibility in embracing change.
Like, how do you know that you are able to embrace change if change ain't never happened?
How do you know that you're flexible if you never had to be flexible?
(11:58):
So when an opportunity presents itself or when a challenge presents itself,
rather look at it as an opportunity.
So my next point is learning from setbacks. Listen, listen, listen, listen, Linda.
Y'all, learning from setbacks. Setbacks are a natural part of life and the ability
(12:20):
to bounce back from them is a valuable skill. Again, we're talking about those valuable skills.
Y'all, it's going to happen. Something is going to happen, okay?
Setbacks are inevitable. It's It's going to happen. And when I was preparing
for this message, the Holy Spirit gave me the example of an elevator with people on it, right?
(12:42):
So imagine like you go to the elevator, you press the up button because you
want to go to the fourth floor and you're at the lobby.
So the elevator comes, you get on the elevator, you press the number four,
but somebody on the elevator already had number five.
Number, what is it called? Number like the underground before the lobby.
(13:06):
So like they were going to the parking garage. So like the under level.
So they already had that press before you got on.
So you want to go up, but you had to go down first before you could go up.
So it was like, you kind of got set back from your destination,
but it was only temporary.
So we have to look at setbacks. Is that like, this is only temporary. I'm in transition.
(13:29):
Like, you know, you're on the the elevator, you know, you're going to get to
the fourth floor, but you had to go to the underground garage area first for that person.
So it was a minor setback, but you still got to the destination.
So I feel like that's kind of how we have to like look at setbacks in our life.
Like, okay, this is a setback. Like I may not have gotten to my destination
(13:51):
when I thought I should, or when I thought I would, but it's okay.
I'm gonna still get there.
And that's when you have had the chance to embrace resilience.
That's when you have a chance to reframe your perspective because on the elevator,
you're going to the fourth floor.
You could have got all upset, like, oh, never going to make it to the fourth floor.
They're just so upset. Or you could be like, it's okay.
(14:15):
I got a moment to breathe while we go down to the under level ground and then come back up.
Or I got a chance to think about some things, think about some thoughts before
I get get up here and do what I need to do.
Like changing your perspective is just like little small shifts.
It's not like something massive that needs to take place. Like just little things
like breathing. Like I said, like a lot of times we forget to breathe anyway.
(14:38):
So it's like that gave you an extra moment to do something that you needed to do.
That gave you extra moments to think, to have a little bit more planning time for something.
You know what I mean? Like, so just little small shifts and just reframing your perspective.
And then also setting clear clear goals. Like when a setback happens,
okay, we look at this from all angles, we shift our perspective,
(15:01):
and then now we're going to set some goals.
So I want to give a solid example from my life, which happened in 2022 when
my late husband passed away.
That was a setback for me. I was devastated. I'm like, wow, not only did my
husband pass away, but now I feel like my life is over.
I literally felt like that was the end Like this is it And I had to literally Take a step back.
(15:30):
I had to reframe my perspective because what am I thinking?
Like we have two children who are very small and their lives are just beginning.
So how can this be my ending?
And they have one parent that is still here.
So I need to shift my perspective and embrace resilience and set some clear
goals on how am I gonna overcome this situation that I'm currently in?
(15:54):
So yes, of course, I acknowledge my emotions because I have every right to feel
what I'm feeling. I'm grieving, right?
But I'm not going to stay there. I couldn't stay stuck.
So I had to set clear goals. Okay, I need to heal. That was first and foremost. That's a clear goal.
What do I need to do for that healing process? Breaking down that goal into
(16:15):
smaller bite sizes, coming up with the second goal, and then the third one.
And I usually like to just try to stick to three goals at a time.
Some seasons require more, but during During that time, I was like,
there's only three things that I'm really focused on.
So you have to figure out what are your clear goals?
When you get very clear on something and you can break it down to smaller sizes,
(16:36):
then that really helps you to execute.
Because when we have these big, vague goals or this big picture, we get...
What is it like frustrated, burnt out or lack of motivation because we feel
like we're not accomplishing it fast enough when really like you are putting
more weight on yourself because you didn't break it down small enough.
(16:59):
You trying to eat the whole elephant at a time is this thing where they always
say you got to take the eat the elephant bite size by bite size,
which like think about it. Like you can't eat a whole elephant.
You got to take it bite by bite. So set clear goals and break it down into smaller goals.
And then learn from adversity. Like, again, I talked about this so much on the last episode.
(17:22):
What is this trying to teach me? What is God trying to get my attention about?
Learn from it. Grow from it. Because if you don't, it's probably going to show
up again in another area of life where it's going to spin a block and come at you again.
So it's important just to learn from it. Just learn from it and grow. Okay.
(17:45):
Because we can literally turn our setbacks into powerful sources of motivation
and fuel to achieve our life goals.
And I truly, truly believe that because, you know, for my situation,
I looked at that as a setback and I was devastated.
I was disappointed. I was heartbroken. broken, but it also fueled me because
(18:08):
I'm like, oh no, I got to really be on it. My kids are my motivation.
They are babies. They are just
getting started. I got to make sure I keep their father's memory alive.
I got to make sure I'm healed so I can help them heal.
It gave me the power that I need, that energy, that motivation.
It just fueled me to continue to achieve my goals. So it's not about avoiding
(18:33):
challenges, but again, using them as stepping stones so that you can get to
a greater heights of achievement.
And I truly believe that we all have overcome some type of adversity.
Adversity so I challenge you this week to
sit and reflect and have a
(18:53):
moment in your journal with God and
think about some times where you had to truly overcome adversity and think about
how you grew from that what did you learn from that think about what it did
for you so yeah and then And now I want to get into my Dear You letter, okay?
(19:14):
And it's got my journal right here. So let's get into it.
Dear you, amidst life's unpredictable dance, embrace the rhythm of flexibility.
Like a willow in the storm, bend without breaking.
Adversity is the sculpture of adaptability.
(19:36):
Let it shape you into a masterpiece of resilience.
In the face of change, find strength in your ability to pivot and adjust.
Trust in your capacity to weather storms. where each twist and turn is a chance
to showcase your unwavering adaptability.
(19:58):
In the dance of challenges, may your steps be swift, your spirit unyielding.
Flexibility is your friend and adaptability is your superpower.
With fluid strength, me.
So that's our Dear You letter for today. day.
Y'all, you're going to get through this. If you're currently in a situation
(20:21):
where you're having to be flexible or adapt, I'm here to let you know you're
going to get through this.
You can do this. You're flexible and keep pushing, keep pushing.
So identify you. Let's go ahead and get into our affirmation.
So our affirmation of the day is in the face of adversity, I embrace change
(20:44):
with resilience and flexibility, knowing that adaptability is my strength. There it is.
There it is. Adaptability is your strength.
If you have gotten anything from this episode today, be sure to share this with someone else,
(21:06):
someone who may be going through adversity right now, someone who may be facing
difficult times, challenging times,
share it with them because sharing is caring and we want everyone to grow and evolve.
So I appreciate you all for tuning in for yet another episode.
(21:29):
If you haven't already, subscribe to us on YouTube at I Am Shakira TV and listen
wherever you get your podcasts at, okay?
I am so grateful for you all. I plan to do like a Q&A type video here soon.
So if you have like any questions that you would like to ask me,
(21:52):
please DM me on Instagram at IamShakiraTV and I'll be sure to answer those questions
when I get to that episode.
So as always, make sure you walk by faith and slay plus pray each and every
day because God, he will make a way.
I love you guys so much. And I'll see you next time.
Do you know who you are and whose you are? Welcome to Identify You,
where lives are being transformed by identifying who you are in Christ Jesus.
I am Shakira, your hostess with the mostest, and here I've cultivated a safe
space for us to expose some of the broken pieces that God has used to make us whole.
By the end of today's show, you'll be able to identify who you are and put your crown back on.
(00:23):
So let's get into today's episode.
You guys, we're back for another show.
And today, I think I told y'all last time that I wanted to kind of break down
adversity into like a couple of different smaller bites because it was just so much to take in.
(00:43):
So we are continuing our mini adversity series.
And today we're going to be talking about flexibility and adaptability.
OK, so to kick it off, I have a quote for you today.
And the quote is by the great Nelson Mandela. And it is, don't judge me by my success.
(01:03):
Judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up.
OK, that is a powerful one right there, because as we have been talking about
in this series, your failure is not a failure. It's just stepping stones to the next thing.
And it helps you with your resilience when you are overcoming challenges and
(01:29):
things that you may face.
So I thought that was a powerful quote for flexibility and adaptability that
we're going to discuss today.
So our Bible verse comes from Ecclesiastes 3.1, which reads,
for everything, there is.
(01:51):
And that's a very powerful verse because it speaks to just how there's different seasons, right?
Like you're going to go through different things and.
Every season calls for different tools, different resources.
You're going to be equipped for something in a different season,
(02:13):
but there's a time for every matter.
So when you hear that you're here for such a time as this, that means that God
knew specifically what he wanted to do with you. He knew how he wanted to use you.
He knew how you will be purposeful for the time at hand.
So I thought that that was just so powerful because when we think about flexibility
(02:38):
and adaptability, flexibility is simply like being able to adjust to changes
or any circumstances, which means any season, any time.
And when we're going back to Ecclesiastes 3.1, it's like, you got to be flexible
for whatever season it is, whatever time or matter it is under heaven, right? Right.
(02:59):
So I thought that was very powerful and I wanted to share that with you.
So my first point of the day is adaptability is a skill.
I truly believe that it's a skill because you have to literally look at the
world like the life that we live as a person.
(03:23):
University, like a teacher, right? Adversity is a stern but invaluable teacher
schooling us in adaptability and flexibility when confronted with unexpected changes.
We don't control the world. We don't control the universe.
God is the creator of the universe. So he knows exactly the beginning to the
(03:45):
end, the end from the beginning.
And we have to be okay with whatever is going to to happen in this time that we're here.
And I believe that when we look at the world and the universe as our school and as a teacher,
then you open yourself up to more opportunities and more challenging times and
(04:09):
just whatever is throwing your way.
You look at it as an opportunity to learn and grow, which we've been discussing very heavily.
Navigating challenges demands a a willingness to adjust, innovate,
and thrive in uncertainty.
So growing up, I changed schools a lot in grade school.
(04:30):
So K through five, I moved around a lot.
I probably went to, I can't even remember off the top of my head,
but probably seven or eight elementary schools.
And I always was like, this is just not it.
I would always have to make new friends. And that was super easy because I'm
just a sociable person and easy to like.
(04:53):
But I would have to make new friends, get to know a new area.
But it helped me to become flexible.
I was just like, okay, this is where we're at now. This is what I have.
For this time. So I'm going to make the best of it. I'm going to learn here. I'm going to grow here.
So I feel like it's the same thing with any changes or unexpected occurrences in your life.
(05:16):
You have to just accept it like, okay, this is where we are now.
How can I learn? How can I grow? Like it really be sounding like so simple.
I feel like we just really over complicate everything as humans.
So we just got to be okay with it because like during those times,
like I said, when I was growing up I didn't have control over where
(05:36):
we would live or any say so like I'm a kid and I
feel like kids are the most flexible like they are so
flexible they are okay with a lot of stuff like of
course like you know things affect them and they have feelings and things like
that but usually like if if mommy or daddy say so or their guardian says like
you know this is what we're gonna do like kids are gonna ask like you know why
(05:59):
or you know how or whatever but I feel like usually they're okay with like,
okay, well, this is what it is.
And they just move on to the next thing or make the best of the situation.
But I feel like as adults, we just overcomplicate everything.
And I know it can be hard, especially for me, because I had moved around a lot,
(06:20):
I had gotten to my mind like, oh, I want to be stable when I grow up.
I wanted to live in the same same house forever.
And I wanted my kids to go to the same school forever. But then as I became
an adult and life started liking, it's like,
No, God is going to actually call you to things that don't look like what you had in mind.
(06:40):
And so, for example, like I sold my home last year and y'all lived in that house for six years.
And I always knew like that wasn't going to be like my forever home that I like
raise my kids and then they go to like school or be, you know,
growing up in a community around the same people.
But I still like had like the sense of stability.
Like I was like, oh, I've been here for six years. Like it felt comfortable.
(07:03):
And usually that's what we're afraid of when it comes to adversity and we've
got to be flexible and adaptable like we're just comfortable and we don't like
to be uncomfortable like people don't like to be uncomfortable think about just
the air and heat if you are married or.
In a relationship and your significant other likes it to be hot and you like
(07:25):
it to be cold like you don't want to be uncomfortable but sometimes you just
got to be flexible because because you want to make the other person happy.
And I feel like it's really the same thing when it comes to life and just especially
faith and especially when God tells you to do something that you don't want
to do or you're hesitant about doing it.
(07:46):
It's like for me, I look at it as, man, I really don't want to do this thing,
but I know that it will be pleasing to my father.
So I'm going to do it anyway. anyway or I really want
to do this thing but I'm also really comfortable so I don't really know about
this thing however I know that comfort keeps me stagnant and I really want to
(08:09):
grow so I'm gonna just do the thing so that's how you gotta really like look
at it like just change your perspective and like.
Talking yourself through it sometimes too. Like for me, like talking through
things like really, really helps.
So I love that. I think that adaptability is a skill and you have to continue to work that skill.
(08:29):
It's not just like a one and done thing. I think that it continues to show up
in different areas of our lives and gives us opportunities to be adaptable.
So I thought that that was really good to share.
And then number two is embracing change.
That's the flexible part about it. That's the just embracing, embracing change.
(08:55):
My voice is like, I sound like kind of cracky to me, but it probably don't even
sound like that to y'all.
But changes in life are inedible. Like we literally cannot control every little thing.
So So we might as well focus on the things that we can't control.
And we need to stay flexible and focus on the mission, which is like the life mission, your purpose.
(09:16):
But if you don't know that, then it kind of becomes more complicated because
you don't have anything to focus on.
So you are focused more on just the small things that don't really matter,
the changes that are happening, the challenges that you're facing because you
don't have that overall purpose or that mission already.
So it's really important to really get focused and ask God, like,
(09:42):
what is the purpose for my life?
Because we all have a purpose. We are all here for a reason.
And I do believe that God will reveal it to you when you ask,
like, asking you shall receive.
And the Bible says you have not because you ask not. So a lot of times,
like I find when I'm coaching like young adults in their 20s,
(10:04):
they're like, I'm trying to figure out my purpose. I don't know what my purpose is.
Like purpose is like such a buzzword. But it's like, have you talked to God
about it? Have you consulted God about it?
And then they're usually like, no, I didn't think about it like that.
But it's like, guys, we have to include God in everything that we do.
And that means your purpose, your life mission. What are you supposed to be doing in this season?
(10:30):
Incorporate God in it all. Have a conversation with him. It's really that simple.
Again, going back to it's simple, but we overcomplicate it.
God calls us to think and act creatively and flexibly to accomplish our mission.
Everything we need is already in us. That's the beautiful thing about it.
(10:52):
Again, we overcomplicate it.
We be thinking that it's an outside source or something that's going to appear
magically when really it's already in you.
So God wants us to act creatively.
He wants us to think. He wants us to be flexible. He wants us to be resourceful
so that we can accomplish the mission, so that we can fulfill our purpose. is.
(11:15):
And it just becomes easier the more you practice it.
That's why I say a skill set, because you got to practice it to get better at it.
You can't just think that it's going to be a one and done situation because
change is always going to be happening.
So you got to always be practicing. I always say my faith has to be active.
(11:37):
So you can't say you got faith and your faith had never been tested.
It's like you ain't never had to use the faith. So how do you you know, you got faith.
You know what I mean? So I feel the same way about just flexibility in embracing change.
Like, how do you know that you are able to embrace change if change ain't never happened?
How do you know that you're flexible if you never had to be flexible?
(11:58):
So when an opportunity presents itself or when a challenge presents itself,
rather look at it as an opportunity.
So my next point is learning from setbacks. Listen, listen, listen, listen, Linda.
Y'all, learning from setbacks. Setbacks are a natural part of life and the ability
(12:20):
to bounce back from them is a valuable skill. Again, we're talking about those valuable skills.
Y'all, it's going to happen. Something is going to happen, okay?
Setbacks are inevitable. It's It's going to happen. And when I was preparing
for this message, the Holy Spirit gave me the example of an elevator with people on it, right?
(12:42):
So imagine like you go to the elevator, you press the up button because you
want to go to the fourth floor and you're at the lobby.
So the elevator comes, you get on the elevator, you press the number four,
but somebody on the elevator already had number five.
Number, what is it called? Number like the underground before the lobby.
(13:06):
So like they were going to the parking garage. So like the under level.
So they already had that press before you got on.
So you want to go up, but you had to go down first before you could go up.
So it was like, you kind of got set back from your destination,
but it was only temporary.
So we have to look at setbacks. Is that like, this is only temporary. I'm in transition.
(13:29):
Like, you know, you're on the the elevator, you know, you're going to get to
the fourth floor, but you had to go to the underground garage area first for that person.
So it was a minor setback, but you still got to the destination.
So I feel like that's kind of how we have to like look at setbacks in our life.
Like, okay, this is a setback. Like I may not have gotten to my destination
(13:51):
when I thought I should, or when I thought I would, but it's okay.
I'm gonna still get there.
And that's when you have had the chance to embrace resilience.
That's when you have a chance to reframe your perspective because on the elevator,
you're going to the fourth floor.
You could have got all upset, like, oh, never going to make it to the fourth floor.
They're just so upset. Or you could be like, it's okay.
(14:15):
I got a moment to breathe while we go down to the under level ground and then come back up.
Or I got a chance to think about some things, think about some thoughts before
I get get up here and do what I need to do.
Like changing your perspective is just like little small shifts.
It's not like something massive that needs to take place. Like just little things
like breathing. Like I said, like a lot of times we forget to breathe anyway.
(14:38):
So it's like that gave you an extra moment to do something that you needed to do.
That gave you extra moments to think, to have a little bit more planning time for something.
You know what I mean? Like, so just little small shifts and just reframing your perspective.
And then also setting clear clear goals. Like when a setback happens,
okay, we look at this from all angles, we shift our perspective,
(15:01):
and then now we're going to set some goals.
So I want to give a solid example from my life, which happened in 2022 when
my late husband passed away.
That was a setback for me. I was devastated. I'm like, wow, not only did my
husband pass away, but now I feel like my life is over.
I literally felt like that was the end Like this is it And I had to literally Take a step back.
(15:30):
I had to reframe my perspective because what am I thinking?
Like we have two children who are very small and their lives are just beginning.
So how can this be my ending?
And they have one parent that is still here.
So I need to shift my perspective and embrace resilience and set some clear
goals on how am I gonna overcome this situation that I'm currently in?
(15:54):
So yes, of course, I acknowledge my emotions because I have every right to feel
what I'm feeling. I'm grieving, right?
But I'm not going to stay there. I couldn't stay stuck.
So I had to set clear goals. Okay, I need to heal. That was first and foremost. That's a clear goal.
What do I need to do for that healing process? Breaking down that goal into
(16:15):
smaller bite sizes, coming up with the second goal, and then the third one.
And I usually like to just try to stick to three goals at a time.
Some seasons require more, but during During that time, I was like,
there's only three things that I'm really focused on.
So you have to figure out what are your clear goals?
When you get very clear on something and you can break it down to smaller sizes,
(16:36):
then that really helps you to execute.
Because when we have these big, vague goals or this big picture, we get...
What is it like frustrated, burnt out or lack of motivation because we feel
like we're not accomplishing it fast enough when really like you are putting
more weight on yourself because you didn't break it down small enough.
(16:59):
You trying to eat the whole elephant at a time is this thing where they always
say you got to take the eat the elephant bite size by bite size,
which like think about it. Like you can't eat a whole elephant.
You got to take it bite by bite. So set clear goals and break it down into smaller goals.
And then learn from adversity. Like, again, I talked about this so much on the last episode.
(17:22):
What is this trying to teach me? What is God trying to get my attention about?
Learn from it. Grow from it. Because if you don't, it's probably going to show
up again in another area of life where it's going to spin a block and come at you again.
So it's important just to learn from it. Just learn from it and grow. Okay.
(17:45):
Because we can literally turn our setbacks into powerful sources of motivation
and fuel to achieve our life goals.
And I truly, truly believe that because, you know, for my situation,
I looked at that as a setback and I was devastated.
I was disappointed. I was heartbroken. broken, but it also fueled me because
(18:08):
I'm like, oh no, I got to really be on it. My kids are my motivation.
They are babies. They are just
getting started. I got to make sure I keep their father's memory alive.
I got to make sure I'm healed so I can help them heal.
It gave me the power that I need, that energy, that motivation.
It just fueled me to continue to achieve my goals. So it's not about avoiding
(18:33):
challenges, but again, using them as stepping stones so that you can get to
a greater heights of achievement.
And I truly believe that we all have overcome some type of adversity.
Adversity so I challenge you this week to
sit and reflect and have a
(18:53):
moment in your journal with God and
think about some times where you had to truly overcome adversity and think about
how you grew from that what did you learn from that think about what it did
for you so yeah and then And now I want to get into my Dear You letter, okay?
(19:14):
And it's got my journal right here. So let's get into it.
Dear you, amidst life's unpredictable dance, embrace the rhythm of flexibility.
Like a willow in the storm, bend without breaking.
Adversity is the sculpture of adaptability.
(19:36):
Let it shape you into a masterpiece of resilience.
In the face of change, find strength in your ability to pivot and adjust.
Trust in your capacity to weather storms. where each twist and turn is a chance
to showcase your unwavering adaptability.
(19:58):
In the dance of challenges, may your steps be swift, your spirit unyielding.
Flexibility is your friend and adaptability is your superpower.
With fluid strength, me.
So that's our Dear You letter for today. day.
Y'all, you're going to get through this. If you're currently in a situation
(20:21):
where you're having to be flexible or adapt, I'm here to let you know you're
going to get through this.
You can do this. You're flexible and keep pushing, keep pushing.
So identify you. Let's go ahead and get into our affirmation.
So our affirmation of the day is in the face of adversity, I embrace change
(20:44):
with resilience and flexibility, knowing that adaptability is my strength. There it is.
There it is. Adaptability is your strength.
If you have gotten anything from this episode today, be sure to share this with someone else,
(21:06):
someone who may be going through adversity right now, someone who may be facing
difficult times, challenging times,
share it with them because sharing is caring and we want everyone to grow and evolve.
So I appreciate you all for tuning in for yet another episode.
(21:29):
If you haven't already, subscribe to us on YouTube at I Am Shakira TV and listen
wherever you get your podcasts at, okay?
I am so grateful for you all. I plan to do like a Q&A type video here soon.
So if you have like any questions that you would like to ask me,
(21:52):
please DM me on Instagram at IamShakiraTV and I'll be sure to answer those questions
when I get to that episode.
So as always, make sure you walk by faith and slay plus pray each and every
day because God, he will make a way.
I love you guys so much. And I'll see you next time.
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