What or Who is the GPS of Your Life?
I wonder what I would do without GPS in my Prius? How would I get groceries? Hell, how would I get home? I’m admitting to the blogging world that I have a terrible sense of direction. Yes, I have gotten lost in parking lots. Hey, some of them are very big, like one huge maze.
I take photos now of where I park. What would I do without my iPhone? What would I do without technology? So, yes, I’ll be the first to admit that I rely heavily on technology, especially the GPS in my car and my iPhone and my laptop. Those three things and, oh wait…the Internet. Okay, so those 4 things I rely heavily on, I don’t think I can function properly or do my work without them. Every day, although I’ve memorized (I think) my way home from frequented places, I still in habit or laziness press “home” on my navigation screen. The robot lady complies and says, “Going home” in her almost human voice.
The trusty robot lady and I have a great relationship, by the way. I push her buttons all day long and she complies. She guides me because that’s what she’s programmed to do: To guide idiots like me, those of us who are directionless, with a path and to give the goalless a final destination. While the computer guides me, I don’t have to use my brain and pay attention. Instead, I can distract myself some more at red lights by checking my phone for new text messages, e-mails, and who liked my blog. I might even be able to type out a quick response!
We all have a GPS in our lives, don’t we? Something or someone that guides us, that something can be money. Money can be your GPS. It guides your life, it tells you what to do and who to become in order to get there. It gives you direction. It gives you purpose. Money leads your life.
If you’re religious, God can be the GPS of your life. He is your guide. He is your decision maker. He is your moral compass. Your GPS can be your convictions, even the conviction of an atheist who doesn’t have a belief in anything.
If you belong to PETA, then the GPS of your life is your desire to share to the world, the cruelty of animals and expose animal abuse. Your GPS is to share how terrible it is to eat flesh.
I’m not a vegetarian, so that’s not my GPS. I’m not an atheist either, but I have realized that what runs our lives can and often do change.
Some of you might disagree with me on this, but people do change. Change is inevitable, after all. We have the power to change our belief system. We have the power to change what or who runs our life. If your GPS is an abusive partner, he/she runs your life. But, you and only you have the power to no longer let a person wield power over you.
The GPS of your life can be the gym and your life is your body. At the end of the day, you might be satisfied with what or who runs your life. You can recite your mantras every morning that this GPS in your life is what you can not live without.
Nothing and no one can change your mind, not until the GPS in your life leads you down the wrong path. Maybe it consumes you until you have nothing left of yourself. Maybe you realize that everything you put your faith and hope into no longer feels like you. It’s okay to let good be your compass to live by, but not everyone is good. I learned that the hard way. Not everyone has your back and not everyone has a good intentions.
The Bottom Line:
Ultimately, the GPS of your life has to be you. At the end of the day, you have to be in control of your life. You can’t let someone on this earth or some monetary thing dictate to you what’s important, what truly matters. The road is yours, you decide and make the decision.
Honestly, as long as you let Love be the GPS of your life…love and discernment, then you are heading in the right direction.
Writing With Hope 
May 5, 2017 at 7:38 AM
Amazing, inspiring post!😊 my new piece is ‘look at me now’ https://malisehoney.wordpress.com/2017/05/04/look-at-me-now/
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May 5, 2017 at 10:13 AM
Thank you MaliseHoney and thanks for reading and being inspired. I will definitely take a look at your blog right now. ❤
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May 5, 2017 at 7:52 AM
This is very inspiring.
I guess many of us, and not just you, rely heavily on technology to function. And I agree. Love as your GPS can never be wrong.
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May 5, 2017 at 10:12 AM
Yeah, I rely pretty heavily on technology. I’ve written about taking a break from technology and not letting it run our lives. Mainly because I know from personal experience just how dependent we are on technology. And you’re right, if we let love rather than anger be our GPS….we can’t go wrong. ❤
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May 5, 2017 at 4:21 PM
😀 😉
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May 5, 2017 at 9:00 AM
We need to be our own GPS, so true. Nice post. 👍
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May 5, 2017 at 10:11 AM
Definitely Sadaf, we need to guide ourselves so that we can take full responsibility for our path. If we let someone else dictate or something else, we place blame and resentment builds if someone guided us wrong. We have full responsibility for ourselves. 🙂
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May 5, 2017 at 9:58 AM
As I was reading the post, I was constantly saying in my head “I my GPS is me myself” and reading all the examples you gave made me myself “Is it wrong if my GPS is not something outside me but me myself?” And then when I reached the end and read the ‘bottom line’, I said “That’s what I was thinking!”…. Amazing post!
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May 5, 2017 at 10:10 AM
Awe Kirti, thank you! It looks like you’re headed in the right direction. It’s easy to find things outside of ourselves. But we have to be our own guide. 🙂
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May 7, 2017 at 8:11 PM
Ditto!
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May 5, 2017 at 11:14 AM
Well said!
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May 5, 2017 at 11:20 AM
Thank you authensible! 🙂
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May 5, 2017 at 4:08 PM
I am also like you that I can get lost very easily. GPS (the dedicated one) or GPS on smart phone and internet are a must for me when I travel or have to go where I have not gone before 🙂
I have not thought of other kinds of GPS you talked about here. That is a good analogous for other part of life. Yes, in that case we need really a good one!
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May 5, 2017 at 5:12 PM
Yeah, I need my GPS! Can’t live without it! 🙂
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May 6, 2017 at 8:10 PM
Beautifully written!
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May 7, 2017 at 10:19 AM
Thank you so much for reading & commenting. I’m honored.❤️
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May 10, 2017 at 2:51 PM
Being the GPS to the GPS.
I am often called by my children when Papa is there no GPS required.
Sonyo you have taken the subject to life itself and you have done justice. In the larger context we should be the GPS of our life.
My Pats!
Shiva
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May 10, 2017 at 9:43 PM
Yes Shiva…we need to be our own guide. 🙂
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July 4, 2017 at 5:44 AM
Hello Sonyo,
very good analogy 🙂 Life GPS…hm !!!??? For me it is my goals.
My goals are my GPS. They lead me over the whole world to fulfill them.
Without goals, my life would not be worth of living 🙂
Thank you
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