Well what happens when you have been going along so strong, so well and then suddenly you run out of steam? If we think about what it takes to make steam we need to realize that there are three vital components needed to make steam: water, heat, and a vessel that can withstand pressure. Let’s take a closer look at the analogy each of these items brings to my mind.

Water. Water is the life that is within us all, without it would would cease to be alive. We can have different qualities of water and these qualities can be affected by our attitudes, perception, and even our interactions with others. If we have good clean water, our lives are going to be well controlled, there will be fewer surprises, fewer issues that will be needed to be dealt with. Good, clean water is nice to have but it comes at a cost, we have to maintain it. We have to eat well, exercise regularly, and keep our bodies healthy. By doing so, our life and our water remain at a quality level.

If we have a contaminated source of water, our lives will be murky, unclear, and potentially unsafe to maintain our healthy state of being. We will need to correct the impurities in our water and work hard to bring it back into a quality state. We have a couple of options available to us to clarify and purify our water. First we can filter it. By filtering, I mean we can control what we allow into our system, the thoughts we think, the people we spend time with, or even the sights and sounds that we absorb through our daily living. The other thing we can do is to treat it, and by this I mean that we can increase the beneficial nutrients that we bring into our system, more good things and fewer of the not-so-good things. Increase your exercise, and this will increase the oxygen flow in our system. We need to take a few good deep breaths from time to time to clear out the toxins. We can increase our water consumption, 60-80 ounces a day is a healthy goal for all of us to shoot for. This will help to hydrate our systems and flush many of the unhealthy toxins away. Lastly we can increase the amount of positivity in our lives. We can think more positive thoughts, spend time with more positive people or even just enjoy the peace and tranquility of some quiet time alone reading or meditating on positive subjects.

The next component necessary to make steam is heat, and heat is nothing more than energy. This energy can come from different sources and can be intense or barely noticeable. Energy is vital in every aspect of our lives and without it we can go nowhere. How do we generate or create energy? Simply put, we do what we know must be done, we put our nose to the grindstone and commit to the commitment. Remember that it is easier to act our way into a feeling than it is to feel our way into an action. If you wait for the feeling to be right before you act, you may be waiting an awfully long time. Waiting is a passive endeavor and would be like a needle in a haystack finding you, it won’t happen. But if we act first, we may not find starting anymore pleasurable but the feeling of accomplishment will feel so much better than the feeling of another opportunity lost while waiting for a feeling to take charge.

Finally, we need a vessel that can withstand a little pressure. That vessel is you. God has created us uniquely capable of withstanding more than we realize. Think about this; when was the last time you met an obstacle or challenge that you did not overcome? You may have thought at the time that you were doomed but looking back on the situation now, you see that you did overcome it and actually came out the other side stronger and more fit to meet the next challenge.

So if you are feeling like you don’t have the steam to continue, think about what you do have that will get you through this low point in life, you have the ability within yourself and with the help and guidance of a loving God and Father to get you through it. You will never experience a truly unique problem or obstacle that hasn’t been faced by someone in a similar situation. You have never met a challenge that you didn’t overcome and you never will. Things may appear dark in the valley but remember the valley is only temporary, soon you will be back on your way up and the view from the peak will be so much nicer and fulfilling. Your steam will come back and soon you will once again be able to blow your whistle and chug along the tracks of life.

Brian