Last week I had a rare opportunity to do a day of service at an exotic animal rescue ranch. I got up close and personal with a camel, zebras, zorses and zonkeys and shoveled more manure than I ever thought possible. Hard work? Oh yes! But it’s hard to beat the wonderment of a zorse (half zebra, half horse) coming up to you, looking you in the eye and nudging you with her head to be petted and loved.
The woman who runs this ranch does it with the help of 3 other retired women and volunteers. That’s it. Nancy’s practically a one-woman show, relying pretty much solely on the generosity of others. She works 16 hour days 365 days a year.
She’d had the worst winter in 19 years this winter and because of the heavy rains she couldn’t get out to muck the stalls every day. Her road was washed out and the ranch was in a mess. Nancy confided that she’d never felt so overwhelmed as she had then, but 14 angels (my colleagues and I) showed up and 8 hours later the place was transformed.
My colleagues and I were commenting on her mission as we drove away from the ranch. She obviously loves what she does or she wouldn’t do it, but man! What a hard mission! It made me appreciate the relative ease of my own mission.
Knee deep in exotic animal crap is not my idea of a good time. Ever.
Something I’ve realized as I’ve been working toward fulfilling my own mission is that those times when it feels so impossible are those times when I’ve disconnected from my Higher Power and take it upon myself to transform the world all by my lonesome.
THAT’S when my mission seems impossible.
Maybe you don’t even know what your mission is. Maybe you do know, but it feels so big that it scares the heck out of you and you’re just ignoring it right now (I did that for 5 years!). And maybe it’s a “two steps forward, one step back” kind of experience you’re having right now.
All of that is part of fulfilling your mission.
So instead of trying to change the world today, or even trying to change YOUR world today, just ask yourself one question: Do I feel connected to my Higher Power?
And if the answer is no, you get to connect! Immediately go to gratitude—it’s the fastest way to connect to God and the bigger truth that you live in prosperity all the time, regardless of appearances.
And, hey! Drop me a line about what your mission is. I’d love to hear it and support you! Email me at allyson@allysonchavez.com.