Tribe Life Tuesday: The Anchor

A weekly post from my childhood to grown-up friend Carrie ~ 

sharing her awesome life and her desire to have community while doing it!

What anchors you? Is there something that grounds you when the cares and to-do’s of life begin to pull you away? 

There are many days when, as soon as my feet hit the floor, I feel like I’m going Mach 6 and everything I have to get done is far more important that taking care of myself. Of course this is the farthest thing from truth, yet most days, self-care is crowded out by all of my other tasks. I believe in balance and boundaries; I believe that soul health is vital to living well. But I am all too familiar with the difficulty of consistently walking this out.

What is an anchor? An anchor is a device used to stabilize a boat in heavy weather. 

What does it do? It secures the boat firmly in position. 

I like to compare life to a ship or boat. A ship is big, beautiful, and tough. She has all the necessary safety features and is ready to weather almost any storm. The ship has been tested over and over on land so she can successfully set sail onto the boundless ocean. What’s in front of her is far greater than the port she leaves behind. The places she can travel are inexhaustible. Similarly to a beautiful ship, you are meant to travel the ocean of life and travel it well. The possibilities are innumerable and life is waiting for you! 

So back to the anchor. Every ship has an anchor to help stabilize it because drifting happens easily and often. You see, whenever a boat has to stay afloat in a stationary position on the water, the anchor is cast into the sea so it doesn’t drift unnecessarily from its position due to the currents. Well, yes please! The metaphor just keeps getting better!

Have you ever felt stuck? Do you currently feel stuck? Have you ever wondered if you’re just floating in stagnation? Have you felt adrift, as if you were floating to and fro with the current? If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re in good company! We all drift, beliefs get cloudy, perspectives get skewed, but it’s the anchoring of your soul that calms the current. If you feel as though you’re being pulled away right now, don’t be afraid to move things out of your way and lower your anchor.

To anchor a boat you have to follow certain steps and, amazingly enough, these steps can help us anchor ourselves when we’ve been moved. 

1. Find a location to anchor the ship. The location is selected by YOU! Once you’ve found that place tell your tribe. They will help you stay anchored and gracefully let you know when you’ve landed elsewhere. Staying anchored is easier with your people. 
2. Slow down your ship and move into position. OH MY, YES!!! SLOW DOWN!!!! The world, your world will keep moving even if you’re not the one spinning it. Take the time to slow down, look around, and embrace what really matters, the things that breathe life into your soul and bring you joy!
3. Once you have found the perfect place, the anchor must be dropped. Stake your place of peace. 
4. The anchor must reach the sea bed and the crew has to ensure that the anchor has reached it before they move on. Give your tribe permission help keep your anchor in place. 
5. After the anchor is dropped don’t be afraid to go in reverse a little, this will ensure the anchor digs deep into the sea bed. Sometimes, especially after you’ve slowed down, you might realize that you need to step back from a commitment or two in order to truly anchor yourself well. 
6. When the anchor is dug into the sea bed, it ensures that the ship is stable. The time this process takes depends on the depth of the water. How anchored do you want your soul? Don’t be afraid to go deep. When put in the time and energy to dig your anchor deep into the sea bed, you’ll be less likely to be moved from that spot when the storm comes. Plus, it’s harder for the current to move you when you’ve diligently put in the effort to fortify your anchor. 

A sailor knows the importance of the anchor. If a ship is not anchored properly then it may get dragged and damaged. The same is true for our souls. Anchoring your soul is an important part of living well and it must be done with much care.

As you embark of life’s journey, don’t be afraid to slow down, even stop, and secure your anchor. If you have lost your anchor and have been tossed about or damaged by life’s debris, know that you can always anchor yourself. Find your tribe, let them in, allow them to help because, after all, you can’t sail a ship on your own. (Resource)

See you next Tuesday!!

Carrie

*Please note that content in guest blogs is not necessarily shared by the station manager (i.e. Wendi!)