The Time Has Come…

Yes, the time has come! I’ve been putting it off long enough and just have to put a stop to it and do something serious and drastic. Oh, yes, I have played around with it and pretended I was serious and “tried” a few things to correct it. On the average all the things that I’ve tried, it probably lasted maybe a day or two.

What am I talking about? The dreaded “D” word! DIET! I know, I know…I’ve read all the articles where you aren’t supposed to say “diet.” The word die is is in it, right, I get it. I also have read where you just be careful in what you eat, etc. Well…something is wrong with me because that isn’t working!

We just returned from a fun trip to Carmel, California. What a beautiful place it was. I knew that when I returned home, I would begin some type of plan to get rid of my extra fluff once and for all. I just wasn’t sure. Yes, I prayed about it. Read several things on losing weight and it was always on my mind. Well…..I’m home now.

The Time Has Come!

I’m one of those people that has tried many different things to lose weight. The word is try. Maybe for a day. I also believe anything will work if you do it. That’s the key phrase….DO IT! (for longer than a day or one week)

I did lose weight a few years ago and oh, my goodness, I felt so good. I felt so good that I didn’t keep doing what I was doing to lose the weight. I got lazy in my walking and watching what I ate. So, here I sit wondering why I was so crazy to let that happen.

I never really had a weight problem growing up. When I got married my wedding dress was a size 8. I think that’s the last time I saw an 8 in my dress size. When we had our first little cutie pie I gained much weight…should I say how much? Okay, I gained almost 60 pounds. I loved Butterfingers and dip cones from Dairy Queen. I treated myself one too many times, evidently. I lost most of the weight after she was born. Three years later we had our next cutie pie. Don’t ask me what happened….I think my favorite treat was… everything….I’m not sure how much I gained etc. because we didn’t have a scale and I never weighed….but….I do know what the nurse told me when I was in the hospital about to deliver our cute little red head. That number will forever be etched on my brain. I can still see the number, too. Nope, I’m not telling what that number is. Maybe when I get over this hurdle I will because….right now, I’m just a few pounds away from that very number. I could say it’s baby weight, but, my baby is 33 years old. Let’s move on…

So, Beverly what in the world are you going to do? So glad you asked!

I’m going to begin the Jenny Craig plan. I’m committing to 2 months of doing the program. I’ve already ordered the materials and food. I cleaned out the pantry and refrigerator and here I sit waiting for the arrival of my life for the next 8 weeks. I know the food is really good because Jenny Craig is one of those things that I tried before for about 3-4 days. I can’t remember what got in my way to stop…but, that was so yesterday. Not thinking about that….

With me sharing my plan for this major hurdle that I have been battling for awhile will help me stay committed. Right? We will see….

Feel free to follow along on my Instagram and Facebook as I’ll be sharing the details of my 8 weeks on Jenny Craig. I may write about it once and a while on my blog.

So, to go along with my series of being ready for 2020…..this is the one on getting my self back in shape. 2020 is the year. Okay, I said that about 2019….but, I’m serious now! Really, I am.

If you are wanting to get your weight under control in 2020, hopefully, we can encourage one another.

Here is a before picture! You didn’t think I was going to take one of those where you are standing in a pair of yoga pants and a crop top did you? Nope, not me….this will have to do.

Okay….one more. I think we get the picture….Now Is The Time!

I’m excited to share what the next subject is on Being Ready for 2020! I’ll be back to share in a couple of days. Until then, I will hopefully be shrinking away.

Oh, one more thing….I think I forgot to mention that I will be getting back to my walking program. I know! I do not like exercise at all! Even walking. I don’t like to sweat. I don’t like to wear walking shoes and walking clothes. I always said I would not be one of those people who live in workout clothes….but, NOW IS THE TIME for now anyway. Don’t get me wrong…it’s great for other people.. I just don’t like it for me. As I’ve learned many times….Never Say Never.

Click here to read about Being Thankful in 2020

Click here to read about Letting the Negativity Go in 2020

Click here to read about Being Organized and Clutter Free in 2020

Let Negativity Go In 2020

Let’s continue on with our discussion on things that I’m working on for the new year. We talked about being thankful in my last post and showing our thankfulness in writing. If you missed it, click here to read.

When looking back on 2019, I am most frustrated by letting the negative things have a strong hold in my life. I could list them for you, but, I won’t as to bore you to death. There are some crazy things that are just plain old negative going on and sometimes I get really discouraged by them. When we are discouraged, we have a tendency to think:

“What’s the use”

“Who cares”

“I give up”

“I’m not trying anymore”

“I’ll never trust anyone ever again”

“I’m done”

“I’m depressed”

…and it goes on and on.

I’m sure you can list something that you have said in your mind when the negative elements of life hit you in the face.

I’m basically a very easy going person. I’m on the quiet side and I love a quiet easy life. I don’t have to have lot’s of noise and things going on all the time to be fulfilled. Although, I love to go and see new places and meet new people. I have many friends who I’ve known for many years and I also love making new friends. I will go out of my way to nurture my friendships.

I am crazy about my family. Each one of them mean more to me than I can even express in writing. I will do whatever it takes to make sure they know how much I love each one of them.

I am so very thankful that I know without a doubt who my creator is. So thankful that I put all of my faith and trust in Christ at the age of 14 and have never regretted, doubted or looked back. As a new believer there was a short time I had questions as the things I was learning in the textbooks and by teachers at school didn’t add up to what I was hearing at church. I came to a decision that my Bible was where I would get my answers. My faith has only gotten stronger year after year. For this I am grateful. So, I am sensitive to those that have chosen to not believe because I can see how in the world that we have, it would be easier to not believe in a creator. It makes me even more thankful for my strong faith. It doesn’t come easy for some.

So, when life is so good and you have a thankful heart… how can negativity creep in?

So glad you asked that.

*If you turn on the t.v and especially if you are a news junkie like me, you will see the negative. I don’t watch the local news, if I did, I wouldn’t leave my house! I’m a FOX News fan and I watch a couple of my favorite commentators in the evening. Woo….weee……as my mom has always said, “The world is going to hell in a hand basket!” I can only handle so much. I do want to stay on top of things in the world. I don’t want to be ignorant of things going on out there. As a young girl, I had to do a report on current events and my grandfather gave me a huge stack of a news magazine collection he had of current events around the world. That was the first time I had seen or heard of things going on in our world. I was amazed. Since that time, I’ve been intrigued with issues going on in our world. It does seem like the negative outweighs the good in our world.

*People seem to be on edge every where you turn. The city I live in is going through a boom due to the oil industry. It is busy and crowded. Many rude drivers abound and it seems everyone is out for themselves. When you go to a retail establishment or restaurant, it is refreshing when you meet an unhurried and friendly person….pretty rare. It’s almost like, you take what you can get in the food area when dining out. That’s why I love to travel, you get really good service in places that aren’t desperate for help.

*People. Yes, you read that correctly…people. We live in a culture of “It’s all about me!” “Like it or leave it!” “I can treat you anyway I want and there is nothing you can do about it.” “I don’t need a friend, I have plenty!” “If you don’t look and act how I think you should, you aren’t worth my time.” Yep, we all know people like that. Sometimes we sit next to them at church, we live next door to them and yes, they are even in our families. I know; not fun at all. Someone told me once, “You would be the last person I would be friends with; just because you are family doesn’t mean I like you.” Alrighty then…..next! 😉 Negative words sting, don’t they? Negative words also stick! Isn’t it funny that we can remember the negative words and we can barely remember the positive words that are said to us. That’s why it’s important to always affirm strangers, friends and family with your positive words. Tell others what you appreciate about them and why. You might change someones life just with your kind words.

*Social media is everywhere. I don’t think we can get away from it. There are good things that can come from social media, though. I am learning to pace myself and figure out how social media will and won’t be a part of my life. Let’s just say this…..I am so very thankful that social media wasn’t around when I was a teen. Yikes! I feel sorry for the kids that live and breath social media and miss out on the interaction of a real human voice and face. Trust me, it shows out in the real world. I think that’s how the “it’s all about me” culture is growing.

Well, I guess we will stop there. You get the picture, right?

Have some negative thoughts, emotions and people held you back in the past? It’s time to just let it go. Let 2020 be the year that you let all those negative thoughts, things and even negative people from the past go! You can’t change any of it. You can change you, though. You can change how you think about all of those things.

Be the person that someone will say about you:

“Wow, does she know what they said about her? Why does she look so happy and peaceful?”

“Does she not know the world is in shambles, why is she so peaceful and content?”

“Does she know how I’m treating her? Why does she keep being nice to me?”

Have you heard the southern gospel song that says, “I read the back of the book and we win?” I hope you are reading the right book, (God’s Word)….because if you are, then you know, we have nothing to worry about. Trust me, there are plenty of books that contradict God’s Word and those books don’t give any hope at all. How thankful I am for the hope that I have in Jesus Christ.

Do you have some things you need to let go this year once and for all?

I just thought of another song that says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through!” Hallelujah! For this I am thankful! Until then, let’s make 2020 the best year ever for us and our families by being positive, happy and content regardless of the negativity that is thrown our way on a daily basis. We got this….

The Art of Saying Thank You…

Happy New Year! I love the way 2020 looks, don’t you? I asked if you were ready for 2020 in my picture. That’s a silly question isn’t it? It really doesn’t matter if you are or you aren’t, because it’s here!

I love fresh starts so the beginning of the year is always a fun time for me. I came down with a cold and I think I’m about over it, but, I don’t have much energy. I do have energy to think and contemplate on how I hope my 2020 goes. So much controversy these days about resolutions and goals. I love setting goals and yes, I make resolutions with myself. Only I know if they don’t work and if they don’t, so be it…if they do…yay me! I think we should always be striving to be better in an area of our lives that we need improvement on or starting a new project or learning a new skill. It doesn’t even have to be the first of the year to do that, but, what a great time to begin…..the beginning of 2020. As I was journaling some thoughts and also wondering what I was going to write about on my blog, I thought….I’ll just write about the things I’m working on. Two things might be accomplished.

#1- It will help me to be more diligent in my task

#2 -It might encourage someone else in some way.

I will share one thing on each post as not to overwhelm anyone. (or myself) They also aren’t in any order of importance. I will choose something that is really speaking to me for the day.

Guess what is speaking to me today?

Being Diligent in Writing Thank You Notes!

I first have to tell you my horror story about… Thank You Notes!

When I was engaged to be married to my Jim, the deacon and staff wives at our church gave me a beautiful wedding shower. At that time in my life I was not used to receiving gifts at all. If you follow my blog and know of my childhood, you will understand. One of the deacon wives told me that I needed to go pick out china, glassware and various things that I would like to set up housekeeping. That idea just blew my mind and I was very uncomfortable doing so. But, I did it and with the guidance of this particular lady who happened to work at a very nice bed and bath boutique. She helped me pick out some fun things. I never dreamed I would be given most of it. What fun that was setting up our little house with such beautiful things. I was also told that I needed to send out thank you notes to everyone that came to our shower. I was given a list of all the gifts along with the names of who gave them to us.

One day I went shopping in a drugstore for some shampoo etc. and I saw a basket full of small thank you cards. They were plain white with a beautiful “Thank You” font on the front of the card. They were marked down to $2.00. I bought several of them. While we were on our honeymoon I wrote out thank you’s each day. I read up on how to write the correct thank you note and was so proud when I finished them. We bought stamps and put them in the mail. Done! Yay!

Then a few weeks later, I received a package from the post office. Inside was a note that said many of my cards had been destroyed due to the size of the cards and weren’t salvageable. They did have a few that were barely intact that they sent back to me. The note also said that some of them went through and they just weren’t sure how many made it and how many didn’t. I was dumbfounded! I didn’t have a clue what to do. 40 years later, I know what I should have done, but at the age of 20, I was clueless. Where was that deacon wife….I should have called her. I sat down and rewrote a handful of cards to some that I could read the names on and just let all the rest go. I am pretty sure my name was not spoke of in a positive way for all those that didn’t receive a thank you from me. I shared my story with as many that would listen, but, who knows.

All that to say, since that time I am a stickler on thank you notes. Not from others, but, from myself. I cannot rest until I get a thank you out for a gift or a kind deed that was done for me or my family. I’m sure I’ve dropped the ball many times, but, I have tried my best. When my kids were young, I taught both of them the art of a thank you note. They wrote thank you’s each time someone gave them a gift, even when we were told, “No, we are family, you don’t have to write a thank you.” We did anyway. By the way, don’t ever make a child feel like they shouldn’t have to write a thank you. It is only building character and a skill that they will need for the future. In my humble opinion.

Having a thankful heart is the beginning to having a good attitude about things and people in our lives. If we become unthankful and think we deserve things that are given to us, we will eventually become bitter and ungrateful. Writing a thank you note is just an outward showing of your true heart. It also has to be taught. Our children aren’t born with the knowledge of how to show thankfulness for someones kindness. We teach them those things.

I have a collection of books on etiquette and have read a lot on the art of note writing. By the way, be sure to read at the end of this post about a give away of one of my favorite books.

I’ll just sum up my own advice on writing a thank you note.

*You don’t have to use fancy notecards, it can be as simple as just a piece of paper and envelope. What fun it is though, to have an assortment of cute thank you notes that match your personality. I always have a large assortment of notecards at my desk ready to write at a moments notice.

*In a simple thank you, you can get straight to the point and thank the person you are writing for whatever deed or gift was given to you. Always name what was given and tell something about it. Such as why you love it or how you will use it. If someone gave you a monetary gift or gift card, mention the amount. “Such as Thank you so much for the generous gift of 1,000,000.00. I plan on buying a house next spring and this will come in handy.” Instead of “Thanks for the money.” One of my favorite thank you’s that I received from a young man said, “Thank you for the birthday gift, I can’t remember what it was but, thank you!” That made me laugh out loud. I saved it in my keepsake box. At least he was honest, right?

*I read that you have up to 10 days to write a thank you. I guess that is about how long it would take for someone to wonder if you received their gift and liked it or not. If I happen to wait longer than that, I will apologize for taking so long to write.

*For me, if I have several thank you’s to write, I have to pace them out. There is something about writing several notes at once. It makes me feel so rushed and my writing gets sloppy and I’m writing to get it over with. Isn’t that terrible? So, I have learned to pace myself and only write a few at a time, so each note will be more meaningful. Maybe I’m the only one that has that problem. When I have a thank you to write, I put it on my to do list and mark it off when I put it in the mail.

*Something else to think about is, you can write a thank you note to someone just for being a blessing in your life They don’t have to give you anything but their kindness and friendship. You could change someone’s day or life just by sending a simple little note in the mail. Everyone needs affirmation. I bet you can think of several that you could send a note to right now.

I hope that helps somehow. I know for me, I want to be more caring in my note writing and being thankful for the people in my life. Oh, how I shudder to think of all the people that I may have offended because they never received a thank you from me for a beautiful wedding gift. I do know how it feels to go and pick something out special for someone or even give money to and you never hear a word. You want to ask about it just in case it got lost, but then, you don’t want to offend at the same time. I’ve heard ladies over the years say very hurtful and mean things about someone when they didn’t receive a thank you for a gift they gave. I never want to be like that.

When we give a gift, we give it. No questions asked, nothing expected in return.

But….what a joy it is to receive a kind note from a thankful heart. It can make your day a little brighter.

Who do you know that needs to have words shared with them to make their day a little bit better! It’s so easy. All it takes is time.

A GIVEAWAY!

I have 5 brand new copies of one of Joy Weaver‘s book. She is one of my favorites on etiquette and is also a dear friend!

You know I love comments so be sure to leave a comment and I will draw five names from the comments section. If you aren’t a subscriber, click on the link on my sidebar and you will begin receiving my latest updates whenever I make a post on my blog. If you do subscribe, your name will go in on the drawing as well.

It’s Time To Be Quiet!

 

Happy New Year!  May the coming year be your best year ever!

How was your 2017?  Mine was wonderful.  I’ve been working on my photo albums and I found all the pictures from this past year and not only did it seem like just yesterday that I took the pictures, but, we got to see some beautiful places.  I loved all the family times from the past year, too.  Many memories were made.

Did you accomplish all those goals that you set in January of 2017?  I didn’t; I’ll just say that right away.  Matter of fact, I need to find my list so I can mark the things I did accomplish and work on those I didn’t.  This time of year, you hear so much about goals and resolutions.  You also will hear how some people don’t believe in setting goals and resolutions.  I never understood that.  I think we should always be striving to be better at who we are.  Matter of fact, we should strive to be more Christlike in our actions, our thoughts and our attitudes.  We will be talking about that this year on this blog.  I hope you will join me and together we can learn how to have a heart like His. I hope that is your desire.  It’s a good one to have.  I love what my  pastor said, “The only way to find out who God is and how He thinks, is to read His word; get to know Him.”

Do you choose a word for the year?  I have the last couple of years and I have had a verse going through my mind for the past few months and I have felt like the Holy Spirit was speaking to me about some things.  I will share with you some of those things in some upcoming blog posts.  I will say that the word I have chosen to be my word of the year is, Quiet.  There is so much to say about that little word. I look forward to sharing some things about the word Quiet with you soon.  I grew up very quiet and shy and I’m still pretty much that way now. This is a different kind of quiet.  For many years now, life has been going so fast and we have been busy.  We are in the midst of the “empty nest” years and trying to find my place of what I am to be busy doing or not doing has been a struggle for me.  In my quiet time, I have constantly heard a nudge to just be quiet.  Take time to listen and not worry about where I’m supposed to be, how I’m supposed to be and what I should and shouldn’t be doing.  I am to slow down….be quiet and listen.  I still have a very full and active life, but, it will be a bit different as I will be more quiet and listening to the voice of my Father.

Wouldn’t that be awesome to go away to a cabin for a few weeks and do nothing but spend time with God and just listen for His voice?  I won’t be doing that, but, I will be busy with my responsibilities and working on my goals that I have set for the coming year while listening more than I ever have.

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for being a reader of my blog, His Heart, My Desire.  My goal is to encourage you to live a life completely sold out for Christ.  We can still partake in all the fun things in life and still have a heart for the things of God.  If you are a regular reader, you may have noticed that I talk about  so many different things about home and family, travel, crafts, friends…it just goes on and on.   Sometimes, I have so much I want to say and I don’t want to hog a conversation with all MY thoughts…..hence….a blog.  I can talk and talk and I don’t have to worry if someone can hear me or if I’m interrupting someone.  You can just click out anytime you want and I won’t even know about it.  I’ll just be talking away as if the world is listening.   I’ve had so much fun with this blog and I have met some amazing friends through the blogging world.  I love  reading your comments and hearing your heart.

If you are new to His Heart, My Desire or you landed here be accident, I do hope you will come back for another visit soon.  I’m not a theologian by any means, (that is my husbands department.) I’m a simple girl who loves Jesus with all her heart and loves to encourage others to love Him too.

I’ve seen some crazy things in my 58 years and been through some pretty crummy things, too.  I’ve also seen and been through some very wonderful and amazing things.  I’ve seen the goodness  of people and I’ve seen the cruelty of people.  I know you have too, and I love sharing some of those things to let you know that it will all be okay even when you think it won’t.  I’ve had my heart hurt so deeply that I thought it was literally going to break in two.  That is why we need each other.  We need someone to say, “It’s going to be alright….you aren’t alone.  There is an answer even when you think there isn’t.”  I hope this blog will be something that will give you hope, encouragement and the confidence to be the best you possible and make a difference in our world.

May you have a wonderful 2018!

Spiritual Goals for 2014

Setting Spiritual Goals….

 I’ve asked Kathy Howard to share today on setting up goals for your Bible study.  You will love Kathy’s practical and encouraging wisdom to get serious about your Bible study.  Kathy has several Bible studies published and you will want to check them out and make them a part of your studies this year.
I met Kathy in a writer’s group and found out she was also a director of women’s ministries at her church.  I attended a couple of her events at her church and had her come speak to our ladies at one of our events.  She is an inspiration!

5 Tips for Setting Spiritual Growth Goals
by Kathy Howard
What do the following things have in common?
  • Exercise more
  • Lose weight
  • Improve my relationships
  • Pay off debt
  • Get organized
Every year these items pop up in lists of the Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions. Did you make any resolutions for 2014? The first of the year is a great time to start fresh, set goals, and begin something new. In fact, it’s the perfect time to evaluate our spiritual health and set some goals for growth.
We can’t cause our spiritual growth. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to transform us into the image of Christ (2 Cor 3:18). But God does expect our obedient and active cooperation (1 Cor 9:24-27). One way we can purposefully “train ourselves to be godly” (1 Tim 4:7-8) is through spiritual evaluation and goal-setting.
Resolutions and goals are often hard to keep. Statistics show that, at best, only 46% of New Year’s resolutions are still kept six months into the year. People lose their resolve quickly because they set unattainable goals.
The following five tips will help us set personal discipleship goals that will keep us growing through the year:
  1. Concentrate your efforts. Set just one, two, or three goals at a time. Don’t spread yourself too thin. When you experience success then add another goal.
  2. Be realistic. Set attainable goals. If you don’t read your Bible regularly now, don’t set a goal to read the entire Bible in three months. Instead commit to read it 3 to 5 times per week.
  3. Think concretely. Set goals so progress can be measured. For instance, this goal is too ambiguous: I’m going to spend more time with God. Instead be concrete: I will read one Bible chapter and pray for 10 minutes five times a week.
  4. Include strategies. Develop strategies designed to move you toward your goals. If one goal is to memorize Scripture, determine how you will do that. What verses you will memorize? How often you will tackle a new one? What memorization techniques you will use?
  5. Create manageable steps. Break your overall goal into a series of smaller goals that are doable and will foster success.
How do we begin? First, take a serious look at your spiritual health. You may use the free “Discipleship Evaluation” download. This tool covers 17 different key discipleship areas. Your weakest areas can be great growth areas in 2014.
Next, set spiritual growth goals using the five tips above. Planning is not “unspiritual.” Living a life that glorifies God will not happen by accident. The free “Spiritual Goals” worksheet walks you through specific areas of discipleship such as time with God, ministry, service, and Christian education.
Most importantly, ask God to guide you as you evaluate your spiritual health and set goals for growth. He will bring the spiritual transformation as you strive to live a live that pleases Him.
What kind of spiritual growth goals have you had in the past? How did it go?


Kathy Howard helps women live an unshakeable faith for life by encouraging them to stand firm on our rock-solid God no matter the circumstances. Kathy, who has a Masters in Christian Education, has been teaching the Bible for over 25 years. Kathy and her husband have three children, a son-in-law, and one grandson. Find out about her books, Bible studies, and speaking ministry and get free discipleship tools and leader helps at: www.kathyhoward.org.

Goal Setting for 2014

I asked my friend, Donna Watson, published author and speaker, to write a post for us on the subject of setting goals for the new year.  I hope you enjoy and are encouraged by her words.

I met Donna about 9 years ago at a writer’s conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.   I found out that she graduated from high school with my mother (Ft. Stockton, Texas)  and even worked for my uncle when she was in high school. My uncle owned a radio station and Donna did a radio show called “Dinner Date With Donna.” Is that a small world or what?

Donna became a precious friend and a mentor.  She is an encourager and motivator. She lives her life for Christ and it is very evident to everyone who knows her. I’m thankful that she was in my path and I know it wasn’t by accident.  For this, I am very grateful!

Are You a Goal Setter?
            Are you a goal setter?  See any reason for them?  Maybe not.  But think about this.  Not having goals in your life is like getting into your car, starting the engine and then never touching the steering wheel.  If you don’t know where you are going, sometimes you can’t go anywhere. 
            Goals are a plan.  They are the way we get to where we want to go.  They are the most valuable asset of our successful lives.  A goal is anything that you can have, be or do.  Only 5 out of every 100 people actually set goals.  Interestingly enough, research has confirmed that at age 65, only 5 out of every 100 people are able to financially take care of themselves.  Coincidence?  Most likely not. 
            Written goals are an essential part of goal setting.  A study done at Harvard Business School showed that the 3% of graduating MBA students who actually wrote down their goals upon graduation, earned – in only ten years – ten times as much as the other 97%.  Written goals do make a difference. 
            Goals are simple…not always easy…but simple.  There are only 5 steps:
1.    You must have a beginning date.  Have you noticed that “someday” is not a day in the week? 
2.    Your goals need to be specific. The more specific they are the more likely they are to happen.
3.    The goals must be written down.  Unless your goals are written down they are only a dream. 
4.    Your goals need to be committed to someone who believes in you. 
5.    You want an ending date.  Is that ending date in concrete?  Of course not!  The ending date is a target date, and if you don’t make it, it is okay.  Strive for it, work for it, but if you don’t make it, just set another date and go on.
            Is it easy to make goals happen?  Of course not.  But they can happen.  Persistence is the key and it does pay off. 
            Why don’t people try? 
1.    They don’t understand the importance of goals.
2.    They don’t know how to set goals.
3.    They may have a fear of rejection.
4.    They may have a fear of failure.
            But the most important thing to remember about goal setting is that you have nothing to lose. 

            Take those goals you have established and write them down on 3-by-5 cards, put them in your Blackberry, or post them on your mirror.  Read them three times a day – out loud.  You will be amazed how quickly things will begin to happen.  Reach for the moon.  If you don’t reach it, at least you will end up among the stars. 

Donna Watson, PhD
 

Goals for a New Year!

2014!  Wow!  Another year with lot’s of opportunities to make a difference in our world.

I get tickled with all the debate with who likes and doesn’t like resolutions or setting goals.  I’ve heard some say that when you set resolutions all you are doing is setting yourself up for failure and the same with goals.

What is important to me is…to always strive to be better, regardless if it is the first of the year, the first of the week or in the middle of the year.  When we stop trying to improve ourself and the world around us, we just exist.  The reason the new year is so popular is because it is like a fresh start as in the way Mondays are.  Each Monday is a fresh beginning to a new week.

Whenever I am listening to someone and they start criticizing those that make resolutions or goals, I tune them out.  I will continue to make my goals and or resolutions to be a better person in the areas of my world.

If that isn’t enough, you may have set goals and then someone rips your goals apart saying they aren’t good enough, not specific enough,  etc. etc.  It’s almost like you can’t win for losing.

I would like to encourage you to go ahead and set your goals/resolutions and strive to be the best you can be in every area of your life.  Don’t ever stop reaching for that goal.

I recently heard someone say that they hate going to the gym at this time of year because of all “those people” who want to begin an exercise program are crowding the gym, but they know they won’t be there in a couple of months.  If each of those that have that complaint, maybe they should take one of “those people” by the hand and encourage them, maybe they will be there in a couple of months and may just be pretty successful.

All that to say:

1.  Set your goals/resolutions for the year.
2.  Ask God to give you strength.
3.  When you fail, pick yourself back up and get going again.
4.  Be careful who you share with, you want them to be positive encouraging people.
5.  Don’t judge others, encourage them to keep on keeping on!
6.  Your goal should ultimately always be to please God.

*Tomorrow I will have a guest writer that will share tips on how to set your goals and stick to them.  I can’t wait!

May 2014 be your best year ever!