One of the products that piqued my interest during the Build a Bundle Sale was the eCourse, How to Totally Transform Your Life…Before Breakfast. After fully inventorying all the new resources and curriculum I purchased, I dug right in. As I read through the audio transcript, I highlighted key ideas that really resonated with me. Even though I did not agree with everything the speaker, Greg, was saying, there were many nuggets of truth.
After one pass through the transcript, I shared the PDF with my entire family, knowing it could benefit all of us. I mulled over the ideas for a couple days and then read through the highlights again, noting some key points that really could transform my life.
It all boils down to habits and goals.
What habits do I start my day with?
What goals am I working towards?
Habits
Though Greg outlines many morning habits that can completely change your day, I am incorporating just a few for now.
The most important daily habit, of course, is spending time with the Lord. In the last few weeks, I have become more intentional about this. I love to sit out on the deck at sunrise and read my Bible study aloud. It helps me to really focus on what the Word says, and I am learning so much more during my quiet time.
The next habit I am fostering is caring for my body every morning. I love to walk through the neighborhood while listening to passages from the Bible reading plan my entire family is using this year. I usually take time to pray for my family and for the day’s events. Afterwards, I grab a quick shower and eat a healthy breakfast.
Though it is easy to claim I am too busy, caring for my body is one of the most important things I can do for God, my husband, my children, and myself. Exercise, hygiene, and nutrition all contribute to my overall physical health.
Goals
While I was reading through the eCourse materials, I realized I needed to write out some goals. Even though I have lots of ideas in my mind for what I want to do, I seldom write them down, so I never really have a vision or plan for where I am headed or what I want to be doing.
I started with what, for a Christian, should be the most obvious. I need to focus on God. Then I prayerfully started listing other ideas in a random order. Then I grouped related ideas together until I had just ten goals. Then I started prioritizing them. Ultimately, I put them into the form of ten positive statements in the present tense.
- I am focused on God.
- I care for my body.
- I love my husband.
- I make memories with my children.
- I am an effective home manager.
- I teach and train my children.
- I connect with other women.
- I post to my blog twice a week.
- I sing every day.
- I am always learning.
It is hard for me to write these out and share them with the world, especially since it is glaringly obvious (at least to me) that I have not yet accomplished any of them. I guess that’s what makes them goals, right?
A couple of Paul’s verses come to mind as they echo my thoughts:
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14
Most of my goals represent a daily struggle. Now I have a standard to shoot for and some positive statements that demonstrate my resolve to do so.
Because these goals are so important, I turned them into an image I could use as the background on my phone. Every time I use my phone, I will see the background and remember my goals.
Unfortunately, the first image was a little hard to read on a small screen. A couple days later, I sat down with my favorite graphics app and used keywords from my goals to create an image which would be easier to read on my phone.
What is my next step? I plan to write out some concrete ways I can work toward each goal.
Along the way I am still mulling over long-term goals. What do I want to be doing in three years? Five years? What do I want to be when I grow up?
Are you a goal-setter? Have you written your goals out? I would love to hear what they are. Please share them in the comments.