Hello... Who Is This?

I had an interesting phone call on my cell the other day, and wanted to share it with you. The call showed up on my phone as "restricted," meaning it wasn't anyone in my phone book... which means I don't answer. I sent it right to voice mail, but he didn't leave a message. Instead, he decided to call back immediately, I guess hoping I'd pick up this time. Nope! If you're not in my book, I don't answer. Once again, no voice mail. This just made it clear that it wasn't anyone I knew, because friends and clients will always leave a message.

Three minutes later, he called back AGAIN! This time I had to answer...

The guy on the other end of the phone was someone I've talked to many times, but haven't heard from in quite awhile. He isn't big on small talk, but rather loves to cut right to the facts. He said he had an offer for me that would be difficult to turn away from. When he told me what that offer was, I must admit, I almost took the deal... but decided that I couldn't. Unfortunately, that wasn't good enough for him. He asked again, but this time he sweetened the pot a little ~ he added something that he knew I loved, but also knew contradicted my specific choice of mindset. I thought about it again for a couple of minutes, but still couldn't give in. I wouldn't allow his offer to cloud what I knew what right, and what I worked so hard to improve.

I've only known this dude by his last name, maybe because he's never told me, but mostly because I've never asked. I call him Mr. Temptation. He's a scary old guy, because he comes in so many shapes and sizes. The day of this call, he was disguised as Sabotage... Self Sabotage, specifically. He wanted me to walk away from a specific personal challenge, in order to hide from some potential disaster he said may occur. He offered me a few really tempting "prizes" to make sure I wouldn't move forward, which he understood wholeheartedly would result in a stronger, braver me! He hates when we grow power, learn strength, and realize that those "potential disasters" are usually just a figment of our imagination.

When I declined his initial offer, he added a couple more beautiful, yet illusionary gifts~ gifts that looked sweet to the scared eye, but would always turn sour after the self sabotage was realized. Sorry, Mr. Temptation... not today! I wouldn't accept your offer, as I often did in the past. I will go forward, walk the scary path in the dark, and expect to succeed when I reach the other side of that path.

I won't sabotage myself, I won't agree to take your hand, and will never answer your phone call again!