Inspiration… How and where do we find it? They say that you will be the same person every year except for the people you meet and the books you read. People and books can inspire us. With that said, I think it is also important to remember that we are all in this lifeboat together. No one is going to get out alive. Therefore, I believe that a balance of good books, great relationships, and time management play an important role so that not only can we be inspired, but we ourselves can be inspirational. It all comes down to choosing… and having the ability to choose. However, if you haven’t taken care of yourself first, your choices won’t be good ones (I know when I am tired, I make horrible choices)! So let’s focus on some main ideas, a THREAD that will weave its way to you becoming a more inspiring person who can also make room to be inspired more:
T – TIME Management is KEY:
Many of us women spread ourselves too thin so that we end up doing a lot of things at a mediocre level instead of a few things at a spectacular level. We need to learn how to say, “No, I’m sorry, I don’t have the time available that is necessary to do that”. Or you could say, “I would want to do my very best, but I don’t have the bandwidth to dedicate to it”. Because if you are rushed at all in your daily life/routine then guess what, your plate is full, and you are officially over-committed. You owe it to yourself, your family, and everyone you come in contact with the very best form of you that there is. So, if you have not used your time wisely, that is nearly impossible.
H – HOPE is IMPORTANT
Life can be brutal. There are good times and bad, so we need to hang on to hope. I find my hope in my creator. The one who knows my heart and wants the best for me. The one who loves me and gave his only son for me. The one who has made a plan for me and if I follow his will then my days are filled with love, hope, joy, and peace that is beyond our understanding. He alone is my one source of hope and faith. I look to Him whenever I am struggling and he helps me through whatever storm or valley I am in. He whom without, I would not be here right now.
R – REST is ESSENTIAL
The amount of rest you need is different for everyone. You KNOW when you are sharp, focused, and ready to take on anything! You have that clarity! When you are rested, you make better decisions; you are more open to new ideas and conquering things that you would rather not. Which also leads to better time management. When we are so frazzled and overtired, we tend to not think things through all the way and just say yes to everything. This is the worst thing to do because then you can’t get out of the cycle/spiral of the time-sucking rat race. Step out of it ladies! First of all, remember that if you don’t take care of yourself first, you can’t take care of others. So, live your best life, and check in with God and His plan for you for the day. He may help you to realize that you don’t have to do everything on your To-Do List for the day. Some things can wait until tomorrow; others can be rescheduled. It’s not the end of the world, or your life if some things don’t happen when others feel they should. God may have other plans, be open and submit to his guidance, he has your back. Listen to his gentle cues and stop trying to control and overthink everything. Give it to the Lord, He is ultimately in control and can handle it all.
E – ENCOURAGEMENT is VITAL
I find it so encouraging when someone smiles, waves, says hi, or pays me a compliment. Everyone is blessed by those things. So why not spread the joy and become an encouragement if you are not one already? Or become MORE encouraging. There’s no overdoing it! Take a look around you and see people as they are. Like us, doing their best, still struggling and trying to balance their lives. The struggle is REAL (I have the shirt)! Ask people questions, actually care, and talk to strangers as if you know them. Like I said we are all on this big blue marble spinning around the sun together sharing the ride. Let’s embrace others. Let’s share the love and joy the good Lord has provided and placed in our hearts. Love others as He loved us (when He gave up His only son for us). Be a light in this dark world! Reach out to those that you may be the only light they’ve received all day. It not only blesses them, but it blesses you… ask yourself at the end of each day, who did I uplift or encourage today? Whose life did I touch and brighten? Did I help anyone today? Or even, did I let the Lord use me for his awesome purposes today? Hmmm….
A – To ACT is a MUST
We can talk all day about the things we SHOULD do, and I know you have already probably heard all of the ideas above, but without the follow-through, it is meaningless. Start taking baby steps toward your goals today. Set a small goal and work to achieve it. Celebrate your success. Just keep trying! Don’t beat yourself up for failing; you are only human! If you are so inclined, pray! The Lord LOVES to help his sons and daughters and it makes him happy when we ask (even for the tiniest things)! We all have bad days, too… sometimes you just have to start over. Give yourself a clean slate, and don’t be so hard on yourself. We can’t just stay the same person year after year, we need to be growing, learning new things and meeting new people, and living our BEST LIFE!
D – DO IT with DEVOTION
No matter what you do, do it ALL the way. Be ALL IN! Be PRESENT! SOAK UP your life! Don’t just exist… We don’t know how long we have, we need to do everything with passion and devotion, and appreciation. Take an inventory of who you would like to stay in closer contact with and make a note to adjust as necessary. Be devoted to yourself and take care of your body so that you can be around for yourself and others. Nurture all your relationships. Take care of the Lord’s temple (your body) so that you can share in the many blessings that are all around us if we would only stop to count them. Focus on the positive, not the negative. Choose to believe the very BEST of people (even when they are having an “off” day). Choose integrity. Be a person of your word. Devote your time and energy to worthy things. We don’t get any time back, and we are definitely running out of it. Don’t have any regrets! If you’re unsure where to start, start asking the one who knows you best, the one who is Devoted to you.
So go out there, INSPIRE others, and be INSPIRED! Take a few baby steps and start the process! Make some changes, meet some new people, read some great books, and live your BEST life! PRAY about it! Don’t wait! If you need some guidance in that area, please feel free to contact me, and I will help you make an appointment with the creator of the universe if you’re interested. His plan is the best! 😊
By Cynthia A
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