Gary's Story of Living at a Different Pace
Everyone has a pace at which we live and a purpose which we live for. Gary spent a majority of his life working in a Fortune 100 corporate culture, living by the mantra: “Better, Faster, Cheaper.” From the outside-looking-in he was successful, but just under the surface, he was a highly-functioning alcoholic ridden with insecurity and struggling with anxiety. “For 68 years of my life, I was in a cocoon.”
Years living at an extremely hurried pace, Gary knew something was missing, but he didn’t know what. His wife grew up Catholic and so had he, and in the last year, he had watched her life completely transform. She started attending a Christian church, facilitating groups to study the Bible with her family in the Philippines, and then got baptized. “She was like a silent foot soldier, a role model…I knew she was praying for me.” Now, Gary and his wife are living unhurried on purpose together.
Here’s what he’s learned along the way:
Curate Your Rule Of Life: Now that Gary is retired, he is experiencing life at a slowness that matches his life stage, although this was not always the case. His word of wisdom, no matter what your life stage, is to set your pace realistically and not let your circumstances set it for you. This is where a Rule of Life, an ancient guide to help reorient your life, is instrumental. Identify your stage of life. Are you a working student pursuing your education? Are you a single parent working from home? Are you a long-tenured professional who is well established in your field and family life? Are you a young adult looking to make a large pivot or transition? Whatever the case may be, set up your Rule of Life to help you live at a healthy pace.
Go With Others: There’s an old saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” If Gary kept to the words, “Better, Faster, Cheaper,” he would’ve been retired, successful, and alone. “I always thought it was me against humanity. In the past, I was too busy, I had other things to do. I’ve met a lot of people along the way, but it was about me.” Life is meant to be lived in community, with the support of one another. Community cannot thrive in a hurry. Who are key people in your life? Share your Rule of Life with one another in an effort to show up really well for one another in this stage of life.
Set Your Priorities: There is a simplicity to life when you really know what you’re living for. Gary used to live life upgrading every chance he got, chasing temporary pleasures, risking his well-being for work. Now, he has a much different outlook on life. As someone who wants to and is becoming a person of joy, affecting the lives of others for good, with healthy rhythms and relationships, it makes it very simple to choose how he lives his life. The Rule of Life will help you set your priorities and your pace in the direction of your purpose.
“There was a time in my life when I was never content and always searching, anxious and only put my trust in myself and my own coping skills. With Jesus, I’ve become at peace. I’m patient, joyful, living a life of purpose and hopefulness.” Do you have a story like that?
Written by: Gary Hopper