9 Reasons Why Setting Goals Is Good For You

7 Comments / Business & Career Success, Financial Success, Relationship Success, Spiritual Success, Success Traits, Thinking Success, Wellness & Success

setting goals_5411685_s“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”             — Habakkuk 2:2-3

In my last post, I discussed, 7 Quick Tips to Make the Best of Goal Setting. This week I want to highlight a few benefits to setting goals. People have a tendency to look at goal setting negatively mainly because of the time and effort it takes to start and continue the process. However, I hope that looking at the positives of goal setting will encourage you move towards a Living Success year.

Goals setting will…

1. Give direction or focus to your life

The aim of goal setting is to make you think about your life. If no one dreamed, planned, set goals and pursued them this world would be full of problems and no solutions. It’s the pursuit of man providing solutions to the problems that makes life better. God created you to have dominion, to be fruitful, to be productive, and to do good works. Setting goals is a start to being such an individual. When you set goals you are creating your life’s road map that brings everything you’re doing and will do into focus.

 

2. Energize you

The very act of writing your goals and seeing them in black and white will inspire you to start working on them. The more you act on your goals and accomplish them step by step, the more motivated and energized you become to keep working at them until they are completed.

 

3. Provide a challenge

Sometimes goal setting can be intimidating. Why? Because our dreams often feel bigger than we are. Your written goals can prove to be a challenge. Tell yourself, “If I dream it, I can do it with God’s help and strength.” The key to any challenge is to go after it in faith and with the certainty that God on your side. If God has put a dream or goal on your heart, He can give you the grace to achieve it.

 

4. Turn the seemingly impossible into possible

The purpose of goal setting is not to write down a few items on a list and leave them alone, there is more. Your goals need to be specific, definable and time sensitive and then be broken into smaller more manageable tasks. The aim of goal setting is the make impossibilities become smaller possibilities.

 

5. Hold you accountable to yourself

Writing down what you want to do have a way of standing out. When you keep your eyes focused on your written goal it speaks to you. What does it say? You need to make this happen. Studies have shown that those who write down their goals are more likely to accomplish them than those who don’t. The more you study your goals, the greater commitment you have to accomplish them.

 

6. Help you to believe in yourself

When you set aside time to dream and create goals, you begin to believe in your ability and God’s grace to complete them. What you really want and what your purpose is become clearer to you. As you write the desires of your heart, you become more certain that you can achieve them because they are aligned to God’s will and who you are in Him. As you review your goals regularly, the more you believe they are doable.

 

7. Bring you to live life to be fullest

What if you don’t set goals? Those I have known that set goals and pursue them, they are some of the happiest, thankful and confident people to have in your circle. For those who haven’t set and pursued their dreams, these often live in regret and talk much about what they could have done. Setting and pursuing your goals will cause you to experience a life that you once dreamed of. Go out and live your life as God intended for you.

 

8. Measure your success

Good goal setting provides a benchmark to compare to – Your goals vs your current successes. Every week, month or quarter you should take time to access where you are against the goals that you’ve created. When you do this you learn where you need to improve, what is working for you and where you need to adjust. Measuring your success is a good time to give thanks and celebrate what you have achieved with God’s help.

 

9. Help you overcome procrastinating

Identifying the next 3 action steps for each of your goals is an important part of the goals setting process. As you do this and assign timelines to these small tasks, you will be driven to do them immediately. The fact that they are manageable steps or easy tasks eliminates the intimidation factor present in large goals that often cause us not to pursue them.

 

10. BONUS Benefit: Make You Think Outside the Box

When you set goals, one of the questions you will find yourself asking over and over again is, “How am I going to do this?” With prayer, research and creative thinking, you will find the answers. Even when you are not looking for the answer, ideas or solutions will come to mind that you normally would not have thought of if you didn’t have goals to pursue. You’ll be surprised at the kind of “out-of-the-box” thinking you will do and the bold steps you will take to achieve your goals.

Goal setting really is worth the effort. When you habitual set goals and pursue them, you will happily look back over the years and be thankful that you did. One thing I have noticed is that goal setting has helped me to accomplish more than I thought I could and through this process I learned to trust God to fulfill the desires that He has placed on my heart.

Now you know why goal setting is good for you, will you take the time to create the life you’ve been dreaming of?

If you’re haven’t set any goals yet, it’s not too late to begin. If you need a step-by-step guided process to goal setting, I’d encourage you to download the Living Success Goals Workbook.

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7 Quick Tips to Make the Best of Goal Setting

Business & Career Success, Success Habits, Success Keys

wirting goals_16732976_s“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” – Habakkuk 2:2-3

I like December, not only because it’s Christmas – the time we celebrate Jesus – but because it marks the end of a season. December to me is like to ending of an old chapter and the start of a new one.

I usually take the time during this month not only to celebrate with family but to plan the year ahead. As I start to think ahead, I spend time praying and seeking God’s direction for the New Year.

In my excitement to get going this year, I started search for what I could find to help me do a better job at goal setting. I found information in abundance but it would take time to compile a process that would work for me. I found paid products but they didn’t have a Christian worldview. I believe that if you are a Christian, any goal setting you do should always lead you to seek the Lord’s will for your life.

Here are some tips you can use to make the best of goal setting and experience a great year:

1. Seek God’s Will through Prayer
Start your goal setting process with prayer. Ask the Lord what His will is for you in the coming year. Listen to hear His plans. You may already know where God is leading you. Your dreams or desires, the things you love to do, the things that you are eager to change are all pointers to your purpose.

2. Take Time Out to Plan
It’s okay to think about planning but you need to actually do it. Make an appointment with yourself and God. Set aside a few hours, half a day or two days, whatever you think you need to get your goals down on paper.

3. Reflect On The Past
Don’t hold onto the past but embrace it. Review the year with the aim of learning form it. What did you accomplish? What didn’t work well for you? What can you do differently in the New Year? What do you have to be thankful to God for? At the end of this exercise make sure to let go of the past and get ready to embrace the future.

4. Dream, Dream, Dream
Yes, it’s time to dream, not a little but a lot. Making your goals does not need be so rigid that you kill your dreams. I often write a dream list first before actually setting my goals. Get a blank sheet and write down what your heart’s desire is. Do this before making any of your goals concrete.

5. Make S.M.A.R.T. Goals
I don’t think most people like to hear about S.M.A.R.T. goals but the truth of the matter is that this process makes your dreams become goals that would bring them into reality. You don’t have to set big goals and a lot of goals; but you need to write what works for you. That could be 12 goals or 3 goals but write them down anyways.

6. Find Your Why
Why do you want to accomplish the goals you’ve outlined? Why are they so important to you? It’s important to know your “Why” because when the going get tough, the reason behind what you are doing will keep you moving forward.

7. Be Accountable
Ever noticed how much you get done when you have deadlines and someone else to report to. Why? Accountability results in performance. Get the support of a friend or two or join a group of likeminded people who hold each other accountable for their goals. You will reap great success from such support.

8. Simplicity Is Necessary
Yes, this is tip No. 8 but this is important. Goal setting takes effort and many are often deterred from starting or completing the process. Another reason for not setting goals is that you may not know how to set goals and make them happen. The key is to keep goal setting simple and I have created a workbook just to help you do that.

As I mention earlier in this post, I was on a search for a simple goal setting process with a Christian world view but found none. As I thought about it I realized that I already had a process I was practicing for more that 10 years, but I had never compiled into one simple format. So I decided to do just that.

If you are looking for a step-by-step guided process to goal setting, I’d encourage you to check out Living Success Goals Workbook.

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Shopping Sprees … Debt Free & Stress Free

Financial Empowerment, Financial Success

shopping groupThere are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are a people not strong, yet they lay up their food in the summer. –Proverbs 30:24-25

Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. –Proverbs 6:6-8

A few months back I took a mini-vacation with my sisters and daughter. One night we were talking from one topic to another last night when we lighted on the topic of how annoying ants can be. Like when you know you have cleaned the kitchen to the max yet ants appear (seemingly from nowhere). Or when they appear, it’s not one or two but they seem to call every ant they know to come with them. My daughter commented on how interesting it is see some many of them working together to carry one little crumb back to their home. I then remember the scripture in Proverbs and pointed out that there something to learn from them. They store in the summer (good times) and make sure they have enough for the winter (cold and hard times). Then the Holy Spirit nudged me that this was exactly what we were doing. We were not only having some special family time but we were shopping and storing up food to send home!

Then I thought to myself, shopping sprees don’t have to be stressful or lead to debt. There were benefits to this kind of shopping:

  • It was purpose driven – to store up for the future
  • It was cost effective – to save on items that were generally more expensive at home
  • It had a relationship aspect – to spend time apart from shopping with family
  • It required discipline – not to spend more than the budget allocated
  • However, it was fun – especially when you enjoy the company of family or special friends

This storing up we were doing had its payoff in the future. We often took the two-fold approach of taking a vacation and stocking up for the future. During that time it can be exhausting making price comparisons, shopping and packing but at the end we know that we have set aside for the future.

You feel like to Proverbs 31 woman who looks to the future with confidence knowing that she has taken care of the needs of her household ahead of time. So shopping sprees don’t always have to end negatively, that is, with you being in debt and unsatisfied with your purchases. It can be done with wisdom.

What do you need to have these debt-free, stress-free shopping sprees that are a win-win situation always?

  1. Get physically and mentally ready to shop for long periods. If you’re like me and don’t like to shop a lot then you need to get yourself geared up for it.
  2. Plan ahead – write a list of what you need (and some of what you want). Ask God for wisdom in this process
  3. Estimate the cost as best you can – it is better to overestimate
  4. Save based on your estimate with some extra for other items you may buy that aren’t on your list
  5. Determine the best time of year or season to make the most of your buying power
  6. Have a shopping buddy and/or accountability partner that will keep you in check so you don’t overspend
  7. Try to buy the must-haves on your list first before buying any “I-wants”
  8. Access your purchases and if you realized you don’t need a particular item or it cost more that it does elsewhere; return it. If you can’t return an item consider gifting it to someone else who needs it and would appreciate it or sell it.
  9. Don’t shop for yourself only – consider others who are in need
  10. Certainly, give thanks to God for His provision and His wisdom to know how to shop wisely

During the holiday season, we tend to do a lot of shopping but the key in not in getting it all but in being a judicious shopper. It’s important to plan your gift purchases, don’t just wander into the stores hoping to find something that will work. Make a list, assign a specific dollar amount and stick to it. When you have reached your dollar limit, stop buying. Stick to cash only or debit cards and avoid using your credit cards.

Have a stress-free, debt-free Christmas season. Remember, Jesus is the best gift of all.

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Vision – Do You Have One?

Christian Success Reading, Success Keys, Thinking Success

 Like many of you, I was shocked at the sudden passing of Dr. Myles Munroe, his wife and associates last Sunday afternoon.

As I reflected on this, I came to the realization that others have come to – we need to be ready to meet our Creator at any time. Not only that resonated in my heart but the fact that this man was one who lived on purpose for a purpose. Dr. Myles Munroe is known internationally as an author, lecturer, teacher, coach, and leadership mentor. He was rather prolific and had published numerous best-selling books including one that influenced me greatly – The Principles and Power of Vision: Keys to Achieving Personal and Corporate Destiny (Study Guide).

This book helped me to recognize the potential in me and the importance of have a vision for your life. I was challenged know my purpose and have a vision for my life. I read this back in 2008 and was happy to find a notebook I had jot some notes in while reading it. Here are a few notes and quotes from the beginning chapters that I thought to share with you. I hope that they challenge and encourage you.

  • There is gold within me.
  • Lord, help me to see farther than my eyes can look. Give me vision – to see what can be and make it a reality.
  • Vision makes you persistent and persistence leads to the fulfilling of your purpose in life.
  • The vision-less person is the poorest person.
  • The frustrated person is the one with a vision that does not know how to fulfill it.
  • There is no other person like me on this earth. I was designed by God with a distinct and specific purpose to fulfill here in this world. I am unique and my vision is unique.
  • Lord what is that specific vision that I was born to fulfill?
  • My purpose will become my passion in life.
  • Lord, help me to know my gift, stir it up and make use of it that it may make room for me and bring me before great men (Prov. 18:16).
  • I am the sum total of all the choices or decisions I make every day.
  • Nothing can get in the way of God’s purposes – they always come to pass.
  • Purpose is why you were born, the reason God created you.
  • Vision is when you see your purpose by faith in your mind and you begin to imagine it.
  • Vision is as close as the desires of my heart. It is about God. It is about touching others.
  • Vision is unselfish and should always be accompanied by compassion.
  • Corporate vision stirs up personal vision. You don’t receive your vision through others but you are enabled to fulfill it through others.
  • Nothing we are born to do is to be done by ourselves or for ourselves.
  • Lord, help me to know why I’ve been born and to have a vision for my life. Father, reveal to me the deepest desires that you have placed within me.
  • Mission is the general purpose of your life while vision is a specific, very precise statement with defined boundaries.
  • People fail because they don’t know what they want to succeed in.
  • You will be protected from jealousy when you understand your vision. You won’t worry about what the other person is doing.
  • Indecisiveness is a vision killer.
  • Don’t be a professional starter, i.e. starting many things and not finishing any e.g. like reading a book and not completing it and then starting another. Leaving things unfinished discourages you from completing other tasks. The unfinished has a way of haunting your life.
  • The cost of vision is diligence.
  • Success comes in installments.
  • It is more important to know why you are born than to know the fact that you were born.
  • When you decide on a vision don’t sell yourself short.
  • You must choose where you want to go in life and then be decisive and faithful in carrying it out.
  • My true work is what I born to do.
  • Whatever you were born to do will remain deep inside until you do it.
  • Is your true work – your purpose – making it uncomfortable for you to stay in your present job?
  • What is it that I want to do? Lord, make my purpose and my life’s vision clear to me.
  • My vision is a clear conception of what is not yet a reality but which can exist. It is a strong image of a preferred future.
  • Whatever I was born to do I am equipped to do. The resources I need to do my life’s work will become available as soon as I need them.
  • There is provision for the vision God has put in me.
  • Eph. 3:20 – My imagination isn’t big enough for all God wants to do for me.
  • God has placed His vision and His spirit within me and that is more than enough potential for my needs.
  • God has given us the gift of imagination to keep up from focusing only on our present conditions.
  • Responsibility leads to respond-ability or the ability to respond to the requirements of my vision.
  • Everything God gave me to do, I am able to do. For everything God put in my heart to do, I have the corresponding ability to accomplish.
  • God never gives us dreams to frustrate us. He gives us dreams to deliver us from mediocrity and to reveal our true selves to the world.
  • You can always determine what you can do by the dream that is within you.
  • Plant the seed of your vision and begin to act on it and then nurture it by faith.

Just typing out this notes to share with you has reminded me of some important truths- know your purpose, have a vision and live it out to the glory of Jesus our Lord. From what we have seen Myles Munroe, he not only wrote about serving the purpose of God in your generation but he did that himself and it is for all of us to do.

Reading and studying that book as well as another of Dr. Munroe’s books called The Glory of Living: Keys to Releasing Your Personal Glory were the starting points for me in having a clearer vision for my life. I see a lot of what I wrote then being lived out and continually being worked out in me today. I plan to take the time to revisit these books as they helped me to work through the deeper thoughts in my heart.

I hope these notes have inspired you and encouraged you to live out your life purpose. If you want more, then go visit this Amazon page – Myles Munroe – and choose a book or two from this great author and man of God. I am sure that reading his works will propel your life forward as it did mine.

Have you read any of Myles Munroe books, what stood out for you the most? What changed your life? Share a word.

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Ultimate Christian Living Bundle

Business & Career Success, Christian Success Reading, Financial Success, Relationship Success, Spiritual Success, Wellness & Success

I recently came across this wonderful opportunity to have the Ultimate Christian Living Bundle. Honestly, I get so many emails that at times I just dismiss them but this one I couldn’t.

This bundle is packed with so much value that it’s hard to let this pass you by.

  • 14 Christian Classics
  • 13 Devotional Readers
  • 7 Faith-Building Children’s Books and Music
  • 14 Manuals for Christian Finance and Business
  • 4 Amazing Bonuses valued at $99.97
  • …And much more!

When you think about it there is so much available that of course you can’t read or take it all in at once but what I plan to do is to use these resources throughout the new year. Usually, I aim to read at least one book a month and this year I have lapse a little, so this is a good starting point for the new year. With Devotionals included and books on Christian Finance and Business included I am good to go.



Have a look at the bundle and see what interest you and how much applying yourself to read these materials throughout the year will benefit you in your Christian walk. As I always remind myself and now you: Leaders are readers.

What intrigue me the most is the cost – you pay is far less that the value you receive. It’s rather generous of these authors to offer such great value for money. There is an option to upgrade from PDFs to ebook versions so you can have nicely formatted books on your Kindle, Nook or other ereader.

There is a benefit to every Christian who receives this Ultimate Christian Living Bundle. Several bonuses are included and the one I like the most is the FREE access to the “Stewardship of Healthy Living” curriculum, 24-day study guide, and the highly-acclaimed “Tempo Workout Video Series.” The program takes a uniquely biblical approach to exercise and healthy living, and points towards spiritual truths that our health is a means of praise. I am excited to start this!

Anyways, enough from me. Check out the Ultimate Christian Living Bundle and let me know how much you’ve gained from it.

Oh, don’t forget this sale ends on Monday, 10 November, 2014.

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The Benefits of Rest

Simplify Your Life, Success Habits, Wellness & Success

Take a break. RelaxAnd on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. — Gen. 2:2-3 (NKJV)

“Rest? Relax? Who has time for that?” Honestly that is what I often say to myself. I recently took a vacation with family but it wasn’t much of a rest. I had planned that on that time away from my job I would do other stuff – finish a course and write a few posts along with go on a shopping spree (yes, I’ll say more on that in a future post). As much as I knew I needed the rest, my vacation had much activity. Although I enjoyed spending time with my daughter and my sisters, at times during that “vacation” I was concerned that I did not do the things I had planned to do. My vacation wasn’t really a rest at all.

On my return, I found it hard to get back into the routine of work, blogging, writing and other projects I had started. I did what I had to do but eliminated a lot from my schedule – especially writing – including posting anything to my blog (sorry about that but it was necessary). During that time I read a lot more, prayed and asked a lot of questions about my future plans and got some much needed rest. Now I am slowly getting back to blogging, writing and developing online course.

Biblically, rest means to repose, to desist from exertion, to cease, to celebrate, to keep (Sabbath), to leave, to put away (down), (make to) rest, to be still. Rest is such a necessary part of our lives. Often times we think that have to keep going but there is a reason God introduced rest (Gen. 2:2-3). If God rested after His work of creation, then it must be important to rest. Knowing that this eternal God rested after His work of creation and blessed the day of rest, then you and me (who are mortal) should follow God and incorporate rest into our lifestyles.

I don’t know about you. But I can sometimes get caught up with the things that have to be done and lose track of time and the need to rest. Yet, this great God though He has given me a purpose and all the resources I need to accomplish it, expects me (in the time I have) to rest. God does not want me to be worn out or burnt out but to function at my best while carrying out His purposes.

Recently I read a book about the importance of taking personal retreats which as a timely reminder for me about the need to incorporate rest into my life. There are benefits to be gained when we make resting a necessary part of our lives. When you rest, relax, sleep, you…

  1. Rejuvenates the body. When you sleep at night and you arise in the morning you feel refreshed and energized for the day ahead. A few stretches and up and out and you’re ready to go for the day!
  2. Boost your creativity. Whenever I have to write on a particular topic and I find it hard to put my thoughts together, I take a few hours or days away from it and then start again. In other words, I rest my mind from that topic and when I return to it I have a fresh new outlook and I am able to write freely.
  3. Brings clarity. When life gets a bit much and your mind is bombarded with questions and you’re wondering what the next steps you should be taking. Consider a rest, a personal retreat and you’d be amazed at how getting away with help to bring clarity and direction to your life.
  4. Have peace of mind. Rest also involves stepping back mentally from the negativity that comes from all directions. It involves letting go of your problems – not worry – and instead giving them to go. This is where you need to be still (body, soul and spirit) and let God do His work on your behalf. This kind of rest can be the most challenging. It involves prayer and feeding the mind with the word of God and good thoughts (Phil. 4:8). It’s a rest from the negative mental, emotional and even physical act of worry to a place of peace and faith in God.
  5. Improve your overall health. To name of few, you experience improve memory, maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress levels and keeps the heart healthy.

How can we rest in this productivity driven world?

  1. Have a day of rest.  Take one day of the week to rest from you regular activities. Yes, go to church, spend more time in the Word of God, have quality time with the family, do an activity that you don’t normally do, put in a few extra hours of sleep. Recently, I started taking this more seriously and between Saturday 6pm and Sunday 6pm I limit my activity to church, family time, bible study and rest and avoid internet activity, writing or any of the normal activities of the week. The rest is quite refreshing.
  2. Take a daily fifteen minute break and do nothing but relax. Hmmm. Not impossible. Carve out that time in your calendar and eliminate the distractions of cell phones, internet and find a quiet place to rest. I’ve done it and need to start doing so again. It does boost your energy levels and stimulates the mind.
  3. Have a personal retreat. Sometimes you need to get alone with God and no one else. Choose a place and time and let your family know you’re off on a personal sabbatical. Take a book to read, spend time in prayer to connect with God more. Even consider journaling your thoughts and prayers. Retreats are not only times of rest but of refreshing for your body, soul and spirit. You will gain a clearer perspective on your goals and what the Lord wants you to do with more certainty.
  4. Rest mentally. Take a break from the news. Stop worrying about today’s issues and tomorrow problems (Matt. 6:34). A good mental break involves meditating on the word of God, speaking and confessing His word concerning you, thinking positively, and being thankful (Phil. 4: 6-7)
  5. Do something different outside of your normal routine. Yes, you can take a Sabbath day or a personal retreat but this kind of rest involves activity outside of work that you love to do. Do you have a hobby? Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but never had to time? What about going to the beach and basking in the sun (providing you live a place with this kind of climate)? Maybe you could take a road trip with your family. That would be a nice break from the norm, wouldn’t it?

The important message here is that rest is necessary. In this hustle bustle world that can be hard to do at times. Everything and everyone seems to be calling out for your attention. But you have to strike a balance between work and rest. There will always be a demand by someone in your sphere of influence for you and your time. If however, you don’t take care of yourself and become worn out, you won’t be able to help your loved ones and others.

Consider today how you can incorporate rest into your routine.

What do you do to relax and enjoy resting without worrying out the to-do list?

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Get On Board and Stay On Board

Christian Success Reading

Get on Board Stay on Board_Pearl Nsiah-KumiGod loves us so much He has made a way for us to escape the consequences of sin, by believing in the name of His Son, Jesus.

Get on board for a spiritual walk to your salvation.

http://www.pearlkumi.net

My friend Pearl Nsiah-Kumi, a multi-published Christian author and retired nurse, has put together a compelling book for us, Get On Board and Stay On Board. It is a collection of poems, short articles and Bible studies based on scripture, to encourage non-Christians to place their faith in Jesus, and also to support Christians to have a closer relationship with God.

Click Here Today to Get Your Copy for Only $0.99: http://www.pearlkumi.net

Right now, Pearl and friends (myself included), are offering FREE Bonus Gifts to strengthen your faith in God. You can receive all this additional support we’ve provided with your order of Pearl’s book.

Say YES to a relationship with Jesus, and allow Him to transform your life!

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The Simplicity of Organizing

Simplify Your Life

how organized are you_14877211_sToday’s post is by Moreen Torphy. Her post is on the importance of de-cluttering and keeping our lives organized with simple little steps. I hope that you will act on some of these useful tips to make your daily routine more manageable.

De-cluttering and organizing are popular topics these days, and can sometimes be misunderstood as the need to live in sterile surroundings fit only for a photo spread in a home decorating magazine. Regardless of these messages, this isn’t the case at all. A home is intended to be lived in and that means a few things out of place from time to time.

If, however, things are always out of place or don’t have their own place at all, this can lead to an unpleasant living environment. In my organizing practice I see coats tossed over chairs or on the floor, a hazardous pile of shoes by the door (think tripping), laundry that’s missed the hamper (not all of us are good at basketball, especially when tossing soft clothing), and all manner of “stuff” strewn around.

When a home isn’t maintained—coats hung up, shoes placed on a shelf or even against a wall, or laundry not done, those who live there become embarrassed to invite friends and family in. If someone should knock on the door, the inhabitants could suffer a crisis of guilt, overwhelm and even avoid other people.

Happily, there is a solution. Simply assign a home for everything and put everything in its home when not being used. That means taking a couple of seconds to hang a coat on a hanger or hook, organize shoes so they’re not a tripping hazard, and ensuring the laundry is placed in the hamper so it’s washed and ready to wear. Of course, this applies to all rooms in the home, even those with closed doors. The purpose is to make living easier for everyone in both public and private spaces.

Overwhelm happens when a space has been allowed to fall into disarray, which continues over a period of time. How long depends on the size of the family and their habits. When overwhelmed, it’s too easy to avoid picking up or straightening up the mess. Too easy just to let it grow and grow into a larger problem every time someone adds to it.

Being disorganized disrupts our internal peace. When so much is out of order, we feel out of order as well. We feel anxious, short-tempered, unable to focus and other negative feelings. In fact, we may not understand why we’re feeling this way until we make an effort to become organized.

Sometimes becoming organized includes de-cluttering—letting go of items that have no use but have been part of the scenery for so long, we don’t notice it any more. So if we don’t notice it, we don’t use or enjoy it. And if we don’t use or enjoy it, why keep it?

There are a few basic questions to ask yourself when you’re undertaking an organizing project:
• What does this item mean to me?
• Can I live without it?
• If I need it again, can I borrow it?
• If I must keep it, where can it be stored?
• If it is stored, will I use it again?
• How many dishes and cookware do I need for the number of people living here?
• Do all my clothes fit me and do I like everything?
• Is everything in good repair and ready to wear?

The answers, of course, are that if you’re not using or wearing something, you might not really need it. We all want to look our best, so why keep clothing that doesn’t contribute to that? There are plenty of people who need items we don’t need, so why not donate them to a charity to help another?

Living an organized lifestyle is simple, really. It just means putting away what you took out, closing what you opened, turning off what you turned on. By applying this simple rule to all areas of your life, home and office, you’ll be an organized person who feels better and happier to have company any time.

Do you have organizing tips to share? Join the conversation by clicking on the bubble above to reach the comments page.

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© 2014 Moreen Torpy
We would be honored for you to reprint this article. If you do, please include the resource box below with the links intact.
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MoreenTorpyMoreen Torpy is the De-Clutter Coach, a Professional Organizer, Author, and Speaker. Her new book is Going Forward: Downsizing, Moving and Settling In. See http://GoForwardDownsize.com for more about the book and http://decluttercoach.ca to learn about her organizing services and other books.
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The Simplicity of Organizing Read More »

What’s Your First?

Spiritual Success

Copyright: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/profile_stuartphoto'>stuartphoto / 123RF Stock Photo</a>But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. – Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

As Christians, Matthew 6:33 is such a well-known verse to the point where we may often quote it but without recognizing its importance. You may tell yourself and others that God is first in your life and that living righteously is your priority. But let’s pause and think about that. Is God really first in your life?

The principle of first or giving God your ‘first’ and best is rather important matter to God. The Lord wants us to make Him the first priority in our everyday activities. There are several areas that you and I need to look at so that God is in FIRST place.

 

Your Thoughts – What are your first thoughts about when you wake up? Do you think about what you have to do today or do you have thoughts towards your heavenly Father? When I wake up in the morning I like to start thanking Him for life, strength, health, family, and whatever else my heart thinks about His goodness. Of course, you and I need to spend time in prayer and in reading the Word but just by our first thoughts we have shown our priority. When our first thought and constant thoughts are of the Lord, He provides us with perfect shalom (i.e. peace, completeness, prosperity, and welfare).

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. – Isaiah 26:3 (AMP)

 

Your Talk – What do you talk about the most? What kind of conversation excites you? If your friends were present would they say that you love God? Do you often share your “God & me” story (i.e. share the gospel of Christ) when the opportunity arises? What you talk about says a lot about where our priorities are also. Often times we think people don’t want to hear about Jesus, but when the good news is heard those who receive it gladly welcome those who share it.

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” – Romans 10:14-15 (NKJV)

 

Your Prayer – Are you so anxious about your problems that your conversations with God starts with what you need and want? Have you thought that your first should be to pour your love on God by honouring Him for who He is (God and God alone) and thanking Him for all the good He has already done and will do? If we practice the model of the Lord’s Prayer our first would be to hallow (bless, revere, respect) His holy name. This is the beginning of effective prayer.

In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. – Matthew 6:9 (NKJV)

 

Your Time – I once heard a preacher say that you should tithe your time. In other words, you should spend at least 2.4 hours of each day in prayer and study of the word of God. That may sound extreme to some but who is the One who give you the time you have here on earth? Who is first in your 24/7? Busyness has gotten the best of us. Taking time to attend a church service, cell group meeting, prayer or bible study meetings are sometimes considered an inconvenience for the modern-day Christian. We tell ourselves that our schedule does not allow for it.

We ought to review our time and redeem it well. Make appointments with God if you have to just like you do for other meetings you have. But the important thing is not to compromise on that time to honour God. I have found that when I give my service to God especially when I am pressed for time, whatever I have to do for myself gets done. God helps me do what I need to in the time I have available.

Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is. – Ephesians 5:15-17 (AMP)

 

Your Heart – Ask yourself this question, “What is my first? Who is my first love?” There is a first in loving and that starts with loving God. God wants you to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, strength. When you do, He is placed first in all your life. And as you love Him totally you will in turn love others freely (See Mark 12:29-31). Along with loving Him first is the promise that you will receive more of what you left to serve Him here on earth and inherit eternal life.

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  – Matthew 19:29 (NKJV)

 

Your Money – God wants you put Him first in your money by giving to Him first. What are you first thoughts when you receive income or a gift? Do you think about how much of that amount belongs to the Lord (Malachi 3:8-9, Matthew 20:21)? Or are your first thoughts about what you can spend it on, or what bills you have to pay? God wants first place, even in your money. When He is first, He will give you abundant provision and protect your possessions and your income potential. You can even take it a step further in your money management and give Him complete control over 100% of whatever you receive. Just ask Him to guide you in what to give, save, invest, spend, lend and even how much to earn and how to earn it. Then follow through on what He tells you to do.

Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income; so shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats will be overflowing with new wine. – Proverbs 3:9 (AMP)

 

This principle of placing God first is quite the challenge or even seem unfair but God does not ask us to do something that He does not give us the ability to do. Furthermore, His command to seek Him first is not empty. He promises to provide for us whatever we need. We don’t need to be preoccupied like the world about what we should eat or drink or wear or live in. He knows what you need even before you ask Him. Therefore, as you make Him your first priority, you will experience a worry-free and well-provided-for life.

It requires faith to give the first of your time, money, thoughts, words, and your whole life to God and His kingdom. However, as you do He will make you first by taking care of your every need and desire.

Today, and always, make God FIRST in your life.

What other areas in your life do you think you need to place God first?

What’s Your First? Read More »