The Value of Habits

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
Jim Ryun


Habit - noun

1. an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary

2. customary practice or use

I've been thinking about habits a lot recently. There were a few things I knew I needed to do on a regular basis to reach certain goals I had set for myself. My problem was making the decision every day to do these things. And then each day deciding when to do those things. Shall I work out this morning or this afternoon? Shall I write now or later? Do I want to do laundry today or tomorrow? Sometimes it seemed I was spending more time making decisions about doing things than actually doing them.

Then one day while using my tablet to browse through apps in the play store I came across some habit trackers. They looked pretty cool so I checked them out a little closer. Some of these apps seem to be loosely based on Jerry Seinfeld's "don't break the chain" approach to productivity. Basically it is creating a chain of days in which the same actions are repeated daily. The goal is not to break the chain of days.  

So I decided to create a few chains of my own. Since we were in a time of change much of my routine changed daily but the first few hours of the morning were pretty much the same every day so I started there. Between 7AM and 9AM I began to build several habits - Bible time, a short workout and shower, a healthy breakfast, a load of laundry started and an hour of writing. Having those thimgs accomplished by 9AM each morning goes a long way towards keeping everything else running smoothly. Whatever else happens that day I know some of the most important things have already been accomplished. 

It's been fun to try to keep the chain unbroken and as day follows day the habits become more ingrained and less of an effort. And with an unbroken chain of habitual progress I come closer each day to reaching my goals!!!

    

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When You Dream Alone

God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow into them. ~ Author Unknown

credit

We hear and read a lot about chasing your dreams, about dreaming big, and never giving up. And I'm a firm believer in all these ideas. I  believe God places within us dreams for a reason. I believe I was born at in this place, at this time, with these dreams for a reason. I believe that dreams and ideas are often a gift from God, one that we sometimes refuse to unwrap and fully appreciate because we don't realize their value. 

But what happens when these dreams are very big, and very real and dear to you and yet . . . it seems like you dream alone? It seems like no one shares the dream or is willing to truly work together to achieve the dream. 

Do you give up on the dream? Should you walk away and say it must not be achievable? Maybe it's unrealistic. Maybe it's just a silly fantasy. 

I'm very familiar with those feelings but I'm learning not to walk away from my dreams. Here are some things I'm learning about dreaming alone.

God sized dreams can only be brought to reality by the Author of those dreams - God. Sometimes God gives us God sized dreams so that we will learn to depend on Him to bring them about and give Him the glory when they are. David had a God sized dream when he went to face Goliath. And no one else thought he could do this.  David knew going in to this venture that only through God could this be accomplished and when Goliath was killed it was obvious Who should receive the glory.

Be patient. Learn to wait on God. This can be a really hard one for me - I'm really not so good at waiting for things. It's hard to have a dream so real to me I can see it and be told to wait. But God's timing is perfect and when the time is right He will move. And often He is moving in ways we can't see with our human eyes. And when the time is right, those who are part of the dream will be available and ready. 

Don't try to force others to embrace your dream. This is another hard one for me. I get a vision, am enthralled by all it represents, and immediately expect everyone else to be on board with me. But if they don't share the dream, if they haven't seen the vision, they aren't going to feel the excitement. And all my talking, nagging, and  pushing is only going to push others away, not draw them in. Sometimes it's good to share the dream, although there are other times when it's better to hold it close. But either way, trying to force others to share it is futile and can be damaging. Let God do the preparation in others without human interference. 

Be flexible. Yes God gives dreams but we are only human. Sometimes we try to fill in the details with our own earthly vision. And then we have a hard time letting go of these details that were really not part of the plan. Sometimes we can add so many of our own details that when the dream does began to come true we don't even recognize it and turn it away. 

Continue to grow and learn. Waiting time is the perfect time to be growing and learning. Does the dream involve any special skills or knowledge? Use the waiting time to hone those skills and gain that knowledge - read, practice, learn from others, network. And most of all, grow spiritually. Pray and read His Word. Develop that most important relationship so that you are strong and well rooted when the time comes. 

Believe in your dreams, 
For even those that seem out of reach,
Are safe in Unseen Hands.
~ Unknown





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Morning Musing Over Coffee - Step by Step



credit: Michelle Meiklejohn

The road leading to a goal does not separate you from the destination; it is essentially a part of it. ~Charles DeLint

I am the kind of person who sets a goal, or sees something that needs to change, or it suddenly struck by a wonderful idea, and then wants to see it all happen right now. It is so easy for me to forget that the road is an essential part of the fulfillment of the goal.

Without the journey, the step by step walking out of ultimate fulfillment of that dream, their is no context, and I would never experience the growth that comes along the way.

God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them. ~ Author Unknown

Planning: 10 Things in February

While enjoying a cup of coffee and a few quiet minutes to read blogs yesterday I came across this post - 10 Things in February.   I agree that the 100 things in a year lists are a little daunting and have a tendency to be somewhat unrealistic. At least when I try to make a 100 things list it is. But I think I can handle ten things in a month. With a shorter time frame I am more likely to choose realistic and relevant goals. So here are the ten things I would like to accomplish in February.

1. Have a Valentine's Day Party for the daycare kids.

freedigitalphotos by maple



2. Reread Minding Your Own Business by Raymond and Dorothy Moore. This is a book I often go back to and read and reread portions for inspiration and encouragement. But this month I would like to start at the beginning and read it all the way through. It is packed full of so much food for thought and practical advice.

3. Put up some kind of window treatment in the playroom. The window in our playroom lets in a lot of light and looks out on the side yard where we like to watch the birds at the bird feeder and the squirrels in the trees. I don't want to block the light and the view but it needs something. Probably blinds that would be pulled all the way up during the day but could be closed at night and during naptime and a valance at the top.

4. Ditto for my kitchen windows. One of the kitchen windows looks out on the same view as the playroom window. The other provides a view into the back yard where the kids play.

5. Finish the two online child development classes that I've started and neglected. Both are fairly short and won't be hard to finish. I just need to get busy and do it.

6. Reorganize the "baby room." It's being used less and less as a baby room (room with cribs for the babies to sleep) and more and more as a storage room. I want to take out one of the three cribs and reorganize everything else so that everything is easier to get too. 

7. After reading this post on the Frugal Family Fun Blog I can hardly wait to try making some fabric wall decals for one of the walls in our playroom. I have lots of fabric and lots of ideas. Now I just need some time and a little liquid laundry starch.

8. Plan my garden and flower beds. I can hardly wait to start planting!

9. Put together a Home Management Notebook. I've been meaning to do this for months. Time to stop thinking about it and do it.

10. Watch one good movie.

2011 Resolution

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos by scottchan

I have always loved beginning a new year. I get a thrill thinking about all the opportunities to learn and experience new things, to reach new goals, and the adventures that are sure to come.

I spent a lot of time this year thinking about what goals or resolutions I wanted to set up for myself in this New Year. At first I had a long list of things that I thought would be good goals. But the more I thought about it the more I realized I would like to keep things simple. So instead of a whole list of goals I decided instead to make one simple resolution that I believe will have the most positive impact on my day to day life and help me to reach my goals.

And here is the resolution:

I resolve to make a schedule for myself each month and barring any major unforseen circumstances to stick with that schedule for the month.  At the end of each month I will rewrite the schedule taking into account what did and did not work as well as upcoming events, changes, etc.

The reason:

I already know what my main goals and interests in life are, my problem is keeping myself on track with a consistent and reasonable schedule to reach those goals. I make schedules for myself and then instead of sticking with them long enough to really see if they work, I think of a "wonderful new idea" make a new schedule and start all over. Hopefully limiting myself  to monthly changes will help me stop jumping all over the place all the time.

Accountability:

At the end of each day I will post here how I did that day in following my resolution. There will be a new post for each month. I think this will be fun and the fact that I am posting online each day will help me to stay focused. I will begin tomorrow, January 2.

I picture this resolution as a path I am following. In my minds eye when I pictured the path I wanted to travel I also pictured a kind of hand rail or guard rail along each side of the path to help me to stay focused on that path. I chose Proverbs 31:10 - 31 to represent one of the hand rails and the concept of Proactivity to represent the other. Each week I will concentrate (and post) on one verse from Proverbs 31 and work to be Proactive in my day to day life as I work on my resolutions and goals.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos by Scott Curtis