Last week, we started a discussion series on “The Leaf that Doesn’t Wither”. We were created to have leaves that don’t wither meaning our lives should always be fruitful and fresh. There are 4 things that cause our leaves to wither: dehydration, pests, viruses and fungal infections. Today, we’re diving in to a discussion of how pests keep us from thriving in life.

A pest is a destructive insect or animal that attacks crops or animals. It’s primary function and mission is to cause destruction and disruption to your life.

One pest you may have noticed in your life is negative people. They drain the life out of you by always bringing up the negative perspective, discouraging you to follow your dreams, getting you to think about counterproductive alternatives or offering little or no support. Being around these people hinders your progress, dampens your inspiration and motivation and decreases your confidence. Avoid them.

Another pest that may have surfaced in your life is apathy. Apathy is a lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern. This is the point at which you don’t know your purpose or path and have settled for where you are. You’re not happy there, but settle for mediocrity and average instead of great. Apathy slowly rocks you to sleep—a place that robs your potential and greatest fulfillment. Recognize it and shake yourself back to life.

The final pest you may have noticed is distraction. Distraction seeks to take your attention away from what’s most important and provides alternate activities. Distractions come in the form of social media, frivolous friendships, unhealthy relationships, busyness, and unfulfilling activities. Too much of a good thing can even be a distraction. In the busyness of life, it’s important to choose the most important activities that align with your purpose and where you are going. Slowly weed out the other stuff.

Have you noticed other pests that attack you?

In order to keep your leaves from withering, fight hard to destroy pests. Be vigilant in attacking them back and see how much fresher and fulfilling your life becomes!  Stay tuned for next week’s discussion in Part 3.

~Coletta Jones Patterson

*Coletta is an author, life/business coach, and executive who is passionate about helping others go beyond stuck!  Check out her latest book, “Beyond Stuck: Creating the Life You Want” on Amazon.  Connect with Coletta at info@moveu4ward.com.