One of the best lessons my mom taught me was “to stay the course.” I have followed this one line piece of motherly advice for nearly my entire life. And it has proven to be helpful in a variety of different situations.

Whether going through a divorce or starting a synagogue, facing adversaries or deciding what is best for my life, “staying the course” guided me through.

And here’s what I learned:

Don’t let other people’s shadow parts deter you from your course. You’ll see jealousy, anger, manipulation, demeaning words, made up truths. You’ll be met with all of them. And that’s when you check in with yourself and ask “who am I? What do I stand for? What’s my vision? How do I want to contribute? Who do I want to help? What do I want to heal?” And you stay on THAT course.

It’s easy to get sucked in or get picked up by it all. And that’s where the faith in who you are and what you’re doing will come in handy. It’s a discipline. Depending on the situation, you may have to check in with yourself multiple times a day. But it’ll be worth it because you can say, “I stayed in integrity of who I am. I stayed the course.”

Whatever your course is right now, I send you strength and love. You’ve got this.

Rabbi Gabi