A Target

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A target.

Whew.

Now that's something most of us would rather run from.

Jump over.

Hide from.

Anything but stand in front of it.

Yet sometimes life has a funny way of making us feel exactly like that.

As if no matter what we do, somehow the spotlight always finds us.

As if we're the one being watched.

The one being questioned.

The one expected to have all the answers.

Or worse...

The one everyone seems to believe is doing something wrong.

Have you ever felt that way?

Like you were handling your business.

Showing up.

Doing what needed to be done.

Trying your best.

Yet somehow you still felt like the target.

As if there were an invisible arrow pointing directly at you.

Sometimes it can feel as though life has your name written on every inconvenience.

Every misunderstanding.

Every unexpected challenge.

You begin wondering,

"Why does this keep happening?"

"Why does it always seem to find me?"

It isn't the greatest feeling.

In fact, it can become exhausting.

Not because you're unwilling to face challenges.

But because after a while you begin wondering if anyone else notices what you're carrying.

Still...

You keep moving.

You keep working.

You keep showing up.

Because that's what you've always done.

You find a way through it.

Even when it's uncomfortable.

Even when it's frustrating.

Even when you don't particularly like the situation you're in.

I think that's where resilience quietly begins.

Not in the easy moments.

But in the ones where you choose not to quit.

As I thought about today's title, another idea came to mind.

Maybe not every target is meant to destroy us.

Maybe some are meant to redirect us.

Think about that for a moment.

Sometimes life has a way of slowing us down.

Making us pay attention.

Showing us things we might have missed if everything had gone according to plan.

Messages don't always arrive in obvious ways.

Sometimes they come disguised as inconvenience.

Sometimes they arrive through disappointment.

Sometimes they show up wearing the face of a difficult person or an unexpected situation.

And unfortunately, sometimes we don't recognize the lesson until after we've lived through it.

I've learned that not every space is a healthy space.

Not every environment deserves our energy.

Not every relationship deserves unlimited access to our peace.

There are moments when we leave ourselves too exposed.

Too available.

Too willing to tolerate things that no longer serve us.

Before long, we're standing there wondering how we ended up with the short end of the stick.

Maybe that's where boundaries begin.

Maybe that's where wisdom grows.

Not because we stop caring.

But because we learn where our energy is best invested.

There is nothing wrong with protecting your peace.

There is nothing wrong with stepping away from situations that continually leave you feeling depleted.

And there is certainly nothing wrong with choosing environments where you can grow instead of simply survive.

The older I get, the more I realize that every experience leaves something behind.

Some leave scars.

Some leave strength.

Some leave wisdom.

And some leave us with a clearer understanding of what we will—and won't—accept moving forward.

Perhaps that's the real purpose behind some of life's hardest moments.

Not to keep us feeling like the target.

But to remind us that we have the ability to change our position.

To move.

To grow.

To choose differently.

So if today finds you feeling like the target, take a moment before assuming the story is over.

Ask yourself:

What is this experience trying to teach me?

What boundary needs to be strengthened?

What lesson have I overlooked?

The answers may not come immediately.

But they usually come.

And when they do, you'll likely discover that what once felt like a burden eventually became one of your greatest teachers.

Until next time, protect your peace.

Pay attention to the lessons.

And remember...

Not every target is there to stop you.

Sometimes it's there to help you find a better direction.

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