When you have a hellish week (or at least one that feels especially rough), it can be a challenge to look outside yourself and see the good right in front of you.
For example, this past week, I went through an emergency vet experience with my dog involving copious amounts of acorns. After spending close to $400 that included a stomach X-ray and liver medicine, I was ready to throw in the towel. And yet, in the words of my husband, “Sometimes it feels like us against the world. But really, everyone else is also dealing with crap.”
We’re all living our own lives — sometimes slogging through our tough days, keeping an eye on the world around us. Whatever faith we have can be tested — whether it be in God or the people around us. During those messy moments, trusting in an unknown resolution is not the thing that’s going to give me the confidence that things will be okay.
Instead, lately I’ve been turning to the phrase (which is also a nickname, a business philosophy, a Twitter hashtag, and a series of memes) that comforts me most: #TrustTheProcess.
But then again, maybe you’ve never heard of Joel Embiid nor are intimately familiar with the draft night experience of the National Basketball Association’s Philadelphia 76ers.
Essentially, the 76ers have adopted #TrustTheProcess to mean abandoning success in the short term for stability and consistency — and victory in the long term. It’s trusting that following the plan will get you where you want to be, even if it means eschewing some pretty attractive options that are right in front of you.
Here’s what #TrustTheProcess doesn’t mean: standing still and lamenting your current situation.
You can actively choose to improve your situation by seeking out help.
In the Sixers’ world, that means losing games (#TogetherWeTank) for better draft picks, making trades for roster needs, and rallying around each other in the locker room.
In my world, that means self-care: taking time for yoga, making time to visit friends, and leaning on family for help with projects around our home. It looks like taking a deep breath in order to see the bigger picture can be the ultimate act of faith — letting go and letting God.
Full disclosure: I’m not from Philly. I don’t have a dog in their fight (Go Bulls). And letting faith into different parts of my life is as hard for me as it is for anyone.
Right now, the Sixers aren’t even halfway through trusting their process — they have yet to secure elusive stability: the long-term healthy line-up that’s going to start a winning dynasty.
And like the Sixers, I’m not halfway through dealing with my own doubts, in my day-to-day life and with my faith. Some days I’m on top of the world, much like Embiid when he went off on the Lakers. Other days, it’s truly a battle.
But I know I need to #TrustTheProcess — and acknowledge I’m not alone on this journey. God’s got this.
