Thoughts on Being Average.

I am not a person that particularly 'excels' at anything. In school, I didn't do badly - I was an average performer. In college, much the same - I didn't achieve top grades. At uni, I was steady away consistently getting similar grades that gave me a good average grade at the end. With things that I do such as baking, I'm good at it but there are certainly people who have a lot more talent than I do. With crafts, I'm not the neatest - I'm kind of haphazard but I can make something that looks 'rustic' (a nice way of saying imperfect!) I can sing, but in comparison to others I know I am definitely of average talent. With my blog, I don't have 15,000 views or thousands of followers - it's OK but it's not amazing. I can make flyers but I'm no graphic designer. I'm OK at photography but I'm no David Bailey. I can write but I'm not sure I could create a best-seller.

At this point, you may be thinking that I'm selling myself short or that I'm really insecure about myself. I disagree. I'm actually very secure in this. I'm an average joe and that's ok. At this point in my life, I feel like every day I'm being taken down a peg or two. Not in a bad way, because I feel extremely humbled. I am seeing life from a new perspective and I am truly seeing what is important. Does my blog need to have thousands of views or is it better that it reaches one person and impacts the way they think about something? Does my baking need to be of a professional standard or is it OK that it is received well by the people I share it with? Did I need A*'s at school to get into college or University? No. I got where I needed to be by working hard to be average. I am very realistic about what I can achieve and though, if I work hard enough I know I can achieve more - is that what I truly class as a success?

So many people define success by the things that you have. A nice car, a big house full of lovely things, an Aga, (PLEASE Lord one day) 2.4 children, a 3D TV. You've made it. But is that what I desire? Is it worth me pursuing a huge career, working my way up to the top so that I can earn enough money to have big holidays whilst not having any time to be at home, with friends, with family? I'm not sure it's worth it. The experience of having little to live off has taught me what my priorities need to be in the future. I didn't choose my career path (Youth Work) for the money, which is a good job seeing as though this government are taking all the money out of it but anywho, I entered it because young people are the future. I want them to know that. I want to encourage them, to build their self-esteem, to help them see that they can achieve, they can contribute and they can make sense of the world around them. So many people tell them they can't and that is not OK. If I am to work with people, that means I will have to make sacrifices. I will probably have enough money to get by. I will probably travel less than I have this year. I will probably have to say no to some things. I will have to invest not in 'things' but in people.

I am not cutting myself short and settling for something less than I can do - I am making a choice. A choice to live simply but well. A choice to enjoy the small things in life rather than always aim for the big things. A choice to enjoy people more than the 'stuff' I own. A choice to share my time, my life, my love, my hope rather than to give my money to a Charity and think that's enough. I want to invest in a community. I am happy to live a quiet, steady away life that seeks to make a difference to my neighbours by sharing openly and honestly my thoughts about life and the Universe. I will no longer compare myself to others and wish I was 'as good as they were' at this or that - I will be content at being  average because that is how I was created.

My job here is not to question why I am here, why I am like this, why am I not as good at this/that etc. My job is to respond to the God that created the Universe with a simple life of praise. Why?
'The answer to each of these questions is simply this: He's God.' (Francis Chan)

I'm not gonna argue with that.

Much Love xxx