Closer to My Goal Tomorrow

Are you a goal-oriented person? I used to be. When I was a young, idealistic teenager, I wrote my goals regarding every topic in my life. I was very specific about what I wanted, and I usually got it. My closest friends were also high achievers, and they spured me on towards my goals.

Then something happened - LIFE. I don't think it was one specific event, but the older I got, the more I realized that life doesn't always hand me my fulfilled goals on a platter. Sometimes life just hands us all a curve ball.

Sometimes my relationships failed. Sometimes my schoolwork just didn't make sense. Sometimes my fitness goals turned into dangerous obsessions. Sometimes my work filled me dread instead of joy. One time I suffered for months with a terrible case of depression.

So what happened? As a result of many disappointments, I lost my courage to set any more goals. I hated feeling like a failure when I didn't succeed within my timelines.

Now, I have a system that works for me. I list who I want to be in each of my roles. How do I want to look, act, feel, and what do I want to accomplish in each role? Those are my goals. And then I ask myself, "What can I do today to bring me closer to my goal?"

My action steps are simple: "By finishing a 20 minute workout today, I'll be closer to my goal tomorrow. By working for 1 solid hour on my book, I'll be closer to my goal tomorrow. By planning what I'll cook all week, I'll be closer to my goal tomorrow. (Homemaker is not my strongest role!)

Anyway, you get the idea. I have learned that small, purposeful actions add up. We often say that if you continue to do what you've always done, than you'll continue to get what you've always gotten. If I continue to do the things I've done for the last several years, than I will continue with slow but steady increase. Maybe soon, I'll open my heart back up to fast and steady increase...but one step at a time!

How about you? What can you do today that will take you closer to your goals tomorrow? Don't be afraid to write them down.

James 2:17, 19
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead... Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

Single Minded Success

If you are striving but not finding the success that you desire, then chances are you have internal conflict about the issue. It is not easy to change yourself out of sheer will power. You need to instead, face the conflicting emotions and get into a place of internal congruency. That is when you achieve effortless success from a state called Flow.

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." That is a quote from James chapter one. We're also told that anyone who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. The doubter should not think he will receive anything from the Lord!

Well. In order to eliminate your doubts, I recommend that you be very specific about putting them into words. Don't let them be just an emotion. Then find out if there is any promise that is greater than your doubt.

As you consider your doubting emotion, accept yourself, doubts and all, and make the choice to believe the Truth. Then meditate on that exchange.

For example: "Even though I doubt I'll succeed at ever finishing this book, I choose to believe that God's blessing is on all the works of my hands, and the things I do prosper and come to full fruition."

You can use those ideas in a round of Flow On Demand, but to understand Flow On Demand, you need my pocket guide to it, and right now, that exists only in my head! Hint: It's very similar to EFT.

Let's keep pulling for eachother.

Gina

When You're Happy to See Your Siblings

Well, it is one of those weeks when friends and neighbors go on vacation, and my children go off to enrichment programs...all my children that is, except the oldest one. For some reason Jordan is usually the busiest of the four, but he has no baseball this week, (and no nifty "enrichment flyers" came home from the high school) and his best friend is in Florida. How pitiful. He roamed the neighborhood today looking for any of his buddies, but alas, none were available to "come out and play."

His little brothers and younger sister have been home for four hours now, and I think he has been playing with them the whole time. In fact, I think he plans to watch the twins during their Karate and Football programs tomorrow. I doubt he is desperate enough to watch Kristan play basketball tomorrow morning, but right now, anything beats sitting at home.

When are you happy to see your siblings? When there is nothing else to do! That is how you feel when you are fourteen.

Now that I'm nearly forty, I'd be ecstatic to see any of my siblings for any old reason in the world.

My parents are coming out on Monday to enjoy the second week of Fall break with us. Since they are so much fun to have around, their visit will be a treat for us all. Hopefully, we'll continue to enjoy the family fun, but next break...I'm planning a trip!

But What About Me??

Well, Fall break is upon us. What a glorious time to go on a family vacation...and if you are less organized, than it is a good time to lament the fact that you didn't plan one. Such was the case yesterday.

Our next door neighbors departed for a week at Disneyworld. This realization brought my son Nathan, to tears as he came in the house.

"How come we NEVER go anywhere fun?"

This was a good time to remember our wonderful trip just a few months ago to Pigeon Forge, followed by a glorious trip with the baseball team to Virginia. It turns out, we DO go great places....just so far, not Disneyworld.

Amazingly, the more he complained, the less inclined I felt to take him anywhere. My annoyance grew into a threat to leave him home on our next vacation!

"Nathan!" I told him, "When we are thankful for what we have, then more wonderful things come to us. But self-pity destroys our joy, and the joy of everyone around us. It stops blessings from coming to us!"

About an hour later, he came and found me and apologized with a hug.

"Mom" he said, "I'm really sorry that I was feeling sorry for myself. I totally forgot that I get to go to football camp this week, and I am really, really excited for that!

That reminded me...

"Nathan, do you like it when we go out to restaurants that have all-you-can-eat buffets?"

"Yeah!"

"Me too. When you see someone ahead of you in line with a great plate of food, do you get jealous, or just excited at the possibilites?"

With a knowing smile he answered, "excited at the possibilities."

I asked, "Why don't you feel sorry for yourself then? I mean, that person has something you don't have, right?"

"Yeah, but my turn is coming!"

Right!

Today, if you compare yourself to someone else and feel tempted to ask, "But what about me?" I encourage you to rejoice with that person and expect that your turn is coming!

Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice.