Gift of Re:LIFE

NOTE: PDF and Audio downloads at the bottom of this post.

Have you ever wondered if you are just walking around with a big label on your forehead that everyone else can see but you?

As of late, I have come across more people who seem to wonder this in some form or another. They are asking themselves questions like, “Will I ever be happy?”; “Am I destined to fail?”; “Will I be alone for the rest of my life?”

The unfortunate part is, although these are questions of the heart, they manifest themselves on the outside, like a personality label.

This can become a relational issue for sure. I believe these labels come from all different origins such as one’s experiences, past hurts and family history. I have had to work on shedding many labels from my life that began to feel more like chains of condemnation that attached me to destructive self-fulfilling prophecies. But people begin to question why certain patterns occur. For example maybe you just can’t stand being alone and seem to attract co-dependent relationships. Or maybe you just feel always rejected when you get serious about a special person.

What many don’t want to accept is certain labels attract certain qualities in our relationships.

It’s not just enough to use the “secret” and imagine your perfect relationship. If you’re not watching your own labels, the Law of Attraction can work against you–badly.

I have spoken with some people this week who also just don’t seem to care about this. They tell me, “Ed, I don’t have time to care about that, that’s just how I am!” Sadly what they are doing is justifying their labels and yet they wonder why things just don’t seem to work out in both personal and professional relationships.

What about you? What labels are defining you? Are they Life-based labels or from the Gap? It makes a big difference.

Here is a Re:LIFE strategy to help you with this. Play the audio now and read the lesson or download all files at the bottom.

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BE INCARNATIONAL

If you had to pick just one word to describe yourself currently, what would it be?

Try this interesting exercise. Gather a group of people and have each person write on a piece of paper just one word for every other member of the group that best describes them. Write down the name of the group member, and then the word beside it. Have everybody pick a word for themselves as well. Then put all the sheets into a basket and have each member pick one sheet and then first read the word describing one person. Then give the group the opportunity to guess who the word describes. Keep going until every list is complete. Then discuss the reactions to the exercise.

• If you could pick any word to describe who you want to become what would it be?

We are incarnational beings. What does that mean? To incarnate means to embody or represent an idea or quality. So to be an incarnation means you are a person regarded as embodying or exhibiting some quality, idea, or the like. For example: He is the incarnation of complete rebellion.

The question is then, are we in control of what we incarnate, or do our incarnations pre-determine who we are and how we act? The answer is often both. Sometimes people accept that they might be “hardwired” with a specific personality that simply expresses, or incarnates, a certain way in thoughts and actions. However, we believe that a person can actually control, or change, what they incarnate with the right perspective and commitment. The result can actually be an incredible transformation.

• What would this type of incarnational transformation look like in your life? What do you want it to be? Would be simple or challenging? How would it affect the world around you?

If you want to be transformed, and change what you incarnate, then you must first establish an incarnational vision for your life. And more importantly, this vision must not be Gap-based, but rooted in Life. For example, if one has a vision to be the incarnation of popularity because they have always been rejected, the result will only be more shame and insecurity regardless of whether they achieve popularity or not. The only incarnational visions that produce true fruit are ones that seek to advance Life.

Life-based incarnations can be broken down into three qualities: Purpose, Promise and Personality. When you are the incarnation of a higher purpose, then everything becomes no longer about you. When you are the incarnation of a promise to the world, you become a person of integrity. And when you incarnate a unique Life-based personality, people are drawn to you and feel secure in knowing who you are.

So spend some time thinking up words you wish to incarnate in your life. And while you do this, consider love being one of those words. If our purpose, promise and personalities were the incarnations of love, how much more fulfilling would our journeys in Life be? How would that impact the world?

• What have you recognized and reframed about this strategy and how can you practically respond with a higher regard for Life?

This week reflect on whether or not you feel the incarnations of your life really line up to what your true purpose, promise and personality should be. If not, what have you been incarnating? Do you have to take responsibility and make restitution in some way? Take time to focus on your incarnational vision, but make sure you clearly understand the desire, commitment and sacrifice it really takes to make it a reality.

DOWNLOAD “Be Incarnational” Strategy

DOWNLOAD Audio Part 1 .mp3

DOWNLOAD Audio Part 2 .mp3