The last post of the year, and especially the new decade, should it seems, have at least a little weight to it.

Or maybe, a whole lot of levity.

I have neither.

Cognitive Dissonance keeps coming to my mind, perhaps because it is in this season that we recognize where we need change, and decide if we really want to do that or not.

(cog·ni·tive dis·so·nance nounPSYCHOLOGY-the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.)

Most times we begin out new day, week, month, year, decade with great gusto.

There are many things on our minds that seem like they can get us where we want to go; help us accomplish what we want to accomplish.

Problems arise I think, when we do not have a clear idea of the place we want to end up.

I am very guilty of such vaugery.

The vagueness of my thinking, has landed me in spaces of cognitive dissonance more than once.

Helping people, isn’t clear enough. 

Just writing isn’t enough.

Enjoying taking photos isn’t enough either.

 Do I do these things simply for enjoyment? If so, that’s OK.

But if I want to excel in any, or all of these areas; to minister to others or to make a bit of money, that’s OK too.

But then my actions must change to reflect that.

For many years I’ve found myself going in and out of the space of cognitive dissonance.

Making the decisions that go with helping people, writing words, or taking photos, are directly related to the amount of effort I am willing to put into them.

At decision time; I’m gung-ho.

Then after a bit, I fall into procrastination, in-attention, fatigue, or just plain laziness; this is where the cognitive dissonance comes in.

I become so disenchanted with my “work” that whatever ends I thought would come, seem to melt away.

Followed by guilt for not following through.

Cognitive dissonance – My actions fail to line up with my goals – enter guilt.

Such a cycle.

I know that it happens to you as well.

I have it on good authority it is a very human thing.

“Decisions are part of life. You have to make hundreds of decisions to get through each day. What you may not know is that decision making arouses dissonance as a general rule.” Understanding Cognitive Dissonance.

My general belief, is that the trauma that I lived through, whether intentionally, or unintentionally placed on me, has shown me how one can not only survive, but forgive, and thrive regardless of the past;

And so I write.

I write with the intention of helping others avoid some pit falls while on their way to healing.

I have always loved looking at the clouds, the trees, the rivers, and the sunsets.

The architecture of buildings, and the things that God has built for us to enjoy, have always been a way of escape;

and so I take photos.

What happens when these two things take place in my life?

I get to exchange the savagery of a past life, for the beauty of a creation that God has given me; a creation that enlightens my heart and overshadows any incoming grief.

It is a constant reminder that God is always there.

He shows Himself to me daily.

I need only look.

And share.

And that will be enough.

I want that to be enough; enough to help others out of the darkness that so tries to entangle them.

Since these are my core beliefs, I can tell when I’m veering away from them.

That cognitive dissonance begins to try and bring me down, and away from my purpose again and again.

I hate to leave you hanging, here at the end of 2019, but I need some more time to consider this position.

Perhaps you do to.

I’ll return on the first day of 2020.

Join me here please!

So we can encourage each other on how to make our 2020 just as productive as we possibly can.

So we can face the distraction of cognitive dissonance.

Together.